Milbrandt Pinot Gris Traditions 2013.

This is a family-owned vineyard with a long tradition of farming in Washington and Oregon.  Butch and Jerry Milbrandt decided to enter the business of grape growing in 1997, and today, they farm 12,500 acres.  After observing others make awesome wines from their grapes, they opened their own winery in 2005.

Winemaker Joshua Maloney is a graduate of Cornell University where he took a wine appreciation class as a senior. . .which ultimately sent him on a detour from his original chemistry major.  After a stint as a wine salesman for a distributor in Chicago, he landed a job with Heron Hill, a winery in the Finger Lakes region of New York.  From there, it was on to California with stops at Stag’s Leap and Estancia, before moving to Washington and Chateau Ste. Michelle and ultimately Milbrandt in 2011.

Winery Tasting Notes:  “Our pinot gris is crisp on the palate with lively flavors of white peach, a hint of cantaloupe giving way to a fleshy mid-palate with a clean, bright finish.  It pairs beautifully with antipasto, summer salads, ripe white cheeses and simple seafood dishes such as steamed clams and oysters.”