You Need to Try These: Ovum's Thrilling Rieslings
We devote countless hours to writing about and recommending Oregon wines, with a vast majority focus on Pinot noir and Chardonnay. Not today, because it has become crystal clear that on the short list of most exciting wines made in the state -- and we say the country -- are Ovum's Rieslings.
With a recent inclusion in Wine & Spirits Top 100 wines of the year and a new vintage, 2017, which we believe is across-the-board the strongest yet for Ovum, we're reaching through cyberspace to say, if you ever enjoy Riesling, ever want to try some of the country's most thrilling and dynamic white wines, you need to try these. We've selected our two, extraordinary favorites:
Ovum Base Line Riesling 2017
Ovum Off the Grid Riesling 2017
With a recent inclusion in Wine & Spirits Top 100 wines of the year and a new vintage, 2017, which we believe is across-the-board the strongest yet for Ovum, we're reaching through cyberspace to say, if you ever enjoy Riesling, ever want to try some of the country's most thrilling and dynamic white wines, you need to try these. We've selected our two, extraordinary favorites:
Ovum Base Line Riesling 2017
$24.25 in any 12 bottle or Build a Case* order ($26.95 regular)
We didn't so much choose Base Line as a favorite; it chose us. Perfection, to our tastes, with a textural loveliness and weight that left us at a loss for words. Profound. - Us
Planted in 1983, the own-rooted Bradley vineyard is one of the pioneering sites in Elkton, the coolest region within the Umpqua Valley. Silt loam, and sedimentary rock form the soil along with gray clay from the nearby Umpqua River. Elkton is a direct line to the Pacific Ocean, which shows more direct influence over Elkton than any other region in Oregon. Warm, dry days in the summer are shocked by chilling, Pacific nights. The numbers at harvest made me giddy. It was as if we harvested Auslese level ripeness, at Kabinett level acidity - I didn't think it was possible so I sent a juice sample to the lab which verified the unbelievable. Despite showing a good nutrient profile, this was our slowest ferment, but I believe that led to complex layers of aromatics and unusual, salty texture. This is one of the greatest wines we've had the fortune to produce. It's ripeness is understated, it's acidity is refined, and the texture is as complex as it comes. - Ovum
Ovum Off the Grid Riesling 2017
$24.25 in any 12 bottle or Build a Case* order ($26.95 regular)
The beauty of balance. The ideal tension between acid and sugar. Tons of fruit, layers of smoky minerals, a delicately powerful finish, a wine with enough electricity to power its own grid. - Marcus
In the deep forest, somewhere on the Oregon/California border, exists a vineyard far from any civilization. The only thing close is an old sip and stop grocery that closed long before our time. It's under the radar, almost as if the lines on the map stopped, and this place was beyond. That's what the wine conjures, an unusual place from a different time. - Ovum
We're looking forward to helping you with an order. Thanks for your support and have a great weekend!
Marcus and Andy