In The Glass: Territorial Vineyards Pinot Gris ’09

Yesterday, my friends and I were out and about in Eugene’s funky Whitaker neighborhood. This unique, vibrant and flair-filled neighborhood houses one of our finest wineries, Territorial Vineyards, and one of our stellar and most well known breweries, Ninkasi Brewing. There are a host of restaurants and bars that offer cuisine ranging from Vegan specialties to Southern Soul food. Live music and food carts are heard and seen in just about every direction, and the people that live within this neighborhood are just as colorful and vibrant as the surrounding establishments.

Since it was a gorgeous, warm and sunny day yesterday, my friends and I chose to kick back and relax for a while at an outdoor table in the back yard of a Whitaker neighborhood bar called Sam Bond’s Garage. Sam Bond’s Garage is housed inside the actual garage of -you guessed it- Sam Bond, and is well known for its live music venues, good food and good vibes. They serve up great local brews including local wine – very local wine, as in wine from Territorial Vineyards and Wine Company located a couple blocks away.

We ordered a chilled bottle of Territorial’s 2009 Pinot Gris, which we soon discovered was the perfect wine for a hot summery day. Apple and pear aromas included a hint of wildflower which led to flavors of pineapple and melon. The bright and refreshing finish is nice and long, making this wine purely blissful in the summer heat. My friends and I absolutely loved this wine.