Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/688647
{ SOMMjournal.com } 69 It was a beautiful evening, from my vantage-point. I could see the hills that formed the back- bone of the eastern side of the valley, densely robed in evergreen trees and hunkered against a backdrop of stars that seemed to dra w closer against the indigo-black palette of an ever-darkening sky. The evening air, as it so often is in the Willamette Valley, was crisp, but patio heaters made outdoor dining a welcome, cozy experience. I'd had a full day of tasting and touring King Estate, now cel - ebrating its 25th year, and dinner at the winery's acclaimed on-site restaurant proved to be the perfect close to the day's hectic pace. King Estate's proprietor and co-founder, Ed King, sent a parting gift to my table—a rare bottle of 1995 Estate Pinot Gris fished up from the depths of his private cellar. My server quietly informed me that there weren't many '95s left as he prised an intact but fragile cork from the bottle with an ah-so. I regarded my glass with some skepticism; the wine appeared to be oxidized. Even in our low-light setting, one could see that it was the color of diluted walnut wood at the rim; the brownish hue suggested the vagaries of time had long since taken their toll, that there wouldn't be much to savor. Instead, the '95 sang, offering up a riot of caramelized apples, poached pears and less expected—though equally expressive— layers of marzipan, furniture lacquer and almond paste. On the King Estate 1995 Pinot Gris stands the test of time "I have done my part to soak up my share of aged white wines," says Ed King, "but I kept running into people who were surprised—still—to hear of these very old white wines from Oregon that have held up so well." King Estate houses a library of vintage Pinot Gris.