2022 Ovum "Big Salt" White Blend, Elkton, Oregon, USA

ABOUT THIS WINE:

Big Salt is a co-fermentation rather than a blend – meaning they allow Mother Nature to create complexity rather than attempting to blend the wine after the fact. Starting in mid Sept, the Gewurz is picked, then it's soaked on the skins then pressed to tank. As that juice begins to ferment, Early Muscat is incorporated, followed by Riesling, then an additional pick of Gewurz, followed by Pinot Blanc and Riesling. Big Salt is the culmination of the myriad of climates Oregon vineyards have to offer in each vintage.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER:

Founded by husband-and-wife duo John House and Ksenija Kostic in 2011, Ovum is a celebration of the diverse expressions of Oregon Riesling. After years of learning the intricacies of the Willamette Valley while working together at Chehalem, John and Ksenija set off to further investigate the myriad terroirs of Oregon through the lens of Riesling, and now source fruit from through the state. They have found sites with blustery Pacific winds, extreme diurnal shifts, and rocky, well-draining soils.

To emphasize the idiosyncrasies of these vineyards, all of Ovum’s wines see the same practices in the cellar: natural fermentations, no additions or subtractions except for SO2, extended lees contact of 8-9 months – all in neutral barrels of acacia and oak, as well as Nomblot concrete eggs. The resulting wines are textured and concentrated, driven by minerality, and framed by unwavering acidity. Ovum’s work is among the most compelling white winemaking we have encountered in our search throughout the Pacific Northwest.