Long-lasting Elk Cove is one of Oregon's elite wineries

An eyeblink (or was it half a lifetime?) ago, there were no more than three or four dozen wineries in Washington and Oregon combined. Most of them are now gone. Anyone remember Cote des Colombes? Mulhausen? Jonicole? Haviland? French Creek?

Out of the many hopeful startups that quickly came and just as quickly went a generation ago, only a handful have survived to see the Northwest wine industry welcome its second-generation winemakers. Such thoughts crossed my mind on a warm, breezy Saturday afternoon a few weeks ago, as I sat under a grand old elm tree on the grounds of Oregon's Elk Cove Vineyards.

With me was winemaker/general manager Adam Campbell, who grew up at the winery, which was founded by his parents in the mid-1970s. He became its winemaker in 1999. Adam's young son and daughter were running around the picnic table, a third generation waiting in the wings. It was a moment to savor; to toast the pioneers who survived, to honor the past while celebrating the present, and to peek into the future.

In a state blessed with gorgeous vineyards, Elk Cove owns some of the prettiest. South-facing slopes in northern Yamhill County, just outside the tiny town of Gaston, were first planted in 1974 and harvested in 1977. Riesling, gewürztraminer, chardonnay and pinot noir were grown, and immediately attracted attention. Two Elk Cove wines were chosen for a banquet honoring noted viticulturist Robert Drouhin on one of his first visits to Oregon, back in 1981. Awards followed, and some very nice wines, but somehow the winery never quite garnered the attention and acclaim given to some of its fellow pioneers, such as Eyrie, Ponzi and Adelsheim.

Writing about the winery a decade ago, I noted that "there is a homespun unevenness to Elk Cove's wines, but the best of them are solidly anchored by spectacular fruit." That could be a tagline for many of the Oregon wineries that have come and gone over the years. But more recently, under the inspired leadership of Adam Campbell — the only one of five siblings who has chosen to remain actively involved with the winery — Elk Cove can rightfully take its place among Oregon's elite.

Current releases, and indeed the last several vintages, show a winery that has shaken off the inconsistencies of its past. Elk Cove's streamlined lineup (gone are the chardonnay and gewürz) consists of a killer pinot gris, a pair of remarkable rieslings, one of Oregon's best blended pinot noirs, and an impressive lineup of svelte, textural, balanced and ageworthy single-vineyard pinots.

Changes began, as they should, in the vineyard management. Campbell doubled his total acreage by purchasing the 30-acre Windhill vineyard and another 30-acre site on Mount Richmond, near the town of Yamhill. He also introduced modern pruning, thinning and "green harvest" (dropping immature fruit prior to ripening) techniques, lowering yields to just two tons per acre.

Equally important changes were made within the winery, and as a result Elk Cove wines have achieved a consistency previously missing. "Back in my parents' day, people didn't do a lot of thinning," Campbell explains, "so there were alternating big crop/low crop years. I think that accounts for a lot of the vintage variation we used to see. Once we started evening out the crop levels, we began to get more consistent ripening, which meant we could beat the rains at harvest."

Elk Cove's estate vineyards sit at an elevation of 600-800 feet, and the site, a bit farther north than most Yamhill county vineyards, is tucked into the foothills of the Coast Range. This exceptional location allows grapes to ripen fully without sugar levels getting too high, so the sugars remain in perfect balance with natural acids. The finished pinots come in at a very restrained (and quite Burgundian) 13 percent alcohol, which in turn lends grace and elegance to the wines.

Don't look here for the ultra-ripe, hot, jammy style of pinot that many of Oregon's boutique producers embrace. Elk Cove's wines, along with Domaine Drouhin and Eyrie, are among those who emulate a more sinuous, earthy and balanced style. They may not score as high with California palates, but to my Northwest taste buds these are far more Burgundian in style. And Burgundy, after all, is the Holy Grail for pinot noir.

Elk Cove wines are distributed throughout Washington, and may also be purchased directly from the winery. All of the current releases profiled below are highly recommended.

Elk Cove 2002 Pinot Gris; $15. This is lovely stuff, balanced and complex with multiple layers of fruit. One of the top five pinot gris made in Oregon.

Elk Cove 2001 Willamette Valley Riesling; $12. From 25-year-old vines, this dry, very fruity, clean and fresh-tasting wine mixes flavors of pear, apple and citrus.

Elk Cove 2000 Estate Riesling; $18. Even better, the estate bottling is wonderfully Germanic in style, with peach, citrus and hints of emerging petrol.

Elk Cove 2001 Roosevelt Pinot Noir; $32. The best of the single-vineyard pinots, this soft and seductive wine is scented with primary fruits, and undertones of leaf and earth. It seems to gather strength as it rolls down the throat, and it tastes even better after 24 hours of breathing time.

Elk Cove 2001 La Bohème Pinot Noir; $32. This too is a complex wine, less forward and fruity than the Roosevelt, but stacked with flavors of herb and leaf and tart fruits.

Elk Cove 2001 Windhill Pinot Noir; $32. The winery has made a vineyard-designated "Windhill" pinot since 1979, and purchased the land in 1996. Taut, steely and streaked with flowers and herbs, it seems to promise a long life ahead.

Elk Cove 2001 Pinot Noir; $20. The winery's least-expensive pinot is fragrant and appealing, with silky fruit and a lingering finish.

Paul Gregutt's column appears weekly in the Wine section. E-mail him at wine@seattletimes.com.