History Elk Cove Vineyards was founded in 1974 by Pat and Joe Campbell. Winemaker Adam Campbell joined forces with his parents in 1995 and Elk Cove remains proudly family owned. Early DaysPat & Joe Campbell Planting their First Grapevine. It's 1974. The Campbell family winds up a gravel road to an abandoned and overgrown homestead in the foothills of the Coast Range Mountains. Six year old Eartha asks "Where's the house?" "It's behind us!" Joe and Pat happily reply – referring to the trailer that would be their home for the next year. They are Oregon winegrowing pioneers. Pat and Joe chose the property for its shallow soils, steep hilly terrain and beautiful views. After converting the existing homesteader's barn into a winery, they built a new home from reclaimed lumber. They invited friends to help on the weekends, enticing them with manual labor and wine futures. Joe worked nights in the ER, Pat managed the business, and they both worked long hours in the vineyards and made the wines together. There were fewer than ten wineries in Oregon at the time. Why Elk Cove?In the winter of 1974, a herd of 40 Roosevelt elk bedded down in the clearing by the Campbell family's trailer. Their presence, along with the protective bowl shape of the property, inspired Pat and Joe to name their property Elk Cove Vineyards. Family RootsPat's great-grandfather was a Swiss immigrant to Helvetia, Oregon, who grew grapes and made wine prior to prohibition. Her parents were orchardists in Parkdale, a small farming community at the foot of Mount Hood. Her father Lew, upon seeing his daughter's new land, overgrown with abandoned prune and hazelnut trees, commented "With this soil and no water, I don't think you can grow anything here – except maybe wine grapes." Pat met Joe Campbell when they were both teenagers picking strawberries for spending money. He was a small town kid from Hood River, Oregon, whose smarts landed him at Harvard, then Stanford Medical School. Joe used his academic background to teach himself the science of winemaking, collaborating with other fledgeling winegrowers to learn from their achievements and struggles. Success in a New IndustryPat and Joe didn't know it at the time, but they were pioneers of a new industry in Oregon. In 1979, the Campbell's 1978 Riesling won gold at the Oregon State Fair, the Tri-Cities Wine Festival, and the Seattle Enological Society annual tasting. Pat and Joe had proof – they really could make world class wines. In 1985 when Robert Parker of the Wine Advocate famously "discovered Oregon" the Campbells and other Oregon winemakers felt their region was finally on the map. Thirty five years later, there are over 500 wineries in Oregon. The wine business now ranks as one of Oregon's top agricultural industries. Although Pat and Joe are retired now, you might see Pat working in the flower gardens on your visit to the winery. Joe might pour you a glass of his Condor wine. Their vision lives on through their son Adam. Adam Grows UpThe five Campbell kids all grew up working summers in the vineyards at Elk Cove – it was truly a family business and Joe and Pat needed all the help they could get. Adam took a special interest and stayed close to home for college, attending Lewis & Clark and spending summers on the bottling line. Upon graduation he joined the business year-round to learn the craft of winemaking from his parents. Adam is now responsible for making Elk Cove's wines. He oversees six vineyard sites with 350 planted acres. That's over 10 times the total acreage of all Oregon vineyards when Pat and Joe planted that very first vine. The Campbell's goal has always been hand-crafted, Estate-grown cool climate wines that rival the best in the world. As a second-generation winemaker and a 5th generation Oregon farmer, Adam Campbell is proud to continue that tradition.
James Suckling 91 This has a very attractively fragrant and perfumed nose with roses, red cherries and berry pastry. The palate has good intensity and depth
62eOregon » Willamette Valley
Wine Enthusiast 92 “Adam Campbell’s Pinot Gris is one of Oregon’s best, year in and year out. A lush and vivid mixture of grapefruit, lemon curd
Wine Enthusiast 91 Editor's Choice Tones of lemon, lime and green apple penetrate deeply on the nose and palate. It's tart and juicy, with a bright
James Suckling 92 This has a vibrant and lively nose with upbeat, red-cherry and berry aromas that are laced with attractive perfume. The palate has a
Whole-cluster pressed and cold fermented in small stainless steel tanks. VINTAGE 2017 was a classic Oregon vintage with plenty of sunny days and refreshingly cool
Wine Enthusiast 90 (October, 2017) “Fragrant and nicely detailed, this sends up clover and apple blossom scents. Apple-infused flavors follow, with touches of peach and
James Suckling 92 23 Oct, 2018 Plenty of bright, fleshy red cherries on offer here with the beginnings of very detailed, complex style. The tannins
Wine Spectator 90 "Vivid and expansive, with tangy pear and cantaloupe flavors that play against hints of lime, finishing with polish. Drink now through 2019." 16,000
TASTING NOTES: Pale lemon tempts with high aromatics - pineapple and grilled plantain meander into notes of yellow peach, fresh ginger and honeydew. A melon
Wine Spectator 89 "Bright and focused, with powdery tannins supporting boysenberry and pomegranate flavors that linger on the finish." Best from 2017 through 2020. 23,000 cases
Wine Enthusiast 91 “This full-bodied, lightly spiced wine seduces with fresh fruit flavors of pear, apple, kiwi and melon. Polished and bracing, it finishes with
Wine Spectator 90 "Fresh and expressive, light-footed and generous, with cherry, plum and apricot flavors, coming together smoothly on the open-textured finish. Drink now through 2019."
Wine Spectator 90 "Fresh and vibrant, showing polish to its currant and blackberry flavors. Finishes with density and finesse. Drink now through 2020." 17,300 cases made.
Wine & Spirits 92 "Mouthwatering and brisk, this succulent gris has the scent of apple blossoms, its flavors giving the impression of a slice of crisp
Wine Spectator 88 "Fresh and vibrant, with lively melon and pear flavors, finishing on a citrusy note." Drink now. 17,000 cases made. —Harvey Steiman "The Willamette
"At the close of harvest 2011, many winegrowers breathed a sigh of relief. Feelings of déjà vu from 2010 were evident as the picking pushed
"The 2010 Elk Cove Vineyards Pinot Gris gives sweet and unctuous aromatics while showing crispness on the palate with vibrant citrus and grapefruit. True to
Wine Spectator 91 " Light on its feet and intense in flavor, offering tea leaf–accented cherry and pomegranate flavors, with nicely buffed tannins. Finishes with richness
Wine spectator 91 "This fresh red is inviting and invigorating for its juicy black currant, plum and white pepper flavors, playing with zest against polished tannins
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