Acrobat Pinot Gris 2017 Oregon, USA 75cl

Acrobat is the accessible Oregon range made by King Estate, one of the state’s largest and best-known producers. The label is built around bright, fruit-driven wines that show off Oregon’s cool-climate character at an everyday price, and Pinot Gris is one of its most natural fits.

Pinot Gris is a mainstay of Oregon white wine, and it suits the state’s cool, damp growing conditions well. Slow ripening under mild skies gives the grape its fresh acidity and clean, orchard-fruit definition, which is exactly the sort of profile Oregon has become known for.

The 2017 vintage produced crisp, well-balanced whites, and this is a wine made to be enjoyed for its freshness rather than kept. There is no heavy oak, just clear, unforced fruit, so it is best drunk while that brightness is at its peak.

Expect ripe pear and green apple, a squeeze of lemon and a subtle mineral edge running through the finish. The palate is crisp and dry, light-footed and refreshing at 13.5%. It is an unshowy style, and all the more useful at the table for it.

This is an easy, versatile white. Serve it well chilled with seafood, fresh salads, goats’ cheese, sushi or a light lunch on a warm day. Its clean lines and gentle mineral streak make it a natural aperitif as well as a dependable partner for lighter dishes. Clean, dry and gently mineral, it is an Oregon white built for everyday enjoyment rather than any grand occasion, and it is all the more useful for it.