Burgess “Cygnus” Pinot Gris 2021

A 100% Pinot Gris from the new world with old world vibes

A 100% Pinot Gris from the new world with old world vibes

Burgess Cellars

This unusual white wine from Burgess Cellars hails from the St. Andrew Vineyard in Napa’s Oak Knoll District AVA, and is distinguished by its classic tones and old-world winemaking: old Pinot Gris vines, extended skin contact and fermented in amphora, which contribute to its slightly savory and very textured expression.

The fermentation program is more detailed than your usual bottle: 33.4% in amphora with 20% skin contact; 33.3% stainless steel, 33.3% neutral French oak. And then the juice is aged for 22 months in 65% neutral French oak and 35% stainless steel.

Cygnus is a northern constellation in the Milky Way, its name derived from the Latinized Greek word for swan. Swans often are associated with acts of transformation in mythology: Zeus disguised himself as a swan to seduce Leda; upon his murder, the musician Orpheus was transformed into a swan and placed in the sky to form the constellation Cygnus; in Ovid’s Metamorphoses, three people named Cygnus were transformed into swans. For the producer, the rise of the Cygnus constellation signals the start of the harvest season.

TASTING NOTE: This light-straw-colored, shimmery wine is fresh and clean as if exposed to slices of lemon somewhere in its journey. It also delivers flavors of fresh-cut green apple, quince and has a lees-y, lactic/creamy finish, which puts it in the medium-body range. It is round and satisfying, but those fresh fruit slices keep it on its edge. Delicious with grilled sausage or roasted chicken and a sweet summer corn risotto. In the fall, mushroom dishes would go well with this, too. At 12.8% abv, it is much lighter than expected.

The producer’s notes describe St. Andrews as “enveloped by pollinator gardens, edible tea plantings, and several types of livestock, making it a veritable nirvana of promiscuous farming.” Sound like the vineyard site is as rich and layered as this wine and its inspiration. Only 214 cases made. SRP: $90 (check vintage availability).