Alcohol: 12.9%
Grape(s): 50% Riesling – 30% Gewurztraminer - 14% Early Muscat - 3% Sauv Blanc - 3% Others
Localization: Oregon, USA
Tasting Notes: Big Salt is a dry, white blend that dreams of capturing the essence of Oregon in a bottle of wine. Fresh, bright aromas of sea spray typify this texturally rich proprietary blend.
Notes: Big Salt is a white wine that embodies a day at the beach. It's bright, fresh, dry and a bit salty (although no salt is added of course!) - once it's done you're left wanting more. We achieve this experience by letting mother nature create complexity - that is to say we allow all of the grapes to ferment together, with native yeast..rather than making a blend in the laboratory. Finding the right vineyards throughout Oregon that share the same cool climate is what it's all about.
Big Salt is a co-fermentation rather than a blend – meaning we allow mother nature to create complexity rather than attempting to blend the wine after the fact. Starting in mid Sept, we pick Gewurz that is then soaked on the skins then pressed to tank. As that juice begins to ferment, we incorporate Early Muscat, 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.
Native fermentation (co-fermented) in stainless steel.
Unfined and Filtered (we have to filter Big Salt because it doesn't naturally go through ML)
Food pairing: Big Salt pairs well with fish tacos, pesto chicken pasta, pad thai…or just chilling.
The Domain: 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.
