Today we share an electric new brand in Pacific Northwest wine. Pinstripe Wines follows an emotional tale of perseverance. It is named after co-founder Amy Andrews’s uncle, an artist, who was diagnosed with AIDS in the beginning of the crisis and he used blood lines to make his art. His partner was a doctor and he had to give blood regularly. He would come home and over his art he put his bloodlines across each piece of his art. He did that to show how his life was affected by diseases and facing death — going through a hard time. It was obvious that this became a pinstriped type of art. The mark in the back of the bottle is influenced by a piece of his art. Pinstripe is a 100% women-owned, LGBTQ-owned brand.
It is quite remarkable that founders Amy and Jeri Andrews donate 100% of the proceeds to the Seattle Children’s Hospital Uncompensated Care Fund. Amy explained why she and Jeri do this, noting “illness in a child is unfathomable and we felt that the story ties in well, using the artistry that he created and using it forward into today.” One of the wines is named ‘never give up’ in French which is named after her uncle who put signs of ‘never give up’ under each hospital door.
The wines are made by Kate Payne Brown, eminent Oregon winemaker who is now at the helm at Argyle. The wines are geeky and highly nuanced, with a limited amount of dosage. I love the new 2023 Pinstripe ‘Pour Toujours et a Jamais’ Blanc de Blancs Sparkling Wine (OB, 93) which is beautifully astringent with great citrus and green apple fruit flavors. Learn more about the wines at https://www.pinstripewines.com/ and here are my reviews of the inaugural wines by Pinstripe Wines.
2023 Pinstripe ‘Pour Toujours et a Jamais’ Blanc de Blancs Sparkling Wine- This was named in French to honor the traditional method champenoise. Given 2G/L dosage, this is marvelous astringent and saline-driven with green apple and lemon zest flavors alongside copious minerals and stony accents on the palate. This comes off soft and round with a smooth texture. Enjoy now and over the next eight plus years to come. Drink 2025-2033- 93
2023 Pinstripe Pinot Meunier ‘Ne Jamais Abandonner’ Sparkling Wine- The 2023 Pinstripe Pinot Meunier ‘Ne Jamais Abandonner’ Sparkling Wine was given 4G/L dosage.offers tart red fruits on the nose. The palate offers beautiful guava and strawberry fruits alongside baked apple and shades of kumquat zest. Beautiful now, watch this evolve over the next eight plus years .Drink 2025-2033- 93