Brut 2015

Vintage

2015 was another in a string of warm and delightful Oregon vintages. The growing season started with a bounty of fruit provided from a good set on the vines allowing us to precisely choose the level of cropping we wanted for our wines. The warm, dry season set us up for a very clean, ripe harvest. This is reflected in the intensity of the wines. At pick, we saw fruit in pristine condition allowing us to easily craft a stellar vintage wine.

Winemaking

A blend of two-thirds Pinot Noir and one-third Chardonnay grapes were hand harvested from two different vineyards in the Willamette Valley. They were chilled overnight to allow for a gentle press cycle the next day in a traditional pneumatic press. The different blocks were vinified separately in a mix of traditional French oak barrels and stainless steel barrels to develop depth and complexity of flavors while retaining an exacting freshness. The different vessels allowing different aspects of the fruits flavor profile to emerge over the course of the primary fermentation and subsequent elevage creating a more dynamic and complex end result than a singular fermentation vessel would. A portion of the wine went through a complete malolactic fermentation to bring further complexity to the palate. The wine was bottled in the spring of 2016 and matured sur latte (on its lees) until disgorging during the spring of 2019. Upon disgorgement, it was decided a small dose of 1.5 g/L would bring perfect balance and mid-palate weight to the wine. The wine was aged on cork for an additional year after disgorgement before its release to allow the dosage to integrate and the wine to relax.

Tasting Notes

This golden straw hued sparkling wine is a delight for the senses. The aromas are diverse, harkening back to classic French sparkling wines. Notes of orange flower blossom are mixed with guava and toastier notes of hazelnut and brioche and exotic sandalwood. Similarly, on the palate, the flavors move from fresh to savory, advancing from Meyer lemon, Asian pear, lemongrass to grapefruit marmalade, fresh baked granny smith apple pie and chanterelles. All this carried by a soft, but persistent bead of tiny, tiny bubbles. This wine is a sensuous journey not easily forgotten.