Drink In Life

Oregon’s Sparktacular Renaissance

Posted on September 9, 2019 by drinkinlife

For those who get excited when they hear the cork being popped on a bottle of Sparkling wine, the amount of time and labor that goes into producing this treasure is often not the first thought on their wine drinking radar. It’s the seduction of the sound, the shimmery bubbles, and the perfect flavors that keep Sparkling wine sales rising here in the United States. With ten consecutive years of sales growth in the U.S., sparkling wine sales is a good indicator that people are not just buying more wine, they are buying more expensive wine and enjoying every sip. In Oregon, there is a continuing devotion and an uptick in Sparkling Wine production which is gracefully elbowing its way into a place among the worlds top-quality bubbles.

Willamette Valley Sparkling Wines

For the 2018 vintage, close to 40 Oregon wineries produced méthode champenoise sparkling.

While Oregon may well be known for its versatile and award-winning Pinot Noir, yet its accomplishments with sparkling wines change the dialogue when it comes to discussions about Oregon wines. With a suitable climate for the production of traditional Champagne varietals like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Oregon’s sun soaked and wind swept hillside vineyards are yielding an array of sparkling wines exhibiting Oregon’s pioneer determination as well as elegance and complexity.

A Lunch & Sparkling Wine Seminar at Argyle Winery

Recently I had the opportunity to visit Argyle Winery in Willamette Valley as part of the Wine Writers Educational Tour (WWET). Our stop at Argyle was both a lunch, beautifully hosted by Argyle and an Oregon sparkling wine educational seminar with four Willamette Valley Sparkling Winemakers.

Glasses of Argyle Sparkling wine were poured as our WWET group was greeted by Argyle staff including Sales/Marketing Director Nate Rob Alstrin and Winemaker Nate Klostermann (right). I want to personally thank the staff at Argyle for their generous hospitality during our visit.

During lunch we had the pleasure of tasting Sparkling wines from Argyle Winery, ROCO, Willamette Valley Vineyards, and Bryn Mawr. The winemakers from each of these prestigious wineries shared with us the story of their sparkling production journey while we sampled each of their unique Oregon sparkling wines. The Oregon Sparkling Seminar, with an emphasis on the Willamette Valley, was a great way to dive deeper into the history of Sparkling production in the Valley as well as get a better perspective of how the winemakers see this style of wine evolving in the future for Oregon and the Willamette Valley.

Winemakers from Left to Right: Joe Ibrahim of Willamette Valley Vineyards, Rachel Rose of Bryn Mawr, Nate Klostermann of Argyle Winery and Rollin Soles of ROCO.

More than three decades ago the journey to produce Oregon Sparkling wine on a large scale was pioneered by Argyle and Rollin Soles of ROCO, then the head winemaker and co-founder (along with Brian Croser) of Argyle Winery. Rollin will tell you that the Willamette Valley “is really a fantastic place to grow sparkling wine grapes, but you don’t turn the sparkling winemaking process on (in a snap of the fingers) and you don’t learn the craft in that way either.”

“If you want to become a red winemaker in the Willamette Valley, and make Pinot Noir in the Valley, it’s like Bingo Bango Bongo and you look like a champion. But, with sparkling wine, that is not the case. It is hard for folks to wrap their heads around the proper long term process and aging methods of sparkling wines.”

Rollin Soles

Although most Oregon wineries age their sparkling wines for two to three years before releasing the vintage, it’s becoming common to hold back a portion of the production for extended 5 to 10 year tirages.

For more information on the Sparkling Wine process visit Wine Folly’s informative Website: https://winefolly.com/review/how-sparkling-wine-is-made/

Individual winery production of sparkling wine in the state is still small, with Argyle leading the way with the largest production of five different sparkling wines. Many other Oregon wineries are only releasing fewer than a hundred cases, making their sparkling wines hard to find, even locally, outside the winery tasting rooms. Sparkling wine is undoubtedly more challenging than a still wine like Pinot Noir, and the processing time is not the only hurdle that wineries have to overcome when producing sparkling wines. Growing or sourcing the right fruit, in the right condition, can be a limiting factor for some wineries. Luckily the climate of the Willamette Valley is ideal for producing exclusive fruits and thus exclusive wines with flavor characteristics different for anywhere else in the United States.

For centuries, sparkling wine has been linked with celebration and special occasions, now however, it is not uncommon to pop open a bottle of bubbles on a Wednesday night for no reason except that it is ‘Wine Wednesday”.

The fact is that some wine regions lend themselves to sparkling wine production better than others and Oregon is continuing to, like bubbles in a glass, rise to the top in the world of sparkling, one vintage at a time. Below are just a few examples of the Sparkling wines tasted on the Wine Writes Educational Tour that are available from Willamette Valley wineries.

Argyle Winery

Sometimes words just can’t do a wine justice and this is the case with this Arygle Sparkling Wine. With layers of fruit flavor and crisp acidity this 2008 Entended Tirage Brut was aged upon the lees for 10 years giving it a deep and creamy character. Orange zest springs forward with each sip, followed by honey buttered toast flavors. A beautiful Sparkling that sings a beautiful song of elegance with each bubble released.

ROCO

If you haven’t tried a ROCO RMS Sparkling wine yet, spoiler alert…they are fantastic! The 2015 Sparkling Brut from ROCO is a blend of 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay, and made in the traditional méthode Champenoise. Alluring is a word that comes to mind when sipping this sparkling, the color, the shimmer and the aroma vie for your attention, distracting you from taking that first sip. Then when you pull your attention back to the task at hand and indulge in the first sip you get flavors of a fresh morning breakfast of fruit cocktail and freshly toasted bread mingled with a saline wish. In a word, Sparktacular!

Willamette Valley Vineyards

The Willamette Valley Vineyard Brut 2015 may have held the most surprises for me in the way of flavor. More citrusy than the other sparkling wines tasted, this Brut washed over my tongue in waves of citrus and zest with hints of apple and that all familiar burnt toast note. Lovely with a silky and smooth texture I couldn’t imagine a better wine to have with a cheese platter on a lazy summer afternoon sitting under a shade tree. Delightful!

Bryn Mawr Vineyards

Bryn Mawr Innovation Series Pétillant Naturel 2018

Bryn Mawr describes their Innovation Series as an introduction to “unbridled winemaking curiosity and technical exploration to our lineup. Different varietals, different techniques, and anything but predictable, these small batch experiments are made with no guarantees of a repeat next vintage. ” This completely sums up what you will experience in a bottle of their 2018 Pétillant Naturel (natural sparkling) a uniquely unpredictable sparkling experience. I loved the use of 10% Maréchal Foch (read more about my infatuation with this grape https://drinkinlife.blog/a-grape-odyssey-marechel-foch/ ) in this sparkling along with 84 % Pinot Gris and 6% Pinot Noir. Winemaker, Rachel Rose, has created a creamy, dreamy, sweet and spirited sparkling with this wine. A must try!

Chris James Cellars

Chris James Cellars ‘Prost!’ Willamette Valley Sparkling Wine 2017

I had the opportunity to enjoy a dinner at Left Coast Cellars in Rickreall, OR with Beth James during the WWET WV tour. As their 2017 Chris James Cellars ‘Prost!'(meaning “cheers” in German) Willamette Valley Sparkling Wine was being poured Beth, with a contagious amount of enthusiasm, told us a little about their journey into the world of winemaking and the conception of this delicious Oregon Sparkling wine. What made this sparkling so appealing is that it is a white blend of 60% Cider and 40% Gewürztraminer. An absolutely amazing flavor combination with sweet green apple taking center stage in both aroma and flavor. Mingled with flavors of a fresh batch of spiced applesauce you get whispers of floral notes and a refreshing dry finish. A sparkling so lovely that I could not bring myself to pour it out when the next wine needed space in my glass. So, I eagerly finished it, problem solved!

Native Flora

Native Flora Cuvée Libertus! 2015

On the last day of the WWET WV tour we were hosted at the stunning tasting room of Native Flora for lunch and a wine tasting. While enjoying views of the Willamette Valley that stretched on for miles we tasted our way through some of Native Flora’s best wines and enjoyed the story behind each bottle from Scott Flora. Saving the best for last Scott brought out a bottle of his limited production 2015 Cuvée Libertus! and he completely wowed us with this sparkling pour. This Extra Brut Sparkling is made by hand, a true Methode Champenoise, and was so refreshing and unique in flavor that when lunch was over may of us (including myself) lined up to purchase a bottle of this sparkling gem. No tasting notes here on this wine as I was so wrapped up in enjoying the glass that I did not take time to do anything else but enjoy the view, the company and the shimmering wine in my glass. If given the opportunity I would say snag a bottle of this sparkling as quick as you can.

Images © Drink In Nature Photography and Drink In Life Blog.

Chilling in the Pacific Northwest with Cascade Ice

Posted on September 3, 2019 by drinkinlife

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This post is sponsored by Cascade Ice and all products were provided. Photographs, thoughts and opinions are my own.

I first discovered Cascade Ice products when I moved to Washington State over 12 years ago. It started with their Zero Calorie Naturally Flavored Sparkling Water and then when their Organic Sparkling Water came on the market I knew I had found a new favorite beverage. Recently I became curious when I heard about Cascade Ice’s new product, a Flavored Caffeinated Sparkling Water. To be honest I gave up soda and other sugary drinks last year and I have to admit that sometimes I miss that caffeine boost in the afternoon. With my busy photography and freelance writing business I need all of the energy that I can get.

When most of my day is spent outdoors in nature, I really appreciate the Organic Flavor and Organic Caffeine in this new Sparkling Water.

A little history about this Pacific Northwest Company

Unique Beverage Company was established in 2001 by local life-time Washingtonians Mike Broadwell and Mark Christensen. Family owned and operated with more than 85 years combined experience in the bottling and beverage business, they developed Cascade Ice Sparkling Water. Many of the employees today have been with them from the beginning. From still water, to sparkling water, to sparkling water with caffeine, and a few things in the middle, they are always thinking about new and innovative products.

Taking Cascade Ice’s Caffeinated Sparkling Water on the Road.

Recently I took a road trip up to the North Cascade National Park and drove the Cascade Loop Highway with my family. I thought it would be a great opportunity to try all four flavors, Grapefruit, Citrus Twist, Black Raspberry, and Pomegranate Mango while enjoying the beauty of the Pacific Northwest. Turns out it was a great alternative to an afternoon cup of coffee since the weather was in the 90-degree range.

These new drinks consist of only three ingredients: Carbonated Water, Natural Organic Flavor, and Organic Caffeine (derived from Organic Green Coffee Beans) giving you the #powerof3.

Enjoying the power of 3 by the Methow River in Winthrop, WA

Enjoying nature with a little sparkling water.

It is always important for me to make my go-to source of hydration throughout the day water, but sometimes you just want to enjoy something with a bit of fizz and flavor. This is when I enjoy a chilled can of Cascade Ice’s Caffeinated Sparkling Water the most, and although all the flavors are refreshing, I really love the flavor of the Organic Black Raspberry.

On a recent photo shoot, I brought some Cascade Ice Caffeinated Sparkling water with me to photograph and enjoy on a hot summer day. While setting up a shot a woman and her dog walked by and comment on the beautiful day, I replied that it was just a perfect PNW day and we struck up a conversation. Soon she asked what I was doing and I told her about my photography business and showed her the products that I was shooting that day. Well as often happens I asked if I could photograph her dog and her by the lake and she agreed, then I paid her in kind with a can of the new Sparkling Water. Needless to say she was thrilled and so was I.

Add an Organic Boost to Your Day!

The nice thing about this new sparkling water is that it is perfect if you are trying to cut out sugar and artificial ingredients from your daily diets. Plus, they’re great for a hike, outdoor picnic or just to add some flavor and sparkle to your day. The Cascade Ice Caffeinated Sparkling Water has been great during the hotter Pacific Northwest summer days, especially after a long day of work outside. Really Refreshing and did I mention Zero Calories!

You can find the new Cascade Ice Caffeinated Sparkling Water in local stores in the PNW, such as Albertson’s, Bartell’s, QFC and Safeway as well as in selected stores in several other states. This is a new product so if you don’t see it in a store near you, Ask your favorite store to stock Cascade Ice with Caffeine.