Oregon wine: 2016 Argyle Blanc de noirs sparkling wine

2016 Argyle Blanc de noirs sparkling wine

Eola-Amity Hills,
Willamette Valley,
Oregon

12.5% alcohol

Cork and cage closure

600 cases produced

LIVE-certified winery

Dosage: 6 g/L

Méthode champenoise, disgorged on-demand

Argyle really is the pioneer of Oregon sparkling wine! Launched in 1987, the winery has stayed true to its mission of specializing in Pinot noir, Chardonnay, and Riesling, bottling both still and sparkling wines. Since real deal champagne in France can be made using just three varietals; Pinot noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot meunier, Argyle also has some meunier planted at their estate vineyards.

This Blanc de noirs is made up of 95% Pinot noir and just 5% Pinot meunier. French for “white wine from black grapes,” both dark-skinned Pinots were grown at two estate vineyards in the Eola-Amity Hills. Harvest began at the Lone Star Vineyard in late August and ended nearly a month later at their Spirit Hill Vineyard. In fact, the 2016 harvest was wrapped up before the month of October, which has only happened twice in the history of the winery.

Color:

Sunshine yellow

Bouquet:

Minerally aromas of wet stone and fresh rain mingled with fruity cherries and lemons and slight whiffs of sweet marzipan.

Palate:

Just 10% went through malolactic fermentation, and all the wine was aged in neutral French oak barrels, imparting a full mouthfeel with bubbles that could only be described as fat! As they burst, tart flavors of lemons, key limes and quince exploded in my mouth. With abundant acidity and secondary flavors of underripe kiwis and green apples, eventually, the wine’s tartness evolved into a long, creamy finish.