Oregon wine: 2017 Winderlea Vineyard vintage sparkling brut wine

2017 Winderlea Vineyard vintage sparkling brut wine

Willamette Valley,
Oregon

12.5% alcohol

Empty bottle weight: 29.5 ounces / 838 grams

Cork and cage closure

Dosage: 6g/liter

Disgorged: June 2020

Release date: October 2020

220 cases produced

Méthode champenoise

This sparkling wine was made with 45% Chardonnay grapes sourced from vineyards in the Chehalem Mountains and McMinnville AVAs, and 55% Pinot noir grapes from the Eola-Amity Hills AVA. It spent 7 months in neutral French oak barrels, then 2 years in tirage, with all the spent yeast and sediment. Winderlea then disgorged the wine, removing the yeast and sediment, then added 6 grams per liter of sugar, and let it rest in the bottle another 4 months before release.

Bouquet:

Tart aromas of granny smith apples, lemons, and kumquats with hints of sliced almonds.

Palate:

The Winerabblers really loved this wine! It was bright and crisp with flavors of tart quince, green apples, and lemons. Very tart with vigorous bubbles, the wine was mouthwatering with minerally chalky flavors that segued into a pleasantly bitter citrus pith finish. It is an excellent example of sparkling wine done really well in Oregon!