Oregon’s Willamette Valley has an uncanny ability to quietly go about making great wine, almost when no one is looking.
First it was Pinot Noir (the Willamette Valley is now one of the greatest Pinot regions in the world). Then it was Chardonnay (which the Willamette does brilliantly even though it’s hard to get noticed in the ocean of Chardonnay that’s already out there). And now the wine that’s exciting wine drinkers is sparkling wine—delicious, complex, vivid Willamette Valley sparklers that number as among the best being made in the country. And it’s happened in the winemaking equivalent of a blink of an eye.
More than 100 Willamette Valley wineries now make sparkling wine. Just five years ago, fewer than half that number did. (For comparison’s sake, in the whole state of California there are about 300 producers of sparkling wine).
Several factors have made the new galaxy of Willamette sparkling possible. Above all, producers here have easy access to grapes since they already grow top-notch Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The Willamette is also a coolish region, so the grapes have lots of the freshness requisite for sparkling.
And maybe most important of all was the creation ten years ago of a business called Radiant Sparkling Wine Company. That company, with its expensive specialized mobile equipment for making traditional method sparkling wine could, in effect, go door-to-door. All wine producers needed were their own grapes, and a sense of their own wine style. Radiant could supply the machinery and technical expertise. All of a sudden, the doors were flung wide open for a new Oregon industry. (Recently, Radiant sold to a company called Vinovate which provides the same customized services).
So what do the wines taste like? At their best, these are lithe, fresh sparklers with elegant fruit and mineral notes. Most are bone dry and have a vibrant aliveness. They can be creamy too but they do not, as a group, come across quite as yeasty as many Champagnes. Most are made from Pinot Noir and/or Chardonnay, although some have Pinot Meunier blended in and one of the top twelve is made from Riesling. Importantly, they are small production, artisanal wines with lots of personality.
Which makes them a whole lot more delicious than mass market sparklers.
Below are my Top Twelve.
SOTER “Fourth Edition” Brut Reserve non-vintage (Willamette Valley, OR) $70 [95 Points]
Beautiful snowy texture and long, complex flavors. Touches of vanilla bean and crème fraiche. Like drinking ice cold minerals. Very precise and focused. Dominant grape: Pinot Noir.
BRITTAN VINEYARDS Brut 2021 (Willamette Valley, OR) $75 [95 Points]
Taut, precise, and with a fantastic starched texture (a quality I love in sparkling). Lots of minerality and hints of lemongrass and ginger. Super crisp. Not a molecule is out of place. Very long. Dominant grape: Chardonnay.
WINDERLEA Brut Rosé 2022 (Willamette Valley, OR) $70 [95 Points]
Loads of fantastic flavors suggesting spiced cherries, cardamom, chai tea, strawberries, and a meadow of floral notes. Beautiful elegance and length. Dominant grape: Pinot Meunier.
GRAN MORAINE Brut Rosé NV (Yamhill-Carlton, Willamette Valley, OR) $60 [94 Points]
This was a WineSpeed “Wine to Know” earlier this year. Cool crisp purity and precision, plus a streak of strawberries, raspberries, and minerals. I love drinking it with oozy, creamy cheeses. Dominant grape: Pinot Noir
CHEHALEM Blanc de Blancs 2020 (Chehalem Mountains, Willamette Valley, OR) $75 [94 Points]
Spiced pear, melon, and nectarine notes with biscuit and crème fraiche flavors, simultaneously crisp and creamy. Bright, fresh, and vivid. Grape: Chardonnay
STOLLER Brut non-vintage (Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, OR) $40 [94 Points]
Very frothy and incisive. A bolt of tingling snappiness. Very alive with delicious touches of vanilla bean, lemongrass, lime zest, and kiwi. A steal of a price. Dominant grape: Pinot Noir.
DURANT Brut 2021 (Willamette Valley, OR) $60 [93 Points]
Very frothy and snappy with terrific Mandarin orange and pink grapefruit notes. As snappy and mouthwatering as green apples in the fall. Dominant grape: Pinot Noir.
BROOKS Sparkling Riesling 2019 (Willamette Valley, OR) $20 [93 Points]
A giant fantasia of fruits from raspberries to peaches and beyond (just as you might expect from Riesling). Dry and delicious with exuberant freshness. Perfect for Asian dishes, brunch, or just standing in the kitchen while you’re cooking. Grape: Riesling.
PASHEY “Coast Range” Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut 2016 (Willamette Valley, OR) $80 [92 Points]
Pashey sparklers (there are several) are made by Trisaetum winery. Our favorite was this one with its creamy brioche flavors spliced through with all sorts of citrusy notes. Grape: Chardonnay.
REMY WINES “Black Heart” Brut 2022 (Willamette Valley, OR) $62 [92 Points]
The most unusual of all the sparklers here with savory, umami flavors reminiscent of curry, white pepper, and spices. Creamy and brioche-like at the same time. Long and satisfying. Dominant grape: NEED
LACHINI VINEYARDS Brut Rosé 2019 (Willamette Valley, OR) $65 [92 Points]
More golden colored than pink, this rosé has aromas and flavors evocative of fresh baked bread, red berries, and baking spices. Frothy and bright-tasting. Dominant grape: Pinot Noir
WILLAKENZIE ESTATE “Éclatant” Brut 2021 (Willamette Valley, OR) $80 [92 Points]
Very focused and snappy with fresh Mandarin orange and lime zest notes along with a clean mountain air character. Lively and super satisfying to drink. Dominant grape: Pinot Noir.
