Bubbles!

Oregon sparkles at annual event

Not to burst your bubble, but if you didn’t attend the sixth annual Bubbles Fest at Anne Amie Vineyards, Feb. 8 and 9, you missed tasting a fantastic selection of Oregon sparkling wines. Take heart, dear wine lover, you can still delight your palate with exciting bubbles around Oregon wine country. Here are some highlights from Day Two at the picturesque winery in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA.

First, Flâneur Wines hit it out of the park with its inaugural sparkler. The 2016 Extra Brut, a barrel-fermented classic blend of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay, tasted elegant and lively with notes of ruby-red grapefruit and subtle ground pepper. Also relatively new on the sparkling scene: Stedt Wines, pouring a distinct bubbly in its 2017 Brut Rosé of Gamay; the food-friendly wine offered a deep-fruited “oomph.”

Gamay was not alone in the avant-garde category. Quady North’s 2018 Chelsea Rosé Petillant Naturel was wine geek gold, a lime-scented blend of Vermentino and Muscat; and Eola Hills Wine Cellars offered sunshine in a bottle with its 2018 Sparkling Müller-Thurgau, reminding guests that spring is just around the corner.  

For those unable to suppress a smile when holding a glass of pink bubbles, ROCO 2016 RMS Brut Rosé, Soter Vineyards 2015 Brut Rosé and Lytle-Barnett 2013 Vintage Brut Rosé tasted high-toned and polished. Quady North’s 2017 Rosé of Cabernet Franc lent a peppery counterpoint to the conversation. Gran Moraine Non-Vintage Brut Rosé and Elk Cove Vineyards 2016 La Bohème Brut Rosé were richer without skewing sweet. And, although not a rosé, Apolloni Vineyards 2017 Frizzante was a delight, designed for tasters with a sweeter tooth.

Boutique wines with points of distinction included: Winter’s Hill Estate 2016 Ninebark Vineyard Sparkling with flavorsome floral notes and Mellen Meyer Johan Vineyard 2016 Blanc de Blanc with layers of pretty vanilla and discussion-worthy spice — ginger maybe? Mellen Meyer’s small production focuses on sparkling and includes a traditional dry, yeasty non-vintage Willamette Valley brut at the friendly price of $30.

Speaking of classic flavors, ROCO 2015 RMS Brut and Eola Hills 2018 Sparkling Chardonnay hit the mark — as always.  Rounding out the tasting experience was the event host, Anne Amie, with the winery’s ever-delightful most recent sparklings: 2013 Marilyn Reserve Brut Cuvée and 2016 Marilyn Reserve Brut Rosé.

Don’t miss this event at Anne Amie next year. It’s always the weekend before Valentine’s Day. In the meantime, see the sidebar for a complete list of 2020 participating wineries to celebrate all year long.

2020 Wineries

Adelsheim Vineyard

Anne Amie Vineyards

Apolloni Vineyards

Argyle Winery

Dion Vineyard

Division Winemaking Co.

Elk Cove Vineyards

Eola Hills Wine Cellars

Flaneur Wines

Gran Moraine

Lundeen Wines

Lytle-Barnett

Mellen Meyer

Ponzi Vineyards

Quady North

R. Stuart & Co.

Raptor Ridge

ROCO Winery

Soter Vineyards

Stoller Family Estate

Trisaetum Winery

Varnum Vintners

Winters Hill Estate

Youngberg Hill/Bailey Family Wines