Uncorked: Great time for domestic sparkling wines

Chris Fladwood sounds like a real estate agent when he’s asked about the sparkling wine made at Oregon’s Soter Vineyards.

“The key to making and growing grapes for sparkling wine is choosing sites in which the vines mature slowly and steadily,” Fladwood said. “We use classic clones like Pommard and Wadenswil, which will also help amplify the beauty of the site. We look for the exact moment in the ripening of the grapes when the flavors are no longer vegetal, but intricate and subtle.

“We want the grapes to be expressing their very first essences of fruit and florality when we finally pick them,” he said. “This decision about timing is key to making sparkling wines with a character that comes from a place, not just from a method.”

If you heard “location, location, location,” it’s because the same rules that apply to houses apply to grapes, and why there’s never been a better time for domestic sparkling wine. More wineries are producing sparkling wine in their cellar. They are dedicating intentional work in the vineyard to ensure high-quality fruit. They’re patient in the cellar, and the results are spectacular.

Time is something Frank Family Vineyards winemaker Todd Graff said is key to making sparkling wine. It’s a steadfast commitment that’s needed. Graff said a sparkling wine can sometimes take a “minimum of three years, if you can get four or more that’s great.”

In a fictitious battle between the people stomping the grapes and the ones tracking a winery’s bottom line, Graff always has what’s in the bottle in mind. Sparkling wine made in the traditional method is a labor-intensive, time-consuming affair. It’s where Frank Family differs; its sparkling wine isn’t a novelty on the menu of the tasting room in California, but a program in which Graff is deeply invested.

“Every tasting room has bottles of bubbles to sell,” Graff said. “A lot comes from one place and they slap a label on it. What makes us different is we handcraft it ourselves. I spent 10 years in sparkling wine, and think only we know what we are doing, and we do it ourselves. We age, riddle and bottle in house. When you do it that way, winemakers don’t get to win a lot of battles. Accountants want to release the wine before it’s even made. Winemakers think it’s not ready yet and never want to release it.”

Sparkling wine from Oregon has been on a tear lately. Crispy, fruity, acid-driven and layered with flavors that range from citrus to nutty, it’s taken to the Willamette Valley’s cool-climate, temperate growing season and winemakers willing to push for their favorite style.

There’s no predictable house style coming out of Oregon – and that’s exciting. Each bottle offers a new, unique experience.

“The Willamette Valley is a generally cool place; it never seems to get too hot in the summer nor too cold in the spring or fall,” Fladwood said. “Because of the climate, we have gentle flowering and steady ripening and always the possibility for a bit of rain. Each season is unique, but this natural pattern allows pinot noir and chardonnay to ripen to their fullest and most brilliant potential here in Oregon.”

With any wine – sparkling or still – it starts with the fruit. It’s possible to make bad wine from great fruit. But it’s almost impossible to make a great wine from bad fruit. Winemakers have used that expression for years.

The Soter Estates Brut Reserve ($70) is a showcase of what can go right when everything is dialed in – the vineyard, the cellar and everyone that had a hand in this brilliant wine.

“With sparkling wine, our intentions start with the grapes,” Fladwood said. “Growing grapes to their highest potential, recognizing that each year is different. We make timely and informed picking decisions, capturing the fleeting moment in time where flavor, acidity and florality are in harmony. We take care to extract that potential as gently and respectfully as possible. Finally, we carefully and watchfully ferment each barrel without ever taking our eyes away from the process. This requires an immense amount of intuition, intention and responsiveness to the specific season.

“Oh, and maybe a bit of luck, too,” he said.

Whatever it takes to make a delicious wine.

• James Nokes has been tasting, touring and collecting in the wine world for several years. Email him at jamesnokes25@yahoo.com.

TASTING NOTES

Frank Family Brut Rosé 2019 ($60): Always a brilliant effort from winemaker Todd Graff. Brioche and crusty bread on the nose – creamy strawberry, yeast and grapefruit came through in this absolute star when it comes to sparkling rosé.

Frank Family Blanc de Blancs 2019 ($60): Pear, lime and crusty French baguette create a unique texture that rises up through the effervescence. Both Frank Family wines sit on their lees for four years, and the patience is well rewarded with the distinct character and flavors on display.

Brilla! Prosecco ($17): There’s flavors of honey, warm red apple and almond.

Garofoli “Le Piccole Bollicine” Vino Frizzante ($14): The wine’s name translates as “little bubbles.” It’s 90% verdicchio, 10% passerina. From the Italian seaside region of Marche, it’s a perfect wine for oysters at happy hour – sitting dockside with this fizzy, friendly wine with lemon, Meyer lemon, lime zest and orange blossom notes. A wine under a crown cap that brings a smile to your face.

Loosen Bros. “Dr. L” Sparkling Riesling ($17): Crisp and fruity in nature, the lemon and lime notes tie into the white peach, green melon and white flower notes. From Germany.

Gerard Bertrand, French Cancan, Brut Nature ($24): Red apple and ginger aromas rise from the glass, with green melon, hazelnut and hints of pear and citrus on the finish.

Gerard Bertrand, French Cancan, Brut Nature Edition Deluxe ($24): An orange sparkling wine provided intrigue as the ferment took place on its skins. There’s a rich orange color to the wine in the glass, and that comes across in the wine, too. There’s hints of the first squeeze of an orange and clementine. Underlying fresh-cut bread notes add extra dimension.

Gerard Bertrand, French Cancan, Brut Nature Rosé Edition Deluxe ($24): Strawberry cream soda flavors with hazelnut aromas jump from the glass of a lively wine.

Planet Oregon Willamette Valley Pinot Noir Rosé “Bubbles” ($24): A creamy mousse effervescence, citrus and strawberry on the nose with strawberry, orange peel and tart Rainier cherry skin on the finish.

Soter Brut Reserve, Estates Extra Brut ($70): Another Oregon masterpiece in the sparkling wine category. Some of the most complex domestic sparkling wines are being produced in Oregon, and this is another that can lead the category for its flavors, complexity, texture and effervescence. Baked green apple flavors are streamlined by tangerine, toasty almond and a crisp mineral note. Sparkling wine at its best.

Weingut Dautel Riesling Sekt Brut 2021 ($30): Intense red apple and ripe pear aromas – there’s a pronounced citrus note that rises out of a beam of acidity on the finish. From Germany.

GIFT GUIDE

Riedel’s Veloce Champagne Wine Glass ($89 set of two): I’m guilty of eating with my eyes. If what’s on a plate looks appealing, I’m prone to enjoying a meal more. The same concept applies to this sleek and smart-looking wine glass. The angle that rises up from the bowl to create a wider space for the rim allows a full expression of the aromas. The rim itself is beyond paper thin and the stem lighter than a feather. This is the perfect glass to house a sparkling wine and will leave an indelible impression as a gift.

Riedel’s Superleggero Machine Champagne Wine Glass ($65 set of two): More traditional in style with a rounded bowl that rises up to a smaller opening than the Veloce. But the quality is still high here. Incredibly light, this is a glass that is a showcase for sparkling wine.

Vida Valiente “The Movement” 2019 ($250): A portion of the proceeds from the cabernet sauvignon-based Napa Valley blend is given to the Vida Valiente Foundation. In three years, the foundation has supported 119 first-generation, low-income students at Stanford. There are 30 to 40 new students added annually. It’s the kind of gift that can be enjoyed, cellared or felt good about due to its altruistic nature.