It’s an old habit: Compare every New World sparkling wine to Champagne. I’m guilty of that. And I think it used to make sense. Once upon a time, before the sparklers of California and other US states had developed their style and quality, it was the logical way to think. No longer. Oregon, which blasted on the sparkling scene about eight years ago, is a shining example. There are now many producers of sparkling wine in the cool Willamette Valley, and as a group, the wines are startlingly delicious. I just drank one of the best: GRAN MORAINE Brut Rosé “Extended Tirage.” It was aged on its yeast lees for 6 years, getting more and more complex and creamy all the while. But this is the Willamette—so that spinal column of freshness and vivid aliveness is also there. The wine is $75—not inexpensive. But worth every drop. You can buy it from the winery, HERE.
STUNNING SPARKLING
