The grapes for this Brut Rose come from the Bryan Creek estate vineyard nestled high in the Chehalem Mountains AVA. We absolutely love this site for sparkling wine, as it consistently produces lovely, mineral-driven wines with appealing stone fruit nuances. Block 17 (Pinot noir, Pommard clone): 33% | Block 8 (Pinot noir, 114 clone): 20% Block 16 (Chardonnay, 95 clone): 23% | Block 15 (Chardonnay, 352 clone): 24%.

The grapes were picked very early, as is standard for sparkling wine. They were gently whole cluster pressed with a long Champagne-style press cycle. Following settling, the juice was racked to stainless steel tanks and fermentation commenced. Once concluded, the base wine remained in a stainless steel tank for 6 months prior to tirage bottling.

Tirage: The base wine was prepared for tirage by adding sugar and yeast, then put into bottle. Secondary fermentation in bottle lasted for 5 weeks. At that point, the wine was allowed to age en tirage (resting in bottle on the yeast lees) for four years until disgorging.

This wine has a gorgeous pale salmon hue, and the nose imparts well-defined aromas of fresh Oregon strawberries, hibiscus tea, and lemon thyme. The fine mousse undulates across the palate carrying layers of texture and deliciousness. It is downright succulent. I would have this wine with a celebratory dinner, with friends and a lavish cheese board, or simply with myself and a good book. -Gina Hennen, Winemaker