Every good bottle of wine comes from a fortuitous blend of natural forces and human intervention. But we’ve found that the very best of the best emerge in places where exceptional quality meets passion, experience andgreat timing. For decades, we’ve watched Oregon’s Willamette Valley mature into a terroir capable of producing more than just world-class Pinot Noir. With new varietals emerging and coming into their own, we saw that the timing was perfect to create exceptionally high-quality local bubbles using the exact specifications of vintage French Champagne. Vintage Although marginally cooler than previous vintages, the 2017 vintage allowed for a long slow maturation of flavors in the sparkling wine grapes unhindered by damaging rains or wilting heat. This allowed for wonderful preservation of acidity with intense flavors in the sparklingwines from this vintage. A notable sparkling vintage by any estimation. Winemaking This vintage Brut comes together as the sum of multiple parts across two separate vineyards in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA. Younger Chardonnay came from the Anahata Vineyard for its first appearance in the Lytle-Barnett wines bringing a youthful panache and bright fruit notes while thebulk of the cuvee was coming from much older vines from the Bieze Vineyard. The Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from this site always develops a natural balance and grace from the mix of clones and the age of the vines. The lots were all pressed and vinified separately using both French oakbarrels and stainless steel barrels to further add complexity and allow for the greatest possible flexibility in blending components. Some malolactic fermentation was promoted in the base wines to add a creaminess to the striking acidity of the base wines. The wine was bottled in the spring of 2018 and matured sur latte (on its lees) until disgorging in the autumn of 2023. It was determined that a low dosage rate of 6 g/L was what brought weight to the mid-palate and considerable length to the finished wine. Tasting Notes Brilliant pale gold in the glass, this wine opens on the nose with a delicate woodland flower note complimented by hints of quince, toasted almond, baguette and even a slight hint of ceremonial incense. The very fine yet exuberant bubbles leave a perfect ring of mousse around the glass inviting the first sip. The palate is a complex interweaving of apple tart, lemon zest, and starfruit. As the wine relaxes and you look deeper into the flavor profile, notes of exotic woods and gingerbread emerge balancing a crisp natural acidity with fruit sweetness rather than sugar. The balance helps give the finish an almost ethereal quality as the tiny bubbles dance across the back of the palate.
