A diversity of soils, elevations and weather have made the Chehalem Mountains’ terroir renowned for their Pinot noir and chardonnay. These just happen to be the two essentials in making sparkling wine. The Chehalem Mountains AVA experiences maritime climate conditions and long growing seasons. This allows our winemakers to harvest while sugars are low and natural acids are high, which leads to a bright acidity. These environmental factors—coupled with a growth in expertise and interest—allow Oregon to be perfectly suited for world-class sparkling wine production. 

For those of you in the bubbly mood, here are some of the Chehalem Mountains’ wines, as well as their strategic production decisions that help put Oregon on the map for sparkling wines: 

 

Adelsheim 2017 Sparkling Brut Rosé

Adelsheim’s 2017 Sparkling Brut Rosé has a sweet, bubbling blend of 53% Pinot noir and 47% chardonnay. These LIVE Certified grapes were found high in the Chehalem Mountains AVA in Bryan Creek estate vineyard, a location of Adelsheim that brings out mineral-driven wines with hints of stone fruit. 

The bottle pours a soft salmon shade of Rosé that carries a fresh aroma of Oregon strawberries, hibiscus tea and lemon thyme. With the first sip, you’ll be greeted with a palate of textured layers, along with a fine mousse. We recommend pairing this elegant bubbly with a delectable cheese board or salty snack. 

Adelsheim 2017 Sparkling Brut Rosé; $75 

 

Flâneur Wines 2018 Extra Brut 

Flâneur Wines produced this popular style of sparkling wines in their La Belle Promenade Vineyard, using dry farming techniques. This vineyard is home to diverse volcanic soils that range from a thick layer of fractured basalt to deeper volcanic Saum. The grapes produced here tend to have expressive floral notes that cling to acidity.

 

The complexity of this three-varietal blend of Pinot noir, Pinot meunier and chardonnay will fill your taste buds with lively, yet refreshing flavors. The layers of lime, Meyer lemon, wet stone, and green apple make it a palatable sparkling wine for summer celebrations. Not to mention the zesty, acid-driven flavor profile allows it to be the perfect food and wine pairing. 

Flâneur Wines 2018 Extra Brut; $65 

ROCO Winery 2019 RMS Brut 

In 1987, ROCO Winery Founder Rollin Soles believed Oregon to be best suited for growing cool climate grapes for sparkling wine in North America. Since then, he has made it onto Wine Spectator’s Top 100 wines three times—after mastering the skill of fine Méthode Champenoise with his New World sparkling wines. 

This craftsmanship is preserved in ROCO Winery’s 2019 RMS Brut. Its racy acidity and range of tart flavors bring complexity to the mid-palate, while aromatics of fresh pear, Granny Smith apples and yellow cherries define the nose. 

ROCO Winery 2019 RMS Brut; $65