Northwest Sparkling Wines

You'll note that that title reads "Sparkling Wines," not "Champagne." There's a reason for that; the appellation "Champagne" is mostly reserved by law, and international treaty, for sparkling wines produced in the Champagne region of France. There are some exceptions, in the U.S., but generally, you'll see Champagne reserved for French imports.

That said, there's more in common with Northwest sparking wines and Champagne, than otherwise. Both tend to be made primarily with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes, varieties that do exceptionally well in the cool climate and mineral-rich soils of the Northwest. The "sparkle," as it were, refers to the presence of carbonation, and hence bubbles. The bubbles are a pleasant by-product of in-bottle secondary fermentation of the wine, better known to oenophiles as Méthode Champenoise involves adding a special yeast and additional sugar (a few grams) to the bottled wine, putting a temporary cap on the bottle, and letting it ferment anywhere from an additional three years, to six, before being gently turned, mechanically or by hand, several times, so that the lees (the sediment) collects in the neck of the bottle.

After the bottles have been turned (or "riddled"), and the sediment has settled, the bottles are then subjected to refrigeration, ice forms in the neck, which is removed (often, by the pressure of the gasses, but taking the lees with it), syrup may be added to restore the fluid level, and compensate for the sugar consumed by the yeast, and the bottle is quickly corked and is eventually available for purchase. Although it is technically possible to accomplish the secondary fermentation in a very large tank, it's really not the same, at all. Such wines usually have the word charmat on the label somewhere.

Many Northwest vintners harvest their grapes later, making them sweeter than their counterparts. This means a potentially more "fruity" taste, and less necessity to add sugar syrup to the bottle after the second fermentation.

One of the virtues of the Northwest sparkling wines is that they are not only lovely and eminently drinkable, they are frequently more affordable than French imports, which means there's no reason to wait for a special occasion to enjoy them. Moreover, sparkling wines from the Northwest are especially appropriate to accompany Northwest food—not only salmon and seafood, but Asian fare, and, of course, as a dessert course or accompaniment to a sweet course.

A few things to keep in mind regarding sparkling wines, of any appellation:

• Brut in the context of sparkling wine means the driest (least sweet) wines. Extra dry is slightly sweeter than brut. Use sweeter wines for dessert courses.
• Vintage on the bottle usually means the wine is made from a single variety of grape; non-vintage is a blend of two or more kinds of grapes
• Blanc de blanc "white from white" wines were made from all white grapes; in the Pacific Northwest, you'll note that more often than not, the wine will be made entirely of one variety of grape, (typically chardonnay) rather than blended, as the Europeans often do.
• Blanc de noir "white from black" wines are made from dark-skinned grapes, typically pinot noir. The skin is removed quickly and carefully, without crushing it after pressing. The resulting wine is tinged with color, ranging from very pale pink, or a light gold, to a light rose.
• Serve your sparkling wine chilled but not freezing; about 45 degrees works well. And don't chill the glasses; they'll collect condensation and hide the lovely color, and the bubbles, which are part of the fun.
• Instead of the traditional champagne flute, try a glass with a wider opening, something that holds fifteen or so ounces and gives the wine room to breathe; the same sort of glass you'd use for pinot noir, for instance, works wells, especially if you're serving a sparkling wine with food.

In Washington, Domaine Ste. Michelle is dedicated to producing sparkling wines. They produce a wide variety of several different styles, and are distributed widely enough that you can find their wines fairly reliably. They have a useful guide to sparkling wine styles, presenting each of their sparkling wines from driest to sweetest. In a New York Times article, columnist Steven D. Levitt notes that

In blind tests, Domaine Ste. Michelle Cuvee Brut, a $12 sparkling wine from Washington, is preferred nearly two to one to $150 Dom Perignon if you strip away the labels.

Mountain Dome in Spokane is a small family winery dedicated to sparkling wine. They produce a variety of sparkling wines, including Vintage Brut, NV Brut (a blend of grapes), and a Brut rose from Pinot Noir. Recently Washington wine blogger Sean P. Sullivan hosted a wine tasting featuring Domaine Ste. Michelle Luxe and 2001 Mountain Dome; Mountain Dome was the favorite.

Domain Meriwether of Oregon has specialized in sparkling wines for the last ten years, using Oregon grown Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. Their wines are named after Lewis and Clark notables. Most of the wines are a blend of grapes; the Cuvee Brut Rose is 100% Chardonnay, but is a light rose in color because of a small hint of Pinot Noir added prior to secondary fermentation.

In Knudsen, Oregon, Argyle Winery produces sparkling wines from Oregon Chardonnay and Oregon Pinot Noir. They produced a 2005 Argyle Brut, 2000 Knudsen Vineyard Brut, 1998 Extended Tirage Brut, and an unusual 2006 Brut Rosé, and a 2005 Black Brut. The blend of grapes changes with each vintage, and is explained on each label. It's worth trying different years, if you can find them, because the blend is carefully tailored to bring out the best in a given year's grapes. Argyle also produces a 2000 Blanc de Blancs from 100% Dijon clone Chardonnay. Argyle sparkling wines can sell out very fast, but you can find them.

Soter Vineyards in Oregon has specialized in Pinot Noir grapes. They still riddle by hand, a delicate process that speaks well of their love of winemaking and good wine. They produce a Brut Rosé and a Blanc de Blancs.

Ste. Chapelle of Idaho's Snake Rive Valley dominates the sparkling wine scene in Idaho. They're especially known for a Sparkling Brut, but I'm looking forward to trying their Sparkling Riesling. Their wines can be difficult to find, but I'm determined.

In British Columbia, the sparkling wine niche is dominated by Sumac Ridge. They make a variety of sparkling wines, including an intriguing Sparkling Non-Vintage Shiraz.