Aaron Lieberman’s education in soil science at Oregon State University led him to the Peace Corps where he helped Central American farmers. When he returned to the Willamette Valley, he transitioned from viticulture to a winemaking internship with Burgundy-inspired Isabelle Dutartre, and that experience has served Lieberman well during his career at Iris Vineyards near Cottage Grove. This methode Champenoise is a blend of Pinot Gris (50%), Chardonnay (25%) and Pinot Noir harvest in 2019, fermented in French oak for nearly a year prior to bottling, and then disgorged after 12 months. A product of Chalice Estate Vineyard, it shows classic notes of light brioche, nougat, dusty starfruit, jicama and lemon pepper. There’s magic to the remarkable, fine-grained mousse that’s lively and refreshing with lime zest and sliced starfruit. Lieberman earned a 2021 Platinum Award for his 2018 Brut Rosé, and last winter, his 2020 Pinot Gris for Iris Vineyards took best of show at the 2022 McMinnville Wine Classic, so his success with these bubbles came as no surprise.
Rating: Outstanding! — 93 points
Production: 105 cases
Alcohol: 11.9%
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