Not unlike the French sparkling wine region of Champagne, Oregon's Willamette Valley is a cool area that is turning out to be just about perfect for sparkling wine. And also like Champagne, the Willamette Valley focuses on two of the classic sparkling wine grapes: Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Oregon's sparkling wine movement began early, with Argyle Winery in Dundee … [Read more...] about Great Northwest Wine guide to Oregon sparkling wine
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Great Northwest Wine guide to Washington sparkling wine
Now is a great time to be a sparkling wine lover in Washington. It's not quite a golden age, but that could well be on the horizon. More than a dozen wineries are now crafting sparkling wine - perhaps an all-time high - in Washington, with three focusing their production on bubbles. Total production in Washington is more than 300,000 cases, and prices range from affordable … [Read more...] about Great Northwest Wine guide to Washington sparkling wine
Your guide to Northwest sparkling wine scene
'Tis the season for bubbles. Well, in our minds, every season is the reason for sparkling wine, but because of the holidays, this is when we tend to open the most bottles of bubbly. And the Pacific Northwest is teeming with delicious sparkling wines. This week, we will take a day-by-day look at each of the four Northwest wine regions and their respective sparkling … [Read more...] about Your guide to Northwest sparkling wine scene
Cabernet Franc reveals greatness in Northwest
Cabernet Sauvignon is the king of wines, as they say. But its sibling (actually one of its parents) Cabernet Franc is revealing itself to be a delicious red wine on its own - particularly in the Pacific Northwest. Cabernet Franc provides a lot of the same qualities as Cabernet Sauvignon: focused dark fruit, cocoa powder and spices. It also reveals complex notes of fresh and … [Read more...] about Cabernet Franc reveals greatness in Northwest
Pacific Northwest wines shine at Grand Harvest Awards
BENTON CITY, Wash. - This week, Yakima Valley winemaker Larry Oates enjoyed telling fans of Sleeping Dog Wines “that this old dog got it done.” Indeed, the Sleeping Dog Wines 2008 Tail Wagger, a blend of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, won best of class and achieved Best of the Columbia Valley American Viticultural Area at the 25th annual Grand Harvest Awards in Sonoma … [Read more...] about Pacific Northwest wines shine at Grand Harvest Awards