According to the Wine Institute, 40 percent of sparkling wine sales occur in November and December, during Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s. From the dynamic panorama of the Okanagan Valley to the border-straddling Columbia Gorge and the shores of Lake Chelan, toothsome sparkling wines are available and a’plenty to support local wines this New Year’s Eve. Pick your poison from semi-sweet to bone-dry, méthode champonoise to carbonated bubbs—ring in 2015 with one of these numbers!
Analemma 2010 Atavus Vineyard Blanc de Noir: We already gushed over this wine so we will keep it short. 100 percent Pinot Noir from the Columbia Gorge plus cool-climate high elevation vineyards that date back to the 1960s plus a tenured, biodynamic winemaker equals a stunner and one of the most traditional and remarkable sparkling wines outside of Champagne. || $56
Argyle 2011 Vintage Brut: The perennial leader for most when thinking of Northwest sparkling wines, Argyle’s production has continued on its focused path even with the departure of founder and winemaker Rollin Soles. This wine relishes in a cool year, producing a delicate and bright wine, plump in red fruits, biscuit and citrus while highlighting the notes of mineral and seawater. || $27
Blue Mountain Winery 2007 Blanc de Blanc: All estate, all Chardonnay, all the time. This wine was disgorged by the 42-year-old Okanagan Valley family winery in May, and released is a wine that rivals any méthode champonoise brut—nutty and toasty, with Meyer lemon peel, red apple and a complexly fine mousse for days.|| $40
Cairdeas Winery 2013 Sparkling Viognier: From the city to Chelan, Seattleites Charlie & Lacey Lybecker moved their fledgling winery to the Lake Chelan Valley recently and even named their dog Tannin. Their 2013 Sparkling Viognier is the result of a warm vintage (think big tropical fruits) made in “Prosecco-style” (wine undergoes secondary fermentation in stainless steel tanks rather than in individual bottles, and is bottled under continuous pressure/carbonation) for an approachable and fruity sparkler. || $30
Soter Vineyards 2010 Mineral Springs Brut Rose: Calling all score-whores (and those who obsess over pink bubbers), Soter’s Brut Rose is a ceaseless cult classic. Only produced from a chosen vintage, Soter’s rose is always estate-grown and -bottled from certified sustainable vineyards in Yamhill-Carlton. Disgorged and released this spring, the blend is 85 percent Pinot Noir and 15 percent Chardonnay and is loaded with tart red berries, baking spices and fresh-baked bread.
Sokol Blosser Evolution Sparkling: After years of success with their Evolution line of wines, Willamette Valley pioneers Sokol Blosser introduced this sparkling “assemblage”—a multi-varietal, multi-regional, multi-vintage wine with different oak treatments and differing levels of malolactic fermentation. It all comes together in méthode champonoise for a juicy, fruity and creamy bubbler. || $22
Summerhill Pyramid NV Cipes Brut: This organic and biodynamic Okanagan producer not only has a state-of-the-art production facility, but true to their name, they have a pyramid on the property that cellars the wines. The Cipes Brut blends Riesling into the Chardonnay base in true méthode champonoise, creating a wine with highlights of grapefruit, almonds and green apple on a crisp, yet soft palate. ||
Syncline NV Scintillation Brut Rose: Joe and Poppie Matone are synonymous with the name of their winery and provide Syncline with an authentic family association. Poppie’s background being in biodynamic farming and Joe’s in organic chemistry, the two put a major emphasis on the source of their grapes—using the cool-climate and aromatic destination of Celilo Vineyard as the site for their Scintallation Brut rose. 58 percent Pinot Noir and 42 percent Chardonnay, this rose is all about strawberries, hay, fine texture and acidity. || $35
Treveri Cellars Sparkling NV Syrah Brut: German transplant Juergen Grieb and his son Christian are solely dedicated to Washington sparkling wine, some made like sekt (German sparkling wine), some made méthode champonoise and some made like sparkling Shiraz. This wine is pure Washington Syrah with big berry pie notes, complete with bold and juicy fruit alongside yeasty and creamy flavors. || $19
