2018 Brut

Fine bubbles and pale gold color complement wafts of fresh cream, brioche and lemon curd, while the creamy, layered palate presents underripe raspberry, guava and grapefruit pith alongside threads of nutmeg and dried ginger.

Part of our 2018 Trio of Méthode Traditionelle Single Vineyard Sparkling Wines. Three distinctive expressions of Oregon Sparkling Wine: Blanc de Blancs, Brut Rosé & Brut.

Review this wine

Sparkling Trio

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Ripe Japanese pear and cantaloupe, with salty undertones, combine with a soft mousse and beautiful length on the palate. Really nice to enjoy now, this has some good aging potential based on both the weight and acidity.

– Owen Bargreen (March 23, 2022)

Vintage

VINTAGE 2018 growing season started hot and dry through spring and summer, but relief was just around the corner. A hearty rain weeks before harvest and cool temperatures in September and October slowed ripening and gave the fruit additional hang-time. Harvest came late with small, intensely flavored berries with a high skin-to-juice ratio. After a slow start, the second half of harvest saw the simultaneous ripening of multiple blocks and a veritable “crush” in the fermentation hall. Once again, we were thankful for the added capacity of our 2013 cellar expansion and a crew of seasoned pros in the vineyard and the cellar.

These are wines of ample flavors and high maturity levels. The Pinot Noirs are bold and fruit-forward with higher than average tannins. In the white wines, expect more tropical fruit aromas in addition to the classic stone-fruit aromas. This is a great vintage for those who appreciate boldness in cool-climate varietals. 2018 wines are highly intriguing, their intense richness balanced by lifted tones, coming from a warm growing season that thankfully concluded in a cool autumn.

Vineyard

We chose our Mount Richmond Vineyard for this wine because the site is well suited to both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Mount Richmond Vineyard sits on Willakenzie soils in the heart of the Yamhill Carlton AVA. This site sits at 300-500 feet elevation, lower than the vineyards planted at the winery, which allows for earlier ripening. Fruit for this Brut sparkling wine was sourced from our young Chardonnay Vines at Mount Richmond East and older vines at Mount Richmond West.

Winemaking

56% PINOT NOIR 44% CHARDONNAY

Brut sparkling wines are often a traditional blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir finished in barrel for richness. Elk Cove was one of the first Oregon wineries to make a Brut sparkling wine in 1996.

Our Mount Richmond Brut is cool-fermented in neutral French oak puncheons using a traditional Champagne yeast. We put 40% of this wine through malolactic fermentation to lessen acidity and lend a creamy texture to the wine. Residual sugar 2 g/L.

Viticultural & Enological Data

Vine Age 3-15
Harvest Sugars 20.4/19.2 Brix
pH 8.1

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