2019 Brut
This rich, vibrant sparkling wine is perfumed with ripe pear, biscotti, citrus blossom and crushed juniper. The full, round palate boasts creamy bubbles with flavors of yellow cherry, golden apple and marzipan, alongside lighter notes of chamomile and seafoam.
Part of our 2019 Trio of Méthode Traditionelle Single Vineyard Sparkling Wines. Three distinctive expressions of Oregon Sparkling Wine: Blanc de Blancs, Brut Rosé & Brut.
Vintage
VINTAGE 2019 required experience and courage. After 45 years, we often say there isn’t a harvest we haven’t seen, but 2019 was an odd one. After a warm May and a healthy, early fruit-set, the summer ended cool with no threat of the sunburn or hazy, smoky skies seen in recent years. We expected to pick in early September, but weeks of unseasonably cool weather took us by surprise. Rather than rushing to pick too early, we waited patiently for concentrations and sugar levels to rise, confident that our vineyard practices would protect the fruit.
According to Winemaker/Owner Adam Campbell “You pick your moments. If you’re 100% estate grown and you have impeccable timing – you can grow fantastic fruit in any year. It took months of preparation in the vineyard, and some very long days during crush, but we had a great crew in 2019 and managed to get sugar levels right where we want them.”
Our goal is a minimum 100 days from bloom to harvest; 2019 saw hang times as long as 125 days in some blocks. Expect wines with a big ripe core of concentrated fruit and a bright, fresh profile.
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
50% PINOT NOIR 50% 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 2.7 g/L.
Viticultural & Enological Data
- Vine Age 4,16
- Harvest Sugars 19.5 Brix
- pH 2.97
