Thanks to winemaking innovations, now almost any winery can produce sparkling wines in several different ways.
Wooldridge Creek Sparkling Brut 2019 is an example produced following Metodo Italiano aka Charmat or Tank Method. It means that secondary fermentation responsible for creating those tiny bubbles that make sparkling wine, well, sparkling, happened in a tank instead of a bottle like it happens with Champagne. The most famous wine made this way is known as Prosecco.
2019 Sparkling Brut is made by Wooldridge Creek from Applegate Valley in Southern Oregon. It is among a handful of wineries producing bubbles in Southern Oregon. It was very fitting when we visited the winery on the hot summer afternoon.
Wooldridge Creek Brut 2019
Wooldridge Creek Brut is called “blanc de blanc” in Champagne’s terms because it’s 100% Chardonnay.
As with all sparkling wines, it started by making with fermenting grapes into a still white wine. The typical next step – ready white wine is filtered and transferred to a large stainless steel tank for the second fermentation that leads to fizziness. When the bubbles ready, wine is bottled, corked, and sold.
The way Wooldridge Creek Brut was made is a little different. The wine was aged in French oak barrels for around 12 months before being transferred to stainless still tanks and inoculated for secondary fermentation to produce bubbles.
So how did these bubbles tasted?
In a Glass
While Wooldridge Creek Brut had lovely small bubbles rising from the glass’s bottom, they felt a bit less creamy than we expected on the palate. Still, it delivered exactly what we expected from this style.
It was more perfumed than your typical Champagne with the aromas of tropical fruit, peach, pear, and even a hint of marshmallow. It’s an off-dry flavor bouquet of peach, pear, and pineapple on the palate.
Finish
2019 Wooldridge Creek Brut is an excellent example of Charmat Method sparkling. It’s light, well-balanced, and fruity.
It’s the wine you can take to a picnic and to Thanksgiving dinner. It’s easy-going and pairs well with hot dogs, french fries, Turkey, and friends.
It’s a bit expensive, but it’s local and rare. 99.99% of humanity will never taste it because production is so small.
Have you tasted Woodridge sparkling yet? What are your favorite local sparkling wines?
