Oregon Bubbles Over With Fun

For one week only, Oregon celebrates sparkling wine with the second annual Bubbles Week 2014. This year, it's May 4th - May 11th. I say, why just a week? Why not Bubbles Month? Bubbles Year? Ok, my bubble bursts, it's only for a week. But what a gloriously fizzy week. With events all over Portland featuring Argyle sparkling wines paired with everything from oysters to tapas and from dinner to dessert, there's something for everyone.

All Week May 4-11, 2014

• Library sparkling wine tasting in the Argyle Tasting Room
• Bubbles happy hour menu at The Parish and EaT: An Oyster Bar (M-Su)
• Bubbles pairing menu at Bar Avignon (M-F)
• Special Argyle glass pour at Ambonnay (M-Sa)
• Complementary pours in the Portland Opera VIP Lounge
• Tastings at Zupan’s, New Seasons and Fred Meyer stores

Sunday, May 4

• Bubbles cocktail workshop at Raven & Rose. Mixings with Sparkling Wine featuring Argyle Bubbles. Ticket includes four cocktails and a light snack. (20 tickets, $50 per person, 3 p.m.)
• All day happy hour menu at The Bent Brick

Monday, May 5

• Bubbles pairing dinner at Park Kitchen (6 p.m., $80 per person + gratuity, limit 16 guests, call 503-223-7275 for reservations)
• Sunflower salad with cheddar crisps and trumpet mushrooms
• Lamb sausage, rhubarb pickles and shallots
• Blackened steelhead trout, toasted barley dashi, pea shoots
• Buttermilk panna cotta, rhubarb, toasted butter 

Tuesday, May 6

•  Encore! A bubbles and desserts pairing competition at Union/Pine where five of Portland’s top dessert maestros will compete for the best dessert as judged by ticket holders. Ticket holders will enjoy five desserts and five paired Argyle sparkling wines (200 tickets, $25 per person, 7:30-9 p.m.). Featuring:
• Petunia's Pies & Pastries
• Pix Patisserie
• Raven & Rose
• Salt & Straw
•  Xocolatl de David
• Bubbles pairing dinner at The Bent Brick (6 p.m., $80 per person + gratuity, limit 16 guests, call 503-688-1655 for reservations)
• Butter poached halibut, pocha beans, nettle puree, pickled ginger, country ham
• Agnolutti, nettles, toasted filberts, house made ricotta
• Payne Family pork, early morels, sheboygen style bratwurst, bread pudding
• Rhubarb crisp, cornmeal & filbert topping 

Wednesday, May 7

• Shucked! An Oyster mignonette and  bubbles pairing competition at Union Pine where five of Portland’s top chefs will compete for the best dressed oyster as judged by ticket holders. Ticket holders will enjoy five oysters and five paired Argyle sparkling wines (200 tickets, $25 per person, 6-8 p.m.). Featuring:
•  The Parish - Ethan Powell
• Andina - Hank Costello
•  Imperial - Benjamin Bettinger
• DOC - Brian Scibetta
• Branch Whiskey Bar - Scott Shampine
•  Bubbles tasting at Urban Farmer
• Bubbles pairing at Cia Vito: Shrimp, Squid & Manilla Clams on the plancha tossed with preserved Meyer lemon, pickled peppers, mint and toasted almonds. Paired with Argyle Vintage Brut. (W-Su) 

Thursday, May 8

• Complementary Argyle bubbles tasting at The Allison Inn & Spa in Newberg (6:30-7:30 p.m.)
• Bubbles pairing menu at Bar Avignon
• Pre-performance bubbles tasting at Portland Center Stage’s production of “Othello” (7:30 p.m., for Othello ticket holders only)

Friday, May 9

• Limited edition Argyle Brut Mimosa Sherbert at Salt & Straw (F-Su)
• Library magnum tasting at Ambonnay (5-7 p.m.)
• Complimentary bubbles pours in the Portland Opera VIP Lounge at Fri and Sunday performances
• Portland Bubbles Week Wine Dinner at Wilf’s (6:30 p.m., $80 per person, call 503-223-0070 by May 6 for reservations)
• 2010 Argyle Vintage Brut with Grilled radicchio, melted brie, balsamic, crostini
• 2011 Argyle Chardonnay with Wilf's Dungeness crab meat, Oregon bay shrimp, romaine
• 2010 Argyle Brut Rosé with Caramelized onion, roasted cauliflower and Rogue gorgonzola tart, spring pea coulis
•  2011 Nuthouse Pinot Noir with Double R Ranch filet mignon, spring vegetables
• Chef's cheese plate, assorted cookies, dried fruit and nuts

Saturday, May 10

• Bubbles & Tapas: Enjoy a free tapa with every glass of Argyle sparkling wine purchased at Bar Vivant (Sat-Sun all day)

Sunday, May 11 – Mother’s Day

• Special Edition Mother’s Day Tea with Argyle Bubbles at PIX Patisserie: Special selection of 10 sweet and savory bite-sized treats, a pot of Townsend’s Tea and a glass of Argyle 2010 Brut for $30. Plus, a special kid’s version of six sweet and savory treats with non-alcoholic beverage of their choice will be offered for $16. ($30; $16 for kids version)
•  Bubbles tasting in the Rookery (11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.) and bubbles cocktails for Mother’s Day brunch and dinner at Raven & Rose (call 503-222-7673 for more info and reservations)
•  Oysters and bubbles special at EaT: An Oyster Bar

Some events are already sold out. If your interested in joining in the fun, tickets for the week's events can be found at http://www.pdxbubbles.com/. 

Use the hashtag #pdxbubbles to share your photos and virtually toast with your friends. Hope to see you there, we can raise our glasses in celebration of Oregon bubbles. Let's bubble over together.

Big News From Argyle Winery

Press Release:

ARGYLE REBRANDS, SETS STAGE FOR FUTURE GROWTH

Winery Expands Production as Next Generation Winemaker Takes the Reins 

DUNDEE, Ore. – Nov. 14, 2013 – For the first time in its 26-year history, Argyle Winery is unveiling new labels that set a dramatic tone for the winery’s products and better visually connect its award-winning sparkling and still wines under a unified brand. In response to and in anticipation of future growth, the company is also expanding production with the purchase of a larger facility as Nate Klostermann assumes the day-to-day head winemaking role under the watch of founding winemaker Rollin Soles.

Branding Conveys Argyle’s Quality

Elegant and contemporary, the winery’s new labels reflect the attention to detail in Argyle’s winemaking as well as offer customers better visual cues for choosing wines from the trusted brand.

Argyle’s clean new look and progressive series approach make wine selection easy:

• Wines with a single diamond on the label are part of the Grower Series, paying tribute to Argyle’s history as growers first, farming more than 400 acres in the Willamette Valley.
• Wines with two diamonds distinguish the Artisan Series, which features select wines representing the best examples of the specific craft of Argyle’s viticulture and winemaking for sparkling and still wines.
•  Wines with three diamonds signify the Master Series, simply Argyle’s best wines – only the rarest, most age-worthy wines made in small quantities often from single vineyards. 

“For the first time since our humble beginning, we are introducing new packaging that conveys Argyle’s quality,” said Chris Cullina, Argyle’s director of sales and marketing. “The naming series is based on the story of our land, people and tradition of winemaking, and the new graphics help consumers distinguish our different wines at first sight.”

Response to the new labels from distributors and key accounts has been overwhelmingly positive. They welcome the heightened sophistication and believe the packaging’s elegance and refinement rings true to the nature of Argyle’s wines.

New Production Facility For Maintaining Quality

Starting in 2014, Argyle will house its winemaking and cellaring operations in a new facility in Newberg, Ore., that allows the winery to maintain its sparkling wine production while providing room for growth.

“As the popularity of our sparkling wine has grown, so has our need for more space,” said Klostermann. “Bottle fermenting all of our sparkling wines, allowing them to age on proprietary yeasts for three to 10 years, requires more room.”

The new production facility, housed in a former manufacturing building, keeps with Argyle’s tradition of repurposing existing buildings and will allow the winery to continue expanding production from its current capacity of 50,000 cases. The popular tasting room will remain in the historic Victorian farmhouse that previously was Dundee’s town hall.

Collaboration Continues

Nate Klostermann assumed the role of head winemaker in February 2013 after eight years under the mentorship of founding winemaker Rollin Soles. An enologist respected for his acute palate and attention to detail, Klostermann is a recognized expert in blending still and complex sparkling wines. Soles will continue working with Klostermann on viticulture and winemaking, signing off on all wines before they are bottled. Klostermann also collaborates with vineyard manager Allen Holstein and his staff of skilled vineyard stewards, many who have been with the company for more than 20 years.

Argyle has been handcrafting fine wines since 1987, when it was founded to produce ‘method champenoise,’ vintage sparkling wine in Oregon. Today, Argyle not only produces some of the finest vintage American sparkling wines, it also crafts world-class Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Riesling. Its wines are available at the fine restaurants, wine shops and select grocers, as well as online. For more information, go to www.argylewinery.com.

Contact: Matthew Domingo

(503) 231-3086

matthew@maxwellpr.com

10 Local Favorites for 10 Oregon Wines

1. Burgerville Burger
Paired with 2008 Ponzi Tavola

2. Lily’s Hummus
Paired with 2008 Elk Cove Pinot Gris

3. Oregonzola
Paired with Medici Late Harvest Riesling “Ice Wine”

4. Apizza Scholls
Paired with 2006 Mystic Barbera

5. McMenamins’ Tator Tots
Paired with 2008 Watermill Viognier

6. Food Carts
Paired with 2007 Van Duzer Pinot Noir Estate 375 ml (secretly poured into a glass)

7. Jake's Clam Chowder
Paired with 2007 Chehalem INOX Chardonnay

8. Voodoo Doughnuts Maple Bacon Bar
Paired with Argyle Extended Tirage Brut 1999

9. New Seasons wok bowl
Paired with 2007 Trisateum Riesling

10. Video Poker
Paired with Sokol Blosser Evolution Lucky Edition

This piece had several sources of inspiration. First and foremost, acknowledgment to the Eat Local and Shop Local movements and to the sheer number of amazing Portland foods you don’t want to miss. Secondly, when I read Oregon Wine Blog's story about being wined and dined at the Vancouver Washington location, it triggered my memory about a previous post they had done on pairing Voodoo Doughnuts with Sokol Blosser Medritina and it all came together here. Thanks to all for helping bring this one to life. Enjoy and until we sip again…

Cheers

Back on the Wine Road Again

Okay, I’ve taken an ever-so-slight detour from tasting room reviews to discuss the unexpected project consequences on my life, but I’m back on track now and ready to report. Hope you can forgive my self-indulgence.

After leaving Daedalus Cellars, with a greater sense of peace (Namaste Christine) and a 2006 Pinot Noir (partly because I just love their gorgeous label by designer Chris Noud of NowDesign), my inner calm was quickly evaporating and my patience tried by the bumper-to-bumper traffic along Highway 99 through Dundee. While attempting to make a left turn during rush hour, waiting for some kind soul to let me in, it occurred to me that perhaps Daedalus’ should capitalize on the traffic; providing respite to weary-eyed drivers, tired of riding their brake through town. Doesn’t a glass of Pinot sound so much better?

With that thought in mind, after finally making my way in to traffic, I quickly veered back out again and directly into Argyle’s tasting room.  Earlier in the day, while at Archery Summit, I was chatting with this California girl (with great shoes) about where she had been and what she had liked. She was looking for some recommendations on where to go next and I was trying to figure out what she liked, so I wouldn’t steer her wrong. She told me she didn’t enjoy Argyle—thought the wines were way overpriced for what they were (this coming from someone who was paying Archery Summit prices). I was surprised and expressed my opinion that they must have been sold out of some of their best wines or perhaps it was just an off day. I’d visited before and always enjoyed the experience. Indeed, some of the wines are a bit spendy, but they do something called Extended Tirage; a bubbly blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, bottle-aged for 10 years sur lees, and at $50, is actually a terrific value (easily, compared to a Dom Perignon—which it does).

Argyle’s tasting room is located in a classic white Victorian mansion with wrap-around deck and gardens straight out of a magazine. When I stepped inside, it occurred to me that many others had the same brilliant idea to try and let the traffic die down a bit, as a spot at the bar was not to be found. I patiently waited for some space to free up and finally getting to taste, found I wasn’t feeling completely blown away either. The service was extremely impersonal (though they were really busy) and the wines, though good were indeed a chunk of change, perhaps even “overpriced” to quote my California girl (except that Extended Tirage!!). I do know that I have loved these wines in the past (especially the Blanc de Blanc), so I think it was just a matter of my personal experience souring my taste… shame.

Preferring to fight traffic on the road instead of traffic at the bar (believe it or not), I left Argyle feeling not quite as satisfied as in visits past. While waiting again for an opening in the long line of cars, I concluded that perhaps my Argyle visits have always been good because they were always the first stop of the day, the tasting room was always quiet and the bubbles were a fun way to open the day and your palate. Sometimes timing is everything.

Back on the road, I chose to round out my downtown Dundee excursion with a visit to Dobbes Family Estate (DFE). Dobbes tasting room had a very interesting feel. From the outside, it looked like a little country club café; and from the inside, it looked like a treehouse you’d find in Swiss Family Robinson. With a giant cedar tree growing through the center, the cedar-line walls and ceiling lights cleverly mimicking skylights lent a very relaxed and a comfortable feel. Orion was behind the bar, pouring both his knowledge of the wine and some of the wittiest banter I’d heard yet that day. He’s the kind of guy you want pouring your wine, he’s completely unintimidating yet very well educated on his product, he was attentive and funny—I was impressed (not an easy feat). As he provided personal tableside service to a group sitting outside, he officially called “Dobbes Happy Hour” (as the tasting room is open an hour past most other tasting rooms, until 6:00pm) and within seconds, the previously quiet bar was steadily humming along—Orion having no problem juggling the growing crowd.

Joe Dobbes (who also makes the more affordable Wine By Joe) is a veteran winemaker, with over 21 vintages in the Willamette Valley. He makes a crisp and clean Pinot Gris, an exotic and full-bodied Viogner from the Rogue Valley, several Pinot Noir cuvees (blends) as well as several single-vineyard Pinots, of which I particularly enjoyed the DFE Nuestro Sueno Vineyard Pinot Noir; packed with structure and concentrated aromas of black fruit (plum, blackberry, blueberry…), anise and loam, this wine was drinking very well and would only benefit from additional cellaring.

While Orion shrewdly remarked on how gas and wine are the two most expensive liquids in the world (a tidbit I’ve yet to confirm as fact), I realized both were depleting my already-drained back account, so I said my goodbyes and I took off headed for home feeling success in a good day’s work tasting wine and touring wineries. Next stop, Carlton—this time I’m going for sure! Until we sip again…

Cheers!