VARIETIES:  Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay
AVA Willamette Valley

What started in 2015 as a small project of personal interest to me has fast
turned into one of the most anticipated and quickly selling wines we produce.
Chalice Vineyard is well suited to the production of grapes for sparkling wine
due to its high elevation and the generally cool conditions which prevail in the
Lorane Valley. Cool growing conditions allow for ripe flavors to develop in
the grapes with less sugar accumulation while maintaining higher levels of
acid, all important factors in making world class, traditional method, sparkling
wine. As with all of the wines we make at Iris Vineyards we carefully study
and employ the methods used to make the highest quality sparkling wines in
the world. The areas of the vineyard from which we source the grapes for this
wine were selected prior to budbreak so the vines could be managed
specifically to grow grapes perfectly suited to sparkling wine production. Once
at the winery the grapes were gently pressed as whole clusters to minimize
extraction of bitter phenolic compounds. The juice was settled in tank and
then racked to barrels for a slow, cool fermentation. To maintain bright, fresh
acidity we do not allow malolactic fermentation to occur. When the base wine
is ready, we do tirage bottling at our winery and store the bottled wine for
secondary fermentation and aging in tirage bins. We also perform all riddling,
disgorging and labeling operations at our winery.