North America | Oregon | Illahe | Capitol Fizz

Capitol Fizz

VARIETAL
Chardonnay and Pinot Gris-heavy, with some Viognier, Grüner Veltliner, and a little Pinot Noir

NOTES
From the winery: "Capitol Fizz is a sparkling wine that gives a shout out to our beautiful art deco state capitol as well as the pioneering spirit has always been strong throughout the state of Oregon.
Salem has always been known as the boring little sister city to Portland, which has oddly become an endearing quality to us as Salem residents and Willamette Valley farmers all the way back to the 1890s. Our bumper stickers say "Keep Salem Lame," which is tongue-in-cheek of course. What we really are is a center of the state, a gathering place for Oregonians of all types, and a down to earth community, now with a down to earth sparkling wine. We wanted to craft a wine that people can drink casually and not too seriously, that is more a “beer of wine” than a serious sparkling.

This fizz is also our reaction to the single-serve market (in a bottle as an alternative to the canned wine craze) as well as people’s craving for everything bubbly. Capitol Fizz is a dry, pink bubbly bottle of refreshment for workers, picnickers, fishers, makers, singers, and watchers of the western sunset. Picked early at harvest, it has lively acid and a pretty aroma enhanced by its sparkle and joined together with the feeling of seeing a rainbow behind a waterfall. Capitol Fizz comes in two sizes--individual enjoyment, and friendly gathering. This is a sparkling wine that you can drink like a beer. Just pop the crown cap. No pontification required. "

VINEYARD: Grapes are sourced from throughout all of Illahe's vineyard sites, primarily from the original home vineyard site which is the closest to the Willamette River. The extra fertility of this soil is just ideal for producing good yields of clean, aromatic white varietals.

VINIFICATION: Each varietal is stainless steel-fermented individually, then blended together and transferred to tank where the blend undergoes carbonation via gentle CO2 injection. This method of carbonation allows for an ultra-clean and stable wine with a hyper focus on primary aromas that are released immediately. In the words of Brad Ford, winemaker: "Wines made in this production method have always traditionally been low quality, and so people are surprised when we talk about using the method for Capitol Fizz. However, we're taking that idea and turning it on its head by putting in really good wine and crafting it with all the precision and care that we dedicate to the rest of our wines".