Lemon peel, fresh biscuit, crunchy white nectarine. Lime zest, whole chalk, Asian pear. A tart and zingy barrage of green apple, crisp honeydew, and citrus rings out with wonderfully focused intensity - softened only slightly by impressions of croissant and yellow straw. Fragrant notes of honeysuckle highlight a pretty yet understated floral influence offset by yogurt, ginger, and a crushed sea shells. Dry, crisp, and mineral on the palate; featuring palpable tension and vibrancy supported by delicious and finely textured mousse. Medium minus in body with beautifully elevated acidity. This 2017 Brut Blanc de Blancs by Kramer Vineyards is an honest and irresistibly charming sparkling wine from Yamhill-Carlton.

While Oregon's Willamette Valley is well known as a source for world class cool climate wine the region's potential for sparkling wine production is still barely being explored. This bottling, crafted by Kramer Vineyards using 60% Chardonnay/40% Pinot Blanc sourced from within the Yamhill-Carlton sub-appellation and produced via méthode traditionelle, proves that Oregon's bubbly can compete with any. Thanks to 15 months spent en tirage and a zero-dosage disgorgement this wine is impressively zesty and bright with bready autolytic character that contributes excellent complexity and dimension. It possesses impressively clean mineral underpinnings and even a chalky sensation reminiscent of true Champagne, and its energy and acidity are squarely on-point. This is an outstanding sparkler crafted by a Willamette Valley producer who is taking this wonderful genre seriously.