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Methode Champenoise Who We Are Vineyards Wines Buy Our Wines Contact Yamhill CountyWinters Hill VineyardLafayette, OR Owners: Peter and Emily Gladhart Acres: 35 Elevation: 535-730 feet Year planted: 1990 Variety: Pinot Noir Clone: Pommard Trellis system: Scott Henry Laurel Vineyard Hillsboro, OR Owners: John and Lynn Albin Acres: 17 Elevation: 780-950 feet Year planted: 1982 Variety: Pinot Noir Clone: Pommard Trellis: Geneva Double Curtain Hyland Vineyard McMinnville, OR Owner(s): Jack Trenhaille Acres: 100 Elevation: 450-750 feet Years planted: 1972-1987 Varieties: Pinot Noir Clone: Coury Trellis: Vertical shoot position Chardonnay Clone: 108 Trellis: Scott Henry, Geneva Double Curtain Elk Cove Vineyard Gaston, OR Owners: The Campbell Family Acres: 60 Elevation: 700-800 feet Year planted: 1985 Variety: Chardonnay Clone: Espiguette 352 Trellis: Vertical shoot position Washington CountyDion VineyardHillsboro, OR Owners: Ron and JoAnne Johnson Acres: 60 Elevation: 300- 480 feet Years planted 1976-2001 Varieties: Pinot Noir & Chardonnay Pinot clones: Upright (Gamay) & Colmar 162 Chardonnay clone: 108 Trellis: Vertical shoot position Lane CountyOverman VineyardCheshire, OR Owner: Dana Overman Acres: 11 Elevation: 750-850 feet Years planted: 1982-84 Variety: Pinot Noir Clones: Wadenswill, Pommard, Upright (Gamay) Trellis: Vertical shoot position Variety: Chardonnay Clone: 108 Trellis: Lyre Variety: Pinot Meunier Trellis: Vertical shoot position Douglas CountyRebecca's VineyardYoncalla, OR Owner: Sophie Lerro Acres: 21 Elevation: 500-720 feet Year planted: 1990 Variety: Pinot Noir Clone: Upright Trellis: Scott Henry Variety: Chardonnay Clones: 108, Draper Trellis: Geneva Double Curtain |
The VineyardOur GrowersSelection is an essential feature of each of the many steps involved in making great sparkling wine. Whether grapes are grown for sparkling wine or table wine, however, the quality of the fruit is the most important single determinant of wine quality. All wines begin in the vineyard. Wines of silk quality simply cannot be made from sows' ears. Our goal is to produce the finest silk-equivalent of sparkling wines! Since we will continue to make all of our wines from purchased grapes until our own vineyard comes into production, it is crucial that we select the right growers for our grapes.
In our rigorous efforts to respect the traditional approaches established in Champagne, France and
followed meticulously by our winemaker Jean-Louis Denois, we have sought growers of Pinot Noir,
Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier with whom we can collaborate to assure that the fruit we purchase
matches our specific needs. To produce a spectrum of base wines for our sparkling wine Cuvées
that reflects their place, we want different clones of these varieties grown at cooler sites
from many geographically distinct locations. This critical process of vineyard selection will
contribute to the complexity and nuanced flavors of our finished wines when they are ready for
release years later. Since we seek delicacy in our wines and subtle rather overt expressions of
varietal character and flavors, we have encouraged our growers to increase their yield size per
acre particularly with the 108 and Draper clones of Chardonnay. This approach is the opposite of
what is desired for making high quality table wines that emphasize expression of fruit and variety.Consistent with our approach to making sparkling wine, we also have carefully selected growers of Pinot Noir for our table wine. We prefer a distinctive style in our Pinot Noir. We believe there is a place in Oregon for a Cotes de Beaune equivalent — a wine more like a Pommard or Volnay than a Chambolle-Musigny or Chambertin. To this end we have so far worked with growers of older vines planted to Pommard, Colmar, and Wadenswill clones of Pinot Noir, preferring moderate rather than low yields per acre. Our 2002 Pinot Noir is made from these three clones grown on vines more than twenty years old in three different counties. Meriwether's GrowersWe will use Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes from the 22 acres we have so far planted at our own Discovery Vineyard when it comes into production in 2005 for both our table and sparkling wines. To meet our production goals and commitment to both site and clonal diversity of grapes sources, however, we will continue to purchase grapes from the growers listed on the left with whom we have established relationships since 1998. Not included in the list of our recent growers are two vineyards in Marion County from whom we have purchased Chardonnay (Temperance Hill Vineyard, Eola Hills Vineyard), and one in Lane County (Dylan's Run) that was a source of Pinot Noir. |
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