Argyle

One of the premier producers of Sparkling Wine in North America, the recent wines from Argyle have shown why they carry such an impressive reputation. This year Argyle celebrated their 30th year in the wine industry.  I have been tasting at Argyle for 15 years. For years I admired the wines of former winemaker, Rollin Soles. The new releases are spearheaded by superstar winemaker Nate Klostermann, who crafts a wide range of outstanding wines. Nate was oringally a harvest intern at Argyle in 2005 and has served as winemaker since 2013. He utilizes fruit from some great Oregon vineyards including the Spirit Hill Vineyard and the Knudsen Vineyard. The new release wines have been taken from some great vintages, 2014 and 2015. Both vintages were very warm in Oregon and have let to wonderful, fruit driven wines. 

Check out one of the great values in Sparkling Wine, the 2014 Argyle Brut Sparkling Wine (WWB, 90) which shows wonderful poise and ripe fruit flavors. Even better is the 2013 Argyle Brut Rose Sparkling Wine (WWB, 93) which has a wonderful refreshing side alongside light red fruit flavors. Learn more about these outstanding wines at http://www.argylewinery.com Here are the outstanding new wines by Argyle.

2014 Argyle Brut Sparkling Wine- This wine shows lovely effervescence. Brioche, Meyer lemon zest and kumquat aromatics give way to Granny Smith apple, orange rind and wet stone flavors that sit alongside some nice minerality. Drink 2017-2024- 90

2013 Argyle Blanc de Blancs Sparkling Wine-Sourced from the Knudsen Vineyard in the Dundee Hills this wine starts with aromatics of brioche, lemon zest, starfruit and kumquat accents. Bright, showing strong citrus on the mid-palate, this wine is lined by Meyer lemon oil, unripe papaya, Gravenstein apple and challah bread flavors. The intensity is there. Drink 2017-2027- 92

2013 Argyle Brut Rose- Sourced from a host of vineyards in the Willamette Valley, this excellent Rose wine has a rather intoxicating bouquet of rose petals, candied red cherry, orange blossom and suggestions of baking spices. You have to admire the effervescence and mid-palate mouthfeel as red fruits and Mandarin orange rind flavors lead to a marvelous, creamy finish. Crisp and refreshing, this is one of the best Rose wines in North America. Drink 2017-2027- 93

2015 Argyle ‘Nuthouse’ Chardonnay- This downright awesome Chardonnay wine begins with a bright bouquet of vanilla cream, toasted almonds, Meyer lemon zest and ripe pineapple. The structure to this wine is gorgeous, as is the rich mouthfeel. Creme brulee, roasted pineapple, heavy whipping cream and Pazzaz apple flavors coat the mid-palate. The texture is simply gorgeous, as this wine has a seamless quality. This nearly impossible to resist bottling will cellar well for another ten years. Drink 2017-2027- 93

2015 Argyle ‘Reserve’ Pinot Noir- This gorgeous new release from Argyle was aged for 16 months in French oak prior to bottling. This wine was largely sourced from the Knudsen (35%), Spirit Hill, (40%) and Lone Star (25%) vineyards. Red fruits dominate the aromatics with Earl Grey tea and spicebox elements present. The mid-palate mouthfeel is downright silky, showcasing cherry pie, blood orange, pomegranate seed and hints of forest floor. This is just stunning wine from this storied Oregon estate and superstar winemaker Nate Klostermann. Drink 2017-2027- 93

2015 Argyle ‘Nuthouse’ Pinot Noir- Sourced from the Lone Star Vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills, this wine was aged for 16 months in French oak (40% new) prior to bottling. This gorgeous wine begins with a bright bouquet of black cherry compote, cigar box, black olive tapenade, wild mushroom and thyme accents. The aromatics are downright seductive here. Soft and gorgeous, this wine has a seamless quality that glides through the mid-palate. Black cherry, black raspberry liquor and forest floor flavors lead to a near minute-long finish. You have to love the weight and texture here that make this one of the most impressive wines that I have sampled from this AVA. The merge between feminine and masculine here is highly compelling, as this wine is even better than the gorgeous 2013 and 2014 bottlings. Drink 2017-2030- 94