Oregon is slowly becoming one of the world’s great regions for sparkling wines. Despite this momentum I’m not quite sure if I can find an Oregon producer that produces two high-quality Blanc de Blancs from different AVAs. Enter Pashey, the brainchild of top notch winemaker James Frey, who crafts some world-class methods champenoise wines.
James might be the first winemaker with an undergraduate degree in Exercise Physiology from the University of California, Berkeley and a Masters in Exercise Physiology and an M.B.A. from the University of Arizona. Despite not having any formal winemaking training, James learned under mentors like Oregon’s Josh Bergström and Burgundy’s Jacques Lardiere. From 2013-2017, Burgundy producer Maison Louis Jadot made their Resonance wines at Trisaetum where James worked alongside winemaker Jacques Lardiere. Since 2013, James has also partnered with Walla Walla winemaker Chris Figgins of Leonetti, Figgins and Toil to trade Willamette Valley fruit for Walla Walla varietals that James uses for his 18401 Cellars wines.
His Pashey sparkling wines were outstanding across the board. I adored the new 2018 Pashey ‘Brut’ Rose Sparkling Wine (OB, 93) which shows plenty of rich red fruit flavors with serious finesse and a soft mousse. Learn more about these outstanding wines at https://www.trisaetum.com and here are my reviews of the brilliant new Pashey wines.
2018 Pashey ‘Estate Cuvee Extra Brut’ Sparkling Wine- Mainly Pinot Noir (82%), this 2.5g/l dosage blend displays pretty red fruits on the nose that combine with baking spice dusted Challah bread and lemon rind tones on the palate. Fresh and viscous with serious tension, this beautiful bottling is already drinking beautifully now and will continue to provide drinking enjoyment over the next eight to ten years. Drink 2021-2029- 92
2018 Pashey ‘Blanc de Blancs Ribbon Ridge Estate’ Sparkling Wine- Disgorged in summer 2021, the 2.25 g/l dosage 2018 Pashey ‘Blanc de Blancs Ribbon Ridge Estate’ Sparkling Wine shows off plenty of toasty French bread tones alongside shades of marzipan and Japanese pear aromatically. The silly mousse impresses, as this comes off very refined and fat on the mouth, showing the warmth of the vintage. Full-bodied and rich with lemon oil, toasted hazelnut and buttered brioche tones, this is already quite evolved and will continue to drink well over the next eight to ten years. Drink 2021-2029- 92
2018 Pashey ‘Blanc de Blancs Coast Range Estate’ Sparkling Wine- The 2018 Pashey ‘Blanc de Blancs Coast Range Estate’ Sparkling Wine is a gorgeous, finesse-driven effort. A touch leaner than the ‘Ribbon Ridge Estate’ but showing gobs of mouth-watering acidity, this yields more green apple and green papaya tones alongside hints of cashew nut and salty soils on the palate. Finishing long, this is very refined bubbles that has some good aging potential. Drink 2021-2031- 92
2018 Pashey ‘Brut’ Rose Sparkling Wine- The 2018 ‘Brut’ Rose was disgorged in summer 2021 and was given 3.0 g/l dosage. A blend of near equal parts Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, this unveils pretty red rose petal tones alongside ripe guava and cran-orange on the nose. The weight of the wine is seriously good, as layers of beautiful red fruits mingle well with baked apple, lemon rind and brioche tones on the palate. Complex and highly compelling to consume right now, the 2018 ‘Brut’ Rose will cellar well over the next eight to ten years. Drink 2021-2029- 93
