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More wines available from Argyle
750ml
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The 2019 sparkling wine vintage in the Willamette Valley was precise, full of beautiful natural acidity and tension...
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Planted in 1990, at 850 feet of elevation, the Dijon clone chardonnay planted in Julia Lee's Block furnishes this...
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A balanced blend, Pinot Noir establishes a savory core, while Pinot Meunier brings floral characteristics and...
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Blended between our 4 vineyard sites, Argyle Chardonnay displays the tension of the Eola-Amity Hills, the delicacy of...
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Opens with a refreshing beam of cherry and cranberry fruit, then draws in black tea and dusky spice flavors that...
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Winery
Argyle
Vintage: 2011
The year 2011 was an interesting year for many northern and central European countries, as the weather was more than unpredictable in the spring and summer. However, in most countries, the climatic conditions thankfully settled down in the late summer and fall. The result of this slightly difficult year of weather in France was a set of surprisingly small yields, but overall, these yields were of a higher quality than those harvested in certain previous years. A fantastic set of wines was also made in Italy and Spain, and the Rioja wines - when released - are set to be very good indeed. Austria also had superb year in 2011, with almost fifty percent more grapes being grown and used for their distinctive Gruner Veltliner wines than in the year before. Possibly the European country which had the finest 2011, though, was Portugal, with wineries in the Douro region claiming this year to be one of the best in decades for the production of Port wine, and the bright, young Vinho Verdes wines.
In the New World, the Pacific Northwest saw some of the best weather of 2011, and Washington State and Oregon reportedly had a highly successful year, especially for the cultivation of high quality red wine grapes. Chile and Argentina had a relatively cool year, which certainly helped retain the character of many of their key grape varietals, and should make for some exciting drinking. South Africa had especially good weather for their white wine grape varietals, particularly Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, and many South African wineries are reporting 2011 as one of their best years in recent memory.
Varietal: Champagne Blend
Whilst Champagne sparkling wines are most commonly made with a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grape varietals, there are actually seven fine grape varietals allowed by French wine law for inclusion in the wines of this region. These include Arbanne, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and and Petit Meslier alongside the others, although these four are being used less and less in the modern age. Champagnes are normally blended wines, although the popularity of single variety 'blanc de blanc' Champagnes made solely with Chardonnay grapes, and 'blanc de noir' wines made only with Pinot Noir varietal grapes are becoming more and more popular. The blending process found in most Champagnes aims to take the finest points of each grape varietal and bring them together to produce spectacular, strong yet balanced results in the bottle.
Region: Oregon
Since the 1840s, vineyards have been cultivated and wines have been produced within the beautiful state of Oregon, which is now the United States' third biggest producer of fine wines. Although best known for their Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir wines, which have won several awards in recent years, Oregon is home to a surprisingly large range of fine grape varietals. Chardonnay, Merlot and Riesling also all flourish in the cooler areas of Oregon, and there are plenty of wineries across the state keen to experiment with all sorts of Old World classic varietals, as well as many of the hybrid grapes which characterise the country's wine industry. Oregon is also well known for its organic and biodynamic wine industry, making it a fascinating region for new ideas and new styles of wines, all of which are quickly gaining popularity around the world.
Country: United States
The first European settlers to consider growing grapevines in the United States must have been delighted when they discovered the now famous wine regions within California, Oregon and elsewhere. Not even in the Old World are there such fertile valleys, made ideal for vine cultivation by the blazing sunshine, long, hot summers and oceanic breezes. As such, it comes as little surprise that today more than eighty-nine percent of United States wines are grown in the valleys and on the mountainsides of California, where arguably some of the finest produce in the world is found. However, American wine does not begin and end with California, and due to the vast size of the country and the incredible range of terrains and climates found within the United States, there is probably no other country on earth which produces such a massive diversity of wines. From ice wines in the northern states, to sparkling wines, aromatized wines, fortified wines, reds, whites, rosés and more, the United States has endless surprises in store for lovers of New World wines.
Appellation: Willamette Valley
The beautiful wine region of Willamette Valley is located in Oregon, one of the main wine producing states of the USA. As in much of Oregon, Willamette Valley benefits enormously from the long, hot summers the state enjoys, and the mineral rich soils which typify the wine regions found there. Willamette Valley has built up a powerful reputation over the past few decades as one of the New World's leading producers of high quality, flavorful and characterful Pinot Noir wines, as the grapes of the Pinot Noir vine thrive particularly well in the region's climatic conditions. Willamette Valley is a fascinating wine region, and is a fine representative for the state of Oregon. Innovative techniques and wine making methods are fairly commonplace there, and the overall produce of the region seems to get better each year.