The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

Portlandia Vintners has just released a pair of non-vintage bubblies. I particularly like this Syrah-based rosé. It’s not expensive for a traditional (Champagne) method sparkler – that is not a cheap process. NV means it’s comprised of juice from more than one vintage. Lovely to look at – a fading sunset hue – it is one of a handful of sparkling Syrahs in my experience. This one avoids unnecessary tannins or earthy funk and might easily be mistaken for a sparkling Pinot Noir, which is a good thing. The flavors dance around mixed tree fruits and citrus, and if you look hard there...