Oregon winemaker adds rare 2017 Méthode champenoise Sparkling wine to its portfolio of Pinot Noir, Rosé, Chardonnay and Tawny Port
July 10, 2023, Dundee, OR … Sitting high in the Dundee Hills of the Willamette Valley is Nysa Vineyard, founded by Michael Mega in 1990, when Oregon was home to 330 vineyards compared to today’s 1,411. Since then Nysa has been growing grapes befitting of the region’s most highly acclaimed winemakers—Ken Wright, Willful Wines, Audeant, Lavinea, White Walnut, Bergstrom and Domaine Nicholas Jay are but a few of the premium Oregon winemakers who have vineyard-designated wines from Nysa Vineyard. In 2004, Nysa began making wines under the Nysa label worthy of its own acclaim, producing less than 1,000 cases a year. And this summer, Nysa has a new addition to its lineup—the 2017 Sparkling Blanc de Noir.
With 42 acres, currently 20 under vine, Nysa offers this first vintage of Sparkling Blanc de Noir, holding back a small portion en tirage for an upcoming extended tirage release while future vintages are currently aging on yeast. This wine will become a standard in the Nysa portfolio.
Some have called Oregon’s Sparkling movement a “renaissance,” with winemakers creating a distinct expression unique to Oregon that offers creaminess on the mid-palate, minerality and acidity from being grown in a cool climate. The Nysa contribution to this movement is no exception, as Mega said: “It was time for us to jump in feet first to the excitement and fervor Oregon Sparkling is creating. Nysa’s expression gives us a seat at this table and I couldn’t be happier with the outcome. The club and tasting room visitors seem to agree!”
Tech specs: 2017 Sparkling Blanc de Noir
- Méthode champenoise (Traditional Method)
- Estate grown, Pommard and 115 clones of Pinot Noir
- 5 years in tirage
- 6 g / L dosage
- Disgorged February 2023
Retail price for the Sparkling Blanc de Noir is $85. Nysa Pinot Noir ranges from $75 to $105, and Chardonnay starts at $65, all depending on the vintage.
Nysa’s winemaking philosophy demands that they hold Pinot Noir for seven years before launching, with 2016s hitting shelves now. As Mega said, “Patient cellaring for a minimum of six years from the vintage date is rewarded by a classic bloom of secondary flavors, balanced with delicate acidity, that only fine Pinot Noir achieves. No fining or filtration precedes bottling.
Nysa wines will soon be available outside Oregon in shops across the US in such wine loving states as California, Texas, New York, North and South Carolina and Illinois. Guests to Nysa enjoy a seated tastings through Rosé, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir as well as gracefully aged library selections, including Nysa’s Tawny Port.
About Nysa Vineyard
Located at 600 to 720 feet elevation in the Dundee Hills of Oregon, Nysa Vineyard spans 42 acres of volcanic Jory soil with basalt bedrock 8 to 12 feet below the surface. Nysa cultivates 20 acres total. Given an optimum site our vinicultural goals are to limit crop load, control disease, and allow physiologic maturity to manifest in tandem with optimum sugar and acid levels. More about Nysa’a thoughtfully crafted winemaking is here: Nysa Vineyard.
