by Erin James
“Let us be clear here — Mama deserves (and needs) a drink and she can drink whatever she wants. Mama wants a glass of Cab Franc? Great. Mama desires a can of cranberry hard seltzer on the patio? Done. Mama requires a rocks glass four fingers full of bourbon? Mama gets.
For the sake of the season and the upcoming holiday to celebrate Mama, we selected a handful of beautifully pink bubbles to pop in honor of Mother’s Day. These are available throughout the Pacific Northwest and showcase the range in which pink is much more than a color or feminine stereotype, and more of an exhibition of what red and white wine grapes can do.
Bonus: All of these wines are produced through the traditional Champagne method (méthode champenoise) of getting bubbles in the bottle through secondary fermentation. All pink and all class for Mother’s Day. Cheers to Mom!”
2016 Argyle Brut Rosé
“The OG of Northwest sparkling wine, Argyle has rarely (if ever) faltered when it comes to its bubbles since its 1987 inception. Started by Rollin Soles — Oregon’s sparkling wine founding father — who knew there was something special about the cool-climate of the Willamette Valley for bubbles, this rosé set the bar for those that followed after it. A blend of 47% Pinot Noir, 37% Chardonnay and 16% Pinot Meunier create the salmon pink hue in the glass as well as the luscious cornucopia of aromas and flavors: strong baking spices, rose petals, tart strawberry, cranberry, citrus (juice and zest), and a bright and juicy palate that finishes dry and beckons you to come back for another sip.”