Category: Archived Articles

Q&A with Winemaker Eric Martella

By: Allie Nelson

As both an educator and winemaker, Erik Martella has spent decades thinking about how people encounter wine, not just as a beverage, but as an experience shaped by history, hospitality, and human connection. A Lecturer and Wine Specialist in Appalachian State University’s Department of Chemistry and Fermentation Sciences and proprietor of Erik Martella Wines, Martella brings together industry experience and a deep belief in experiential learning.

  That philosophy is at the heart of the Wine and Fine Dining for Emerging Professionals Program, a two-day immersive initiative Martella created at the university. The program introduces participants to the fundamentals of wine, fine dining, and professional etiquette through behind-the-scenes restaurant experiences, tastings, and a culminating fine-dining meal shared with local business and community leaders.

  Martella reflects on the motivations behind the program, what students are seeking from wine experiences, and how innovation in education and American viticulture can shape a more engaged wine culture for the next generation.

  How did the idea for the Wine and Fine Dining for Emerging Professionals program come about?            The idea was actually born of frustration with all the hand-wringing within the industry about decreasing wine sales. While those conversations are important, it seems that the only solutions being offered are either technology (social media, AI, novel packaging) or the old “make wine accessible” trope. I wanted to do something concrete to get more people excited about the history, traditions, stories, and experiences associated with fine wine.

  What gap did you see in students’ preparation for professional life that this program is designed to fill?

  The disruptions from the COVID shutdown meant that many families were simply unable to include fine dining experiences in their lives while these students were growing up. And, as young adults, they haven’t been of drinking age long enough to have had much of an opportunity to explore the world of wine. This program walks students through the fundamentals of wine and fine dining, including table manners and etiquette, from the perspective of the Business Meal, an experience they are likely to encounter very soon after graduating.

  What did you want students to feel and understand at each stage of the course?

  I wanted students to feel like they had a back-stage pass to the world of wine and fine dining. The first session is a behind-the-scenes tour focusing on how restaurants operate, how service works, how intention shapes experience. Students see that what can seem fancy for its own sake is actually based on core ideals of quality and creating amazing experiences. But all this requires the efforts of real people, so I thought it was important to also inspire empathy among the students for hospitality professionals.

  The wine session provides basic vocabulary and orientation to wine without overwhelming them. We emphasize that tasting is subjective, but language matters. By the time they reach the final dinner at Artisanal, the goal is for students to feel curiosity and excitement about tasting unfamiliar wines, not anxiety or self-consciousness.

  In the etiquette session, I wanted the information to be very tactical. While a lot of this information seems like common sense, people don’t know it unless they’ve been taught it. Having the students pre-read the materials puts everyone on a level playing field and prepares them for the group exercises that make up the session. Here, I wanted students to come away feeling like they had real strategies for presenting themselves well and putting others at ease during fine dining experiences.

  For the culminating dinner, I wanted students to understand first-hand how amazing good wine, good food, and good company can be, and I wanted them to come away with one thought: “I want more of this!”

  What conversations did you see unfolding at the culminating dinner between students and community leaders, and why are those intergenerational interactions so important?

  What stood out most was how quickly the conversations moved beyond career advice. Yes, there were questions about graduate school and career paths, but real connections were made. In a post-event survey, the Table Hosts overwhelmingly supported keeping the ratio of three students to one Host rather than increasing the number of students at each Host’s table. They valued the opportunity to make deeper connections as much as the students did.

  Those intergenerational interactions matter because they humanize success. Students see accomplished professionals as people who once felt unsure themselves. At the same time, the professionals are reminded what it feels like to be new to the world of wine and fine dining.

  How would you describe the mindset of this new generation when it comes to wine? What are they curious about? What turns them off?

  Most students see wine as just another option in the world of beverage alcohol, and they see it primarily in terms of its intoxicating effect. Most students have no idea what the world of wine has to offer in terms of aroma, flavor, and food pairing experiences, let alone its variety, history, and geographical and cultural significance, until someone opens that door for them. Opening that door also helps them understand why some wines are so expensive and others quite affordable.  High prices are a major turn off, especially when students don’t understand how they might be justified. Interestingly, for some, knowing that high-priced wines exist makes them suspicious of lower-priced wines. So they avoid wine all together: “I can never afford the good stuff and the cheap stuff must be bad!” Fortunately, students are curious about everything and they’re surprisingly adept at taking individual wines on their own terms.

  What role does education play in shaping how this generation will engage with wine long-term?

  Unfortunately, the attention economy seems to reward three main voices related to wine: wineries with big advertising budgets, the ‘no safe level of alcohol’ crowd, and those who use the wine snob trope for humor or derision. Educational programs such as this one are ways to provide this generation with a broader perspective on wine and to bring context to what those voices are saying. I think efforts like this, driven by the industry and by enthusiasts rather than by individual brands, is the key to reaching this generation. We need to be telling the story of Wine, with a capital W, and we need to do it in-person with glasses and open bottles in front of us. That’s what gets students excited and engaged, and it just so happens that’s also the foundation that gives every winery’s brand story its power, including my own.

  You’ve spent more than two decades in wine, and now focus on muscadine-based fine wines. How do you define “innovation” in American viticulture today?

  I think a lot of innovation in American viticulture falls into the category of increasing precision. Take irrigation as an example. It’s only been about 75 years since flood irrigation and movable sprinklers were replaced by PVC-piped permanent overhead sprinklers, which were themselves replaced by drip and root-zone irrigation. Now, some vineyards are focusing on irrigation strategies that encourage vines to develop the deep root systems compatible with dry farming. It’s always been about giving vines water, but leveraging science and technology to do it ever more thoughtfully and precisely.

  There’s also a lot of exciting work happening around developing new varieties and rediscovering old ones to meet changing or challenging growing environments. I’m a big fan of this kind of innovation: matching the grape variety to the ecosystem instead of asking the ecosystem to bend to the grape you want to grow. We just need some marketing innovation to go along with it to help sell esoteric varieties!

  What excites you most about the potential of native American varieties, like muscadine, that haven’t historically been seen as “classical” fine-wine grapes?

  Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, etc. are global. There’s good reason for that – they turn into amazing wine! Working with native varieties is an opportunity to create wines with totally unique characteristics that can’t be found anywhere else in the world. I secretly enjoy it when people are somewhat befuddled by their first glass of dry muscadine wine. By the second glass people usually have a pretty good idea what the wine is all about and how its parts actually do fit together. But you only get one opportunity to taste it for the first time!

  If you could offer one piece of advice to young professionals feeling intimidated by wine, what would you tell them?

  If you’re intimidated by wine, you’re probably worried about getting the show aspects of the experience wrong.  There’s really only one component of the show that you need to worry about: smelling and tasting wine with focus and intent. You can know nothing about a wine and even mispronounce its name, but if you take your time to authentically experience the wine, to savor it, your audience will be happy…even if the audience is yourself and you’re second-guessing the bottle you picked up at the grocery store for no other reason than it was on sale.

About the Author:  Allie Nelson is a communications professional specializing in food and beverage, with more than nine years of industry experience working with small wineries and hospitality-driven businesses. She holds the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines and is a French Wine Scholar and American Cider Professional. She currently serves as PR Manager and Digital Marketing Specialist at Tabletop Media Group in North Carolina, where she works with food and beverage clients including the North Carolina Wine & Grape Council.

Prevention & management practices to avoid the propagation and spread of fungal pathogens.

By: Judit Monis, Ph.D., Vineyard and Plant Health Consultant

Grapevine trunk diseases occur worldwide and are caused by bacterial, fungal pathogens, or a combination of both. Trunk disease fungal pathogens can be airborne and/or soilborne.  These pathogens not only affect grapevines but other fruit and tree species and can be found colonizing the orchard or vineyard soil.   Grapevine planting stock material can be infected with important pathogens.  It is important to test and inspect nursery material for their presence prior to planting to avoid long lasting problems in the vineyard.

Disease Prevention and Diagnosis

  The best  way to manage and control diseases is to prevent the introduction of pathogens in the vineyard.  Because of the complexity of infection, number of fungal pathogens and diseases they cause, none of the US-certification programs exclude trunk disease pathogens.  Therefore, propagation material is expected to be infected with various fungal pathogens.  As a first step, it is important to inspect the quality of the planting material (graft union integrity, lack of galling, absence of streaking or pitting).  A laboratory and a knowledgeable plant pathologist are best suited to provide specifics of the fungal pathogens and diseases.  Fungal pathogens can be cultured and isolated in specialized media.  However, even when using selective media, microorganisms are known to compete among each other.  A fungal species that grows faster will expand over others that grow slower, making the identification of certain fungal pathogens difficult to ascertain.  In these instances, the diagnosis will be biased or the laboratory may not be able to report the disease causal agent unless sophisticated molecular methods are used. In some cases, the identification of the fungal taxonomic family (i.e., species of the Diatripaceae or Botryosphaeriaceae) isolated from a canker may be sufficient to decipher the cause of the problem and determine the best management practice.  In the past, in my lab we developed methods to isolate DNA from these cultures to allow to determine a precise identity of the fungal species by sequencing its DNA.  Recently, some commercial laboratories had started offering plant and soil testing using the next generations sequencing (NGS) technology also known as high throughput sequencing (HTS).  This is a powerful method that allows a laboratory to detect any organism present in a sample. When NGS is applied, the complete sequence of the plant genetic material and its microbiome can be obtained.  During preparation of the sample, it is possible to “enrich” the sequences of pathogens of specific interest.   For example, the lab may amplify only fungal sequences prior to NGS, increasing the sensitivity of the assay.  The data obtained is processed with software that analyzes the microorganism’s (beneficial or pathogenic) sequences present in the sample.  The method can provide relative quantitative data, generally expressed in percentages, of each microorganism found.

Disease Management and Control

  The implementation of appropriate sanitation measures at the nursery is most needed to produce high quality planting grapevine material.  It is known that one infected vine can produce between 100 -200 vines each year, potentially producing a significant number of infected grafted plants.  The use of hot water treatment (HWT) consists of soaking the plant material in hot water (122F = 50C) for 30 minutes at the nursery.   In spite of the treatment reducing the population of fungal pathogens in the propagated vines, there are mix reports on the effect of the HWT on bud mortality.  Reports in warmer winegrowing regions (e.g., Spain) have shown a lower effect on bud mortality compared to HWT in cool climate regions (e.g., Australia).   The use of ozone is used and can be effective as a disinfectant in nursery settings.  However, controlled studies carried out at the Universidad de La Rioja, Logrono, Spain has shown no effect of ozonated water on beneficial or pathogenic bacterial and fungal population when used in irrigation settings.

  Many of the fungal pathogens that cause disease in grapevines are endophytic, meaning that they can live in the vine without causing disease.  However, the same fungal species can become pathogenic during stress situations (lack of water, heat wave, etc.).  Furthermore, because fungal pathogens cannot be completely eliminated in the vineyard once introduced, it is important to apply the best management practices available once planted at the vineyard.   I recommend inspecting the mother vines and planting material to judge the quality of planting material.  The high-quality planting material must be grown in well prepared and drained soil, at the correct season.  Ultimately (and always!) the best practices in the vineyard must be applied (i.e., enough water, nutrients, etc.). 

  It is known that the effect of grapevine fungal pathogens increases as the vineyard ages because its fungal population continues to multiply yearly.  Therefore, growers must adopt management and control measurements as soon as the vines are planted in order to prevent and minimize the propagation and dispersal of fungal pathogens.

  Management at the vineyard should include trained personnel for pruning activities.  In areas where the rainy season coincides with the pruning season it is recommended to prune as late as possible prior to bud break. Pruning late has the advantage that the produced wounds will heal faster, as the vines become active in the spring.  Additionally, most fungal spores would have been depleted and unavailable to start a new infection, the later the pruning activity starts.   If the vineyard size is extensive and does not allow workers to complete the activities before bud break, the double pruning method is recommended. This consists of  pre-pruning the vines as soon as the dormant season starts, leaving canes of 1-2 feet long.  In the late winter or early spring, pruning would be completed by leaving the desired number of buds per spur. The freshly produced wounds should always be protected using fungicides or a sealant such as Safecoat VitiSeal.  I prefer the latter product because it provides a protective layer that does not allow the fungal spores to enter, does not affect beneficial fungi, and allows wound healing .  During pruning it is important to avoid producing large wounds, cutting near the trunk, or pruning after long periods of rain.  Finally, it is important to remove the vine residues in the vineyard floor as this would be a source of inoculum to start new infections.

  Economic studies performed by Dr. Kendra Baumgartner and colleagues (USDA at the University of California in Davis) has shown that preventative methods (late pruning, double pruning, and pruning wound protectants) are sustainable only if applied before symptoms appear in the vineyard.  Adopting these methods in older vines will not recover the cost of the treatments.

  A more drastic disease management practice includes vine re-training also known as remedial surgery.  The procedure consists of training a new shoot from the base of the trunk to replace the old decayed vine trunk or cordons.  The technique can help gain some years of production but will not cure the vines from the disease as likely the pathogens are already established in the vine.  When replacing vines, the grower must understand that many fungal pathogens can survive in remaining portions of the roots and soil, therefore new vines that are planted (even if free of bacterial or fungal pathogens) can become infected over time even if the vine roots are completely removed from the vineyard.

  Other methods that have been reported for the management of fungal diseases include planting white or yellow mustard plants as cover crops that act as a biofumigant and the use of biological control agents such as Trichoderma species, and mycorrhizal fungi.

Conclusions

  Due to the nature of fungal infections in the vineyard and surrounding areas, following precise management practices in the vineyard is the most important step in preventing disease development. Similar to viral and bacterial infections, fungal diseases are complex, as mixed infections are common and can exacerbate the symptoms in the vineyard. Consulting with a knowledgeable plant pathologist can help assess the potential of disease development based on the presence certain fungal species. The application of early and efficient diagnoses will help reduce the infection levels of propagation and planting material, consequently avoiding disease onset in the vineyards. 

  Judit Monis, Ph.D. is a California-based plant health consultant, provides specialized services to help growers, vineyard managers, and nursery personnel avoid the propagation and transmission of disease caused by bacteria, fungi, and viruses in their vineyard blocks.   Judit is fluent in Spanish and is available to consult in other important grape growing regions of the word.   Please visit juditmonis.com for information or contact juditmonis@yahoo.com to request a consulting session.

Handcrafted wines and spirits surrounded by Iowa’s natural beauty

By: Gerald Dlubala

TYCOGA Winery & Distillery owners Ben and Carey Arndt had a unique start to their award-winning winemaking journey in DeWitt, Iowa. They owned an industrial water tower tank painting business, and Ben was doing his job while overlooking the vineyards of Holy-Field Winery in Kansas. It was quite the view, as you would imagine, and Ben appreciated the vineyard’s unique look and pleasant vibes.

  “Ben became friends with the owners of the winery, frequently talking and visiting with them,” said Carey. “It was after that job that he came home and talked about wanting to plant some grapevines, so we did, starting around 2010 with just 50 concord grapevines. Well, those vines took off so well that we planted another 5000. By 2013, we had about 15000 vines in the ground, and TYCOGA Vineyard was on its way. We currently have about 32 acres in all, with some bare patches available for additional plantings as needed. But our initial intention was to be able to grow quality grapes and sell them as a crop.”

A Chance Encounter Fuels a Change in Direction

  Ben and Carey’s son, Tyler, was out in the field tending to the vines one day when a chance encounter with another winemaker changed and perhaps sped up the direction of the vineyard. John Burns, then owner of Barrelhead Winery in Dubuque, stopped by to talk with Tyler, showing him better ways to do some things around the vineyard and offering to help teach them how to make their vineyard more efficient and productive.

  “John and his wife Karen were a big help to us from the start,” said Carey. “They just wanted to help us choose better ways to go about our work by drawing on their experience. John’s experience and mentorship were invaluable to us. And then it was he and his wife who suggested that we make our own wines since our grapes were so good. We had no experience or idea how to go about that, so John offered to help us with that as well. He taught and nurtured us with his experience, guiding us along the way and making us into winemakers. He taught us everything we know about winemaking. We would often visit them at their winery to enjoy their wines, but also to sit, relax, listen, and learn. We owe him a lot for sure. He’s retired now, but in honor of all that he did for us, we named a dry red wine after him, our Old JB Red Wine, and it’s one of our top sellers. But that’s indicative of our Iowa wineries. Everyone around is so helpful and really wants everyone else to succeed. Eric White, the President and Winemaker at Galena Cellars, was invaluable as well. As winery owners, we all benefit from each other’s success.”

  Carey tells The Grapevine Magazine that over 85% of their wines are estate-grown and produced, packaged on the property. TYCOGA offers over 28 varieties of wine. Varietals grown on the property include Brianna, Edelweiss, Frontenac, Frontenac Gris, and La Crescent, along with Marquette, Petite Pearl, St Croix, and more. TYCOGA brings in fruit, including berries, cranberries, peaches, and rhubarb, for their fruity wines. Carey says guests can also enjoy their popular wine slushies and sparkling options on site.

  TYCOGA wines started winning awards even before they were officially open.

  “We actually submitted our wines to competition before we were officially opened,” said Carey. “We’ve been successful and have been winning awards ever since. Every year, we enter the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition. We’ve won multiple awards, including Double Gold on our Serenity Wine and Best in Fruit Class with our Just Peachy Wine.”

Rustic Vibes and Award-Winning Wines Draw Visitors

  “We get visitors from all over,” said Carey. “They sign our guestbook when they come in, and I’m constantly amazed at how far some of them have travelled. Once you come in, you can head up to the bar and talk with our knowledgeable staff, who will guide your tastings based on your likes and dislikes. Tastings are usually done at the bar before making your way to one of our indoor or outdoor seating areas to enjoy the choices you made. If you prefer flights, we have wine flights and wine slushie flights to enjoy, along with some of our available snack items, cheesecake bites, or on-site wood-fired pizza made to order.”

  Carey says their property is known for its rustic, relaxing atmosphere, offering beautiful landscaping, pleasant vineyard views, breathtaking streams and waterfalls, and an unmatched Serenity pond to unwind and free your mind while enjoying an award-winning glass of Iowa grown, harvested and packaged wine.

  “Guests can choose where to sit and enjoy their stay,” said Carey. “It really is a gorgeous place to sit and unwind or relax. In the colder months, from mid-November through March, we offer heated igloos overlooking our vineyard so our guests can continue enjoying the outdoor scenery while remaining comfortable. The igloos are warm, lighted, and reservable through our website.”

  TYCOGA’s vineyards are walkable, and the winery loves hosting all sizes of events, birthdays, showers, corporate events, weddings, and more in their event space or outdoors on their property. They can accommodate up to 35 in their barrel room for a great atmosphere, up to 250 guests in their ample event space, and outdoor gatherings when the weather permits.

New Ideas Bring New Offerings and New Customers

  “We also started a distillery in 2021,” said Carey. “Ben is a bourbon collector and enjoys sipping on a good bourbon, so he decided that he wanted to try his hand at making spirits. He’s the idea guy between us, and I absolutely love and enjoy the people side of the business, so it works out beautifully. As with our wines, all spirits are distilled, produced, and packaged on site. We have a 250-gallon pot still for our grain-neutral spirits in addition to a 100-gallon gin still. We acquired a 12-spout Gai bottling line capable of bottling up to 1800 bottles per hour. It’s really something. It can clean, fill, and cork bottles, and then put on the top caps and labels all in one run.”

  The distillery-end of the business offers bourbon, gin, vodka, whiskey, and whiskey slushes, along with TYCOGA’s unique and wildly popular Dirty Almond Moonshine.

“We sell anywhere from 12000-20000 bottles of wine per year, depending on many different variables, and we’d love our distillery to grow towards those levels as well,” said Carey. “But growth like that takes time. We know our distillery is still fairly young right now.”

Advice For Future Winemakers

  “I tell people to research, research, and research, and then research a little more,” said Carey. “Look for and seek out help from others in the business who are successful, because especially here in Iowa, everyone seems to want to help in some way, even if it’s just a bit of advice. If you can get hands-on experience, that’s ideal because you learn so much in a shorter time. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or reach out for help. For example, our guys here are always eager to help and mentor another winemaker or winery owner because we want to return the favor of those people who took the time to help us when we needed it. Mentoring others is extremely rewarding, and having other successful wineries helps all of us. We’re like one big family here in Iowa.”

  Carey tells The Grapevine Magazine that their goal is to grow and keep the business thriving so their children can take over when she and Ben are ready to retire. But she adds that retirement isn’t even on her mind right now.

  “We are having so much fun,” said Carey. “Personally, I absolutely love the people side of the business, but I would encourage winery hopefuls to embrace the technology as well. We used to pick all our grapes by hand. But about five years ago, we bought our first harvester that changed everything. We went from long hours and days handpicking our grapes to harvesting a row of grapevines in about five minutes with no loss of quality. It was a welcome change.”

  The name TYCOGA comes from their three children’s names, Tyler, Courtney, and Gabe.

  For more information or to contact TYCOGA Winery & Distillery:

TYCOGA Winery & Distillery

2585 195th Street

DeWitt, IA 52742

(563) 659-1443

tycogawinery@gmail.com

www.tycoga.com

The rise of Oregon’s traditional method sparkling wines

By: Becky Garrison

In the May/June 2025 issue of The Grapevine Magazine, Michelle Kaufmann, vice president of communications at the Stoller Wine Group, reflects on the current status of Willamette Valley wines. “Pinot Noir is our king. Chardonnay is becoming Oregon’s queen. And right behind them as prince or princess is a sparkling wine with these two grapes coming together to make a beautiful marriage.” Other popular grapes used in sparkling wine production include Pinot Meunier and Pinot Blanc.

  According to Terry Culton, director of winemaking and vineyards for Willamette Valley Vineyards, because the Willamette Valley is very mild, they can focus on the perfect picks for making their sparkling wines. He reflects, “The cooler climate and coastal influence give us more picking options than many AVAs to get the pH and titratable acidity for sparkling and the brix (sugar) at just the level we want.”

  These premium sparkling wines are made in what’s designated as “the traditional method” (méthode traditionnelle or méthode champenoise). SOMM-TV summarizes the process used to make these sparkling wines. 

  From start to finish, this method takes the longest because of aging requirements and time-consuming steps like hand-riddling. These reasons can also translate to a higher price at the till. This method includes lees aging (where dead yeast cells sit in contact with the wine for an extended period), producing a wine with a prevalent autolytic character. Wine made in the traditional method often exudes aromas and flavors of brioche and butter along with a creamy textural mouthfeel.

  This labor-intensive process is famously used to make sparkling wine in the Champagne region of France, though wines made using the traditional method produced outside this region cannot be called champagne but must be referred to as “sparkling wines.” Other popular sparkling wines include Pét-nat (Pétillant Naturel, see The Grapevine Magazine, July/August 2025), bubbles (forced carbonation), Prosecco (charmat), and the ancestral method made by bottling and sealing the wine before it completes its first fermentation.

The Origins of Oregon’s Traditional Method Sparkling Wines

  Oregon’s early wineries took their inspiration from Burgundy with a focus on the region’s still wines — most notably Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. While there were a few limited sparkling wines in production, Argyle Winery (Dundee, Oregon) established in 1987 by Rollin Soles as the Dundee Wine Company has the distinction of being the first Willamette Valley winery to establish a dedicated sparkling program with every stage of the wines made in-house. (Currently, Soles is the founder and winemaker at Roco Winery in Newberg.)

  In 2025, Argyle Winery and the Pacific Northwest College of Art at Willamette University (PNCA) celebrated the 10th anniversary of Argyle’s acclaimed Art of Sparkling program with the release of the 2025 Art of Sparkling Collection. This internship program created by Argyle in collaboration with PNCA highlights the value of creativity and storytelling within the winemaking process. As per their press release, each year, three PNCA student artists are selected to participate in an immersive internship at Argyle, where they explore the connections between viticulture, winemaking, and artistic expression. Their work culminates in the creation of original label artwork featured on Argyle’s annual Art of Sparkling Collection.

Powering Oregon’s Grower Sparkling Wine Movement

  When Andrew Davis was serving as a winemaker at Argyle Winery, his fellow winemakers often asked for assistance in making sparkling wine. Because this region is aligned with Burgundy with a similar paradigm focusing on small producers and small production, these winemakers often lacked the expensive resources needed to produce sparkling wines. He had to always say “no” because they lacked the capacity to take on any custom clients.

  So Davis founded The Radiant Sparkling Wine Company (McMinnville, OR) in 2013 with the mission to provide Willamette Valley small-production sparkling wine producers with both the technical knowledge and specialized equipment required for the efficient production of award-winning world-class sparkling wines. According to his initial business plan, Davis would need between five to ten clients within the first three years for his business to remain feasible. The interest from winemakers far exceeded his expectations as he secured twice as many wineries within this period. To date, he has worked with over 40 wineries. While a few winemakers have gone on to form their own in-house sparkling wine program, most of them utilize the Radiant Wine Company to produce their traditional method sparkling wines.

  When Davis partners with a given winery, he begins with discussions regarding what kind of style of sparkling wine they want to create. Some questions that arise include: Do they want to be barrel or tank fermented? Do they want to be picking on the earlier side or the later side of the sparkling spectrum? Do they want to run all their wines through malolactic fermentation, or do they want to keep that raciness of having that malolactic acid intact?

  After these questions have been answered, the winery makes the base wine they want to use for their sparkling wine. Davis then takes this base wine and works with them to develop a unique yeast culture for use in their secondary fermentation. Next, the wine gets bottled and fermented in the bottle at the client’s winery. The winery then determines how long they want to sit on this wine and let it age on lees. Once the wine has aged to the winery’s specifications, Davis goes through the process of riddling, disgorging, labeling, and other aspects of preparing the sparkling wine for this winery.

  Here Davis strives to work behind the scenes with wineries so they can express themselves. As he notes, “If they start to go off the rails and do something ill-advised, I will tell them that. But I want everybody to be making their own style and creating their own wines and not just issue a Radiant thumb-stamped wine with a new label on it.”

  Among his more interesting partnerships is a sparkling 2021 Lust Vintage Blanc de Blanc he did recently for Lucid Wild. This venture marked the first time he collaborated with his wife Isabelle Meunier on creating a sparkling wine. Also, Davis is the current winemaker at Carlton-based Lyle-Barnett, one of a handful of méthode champenoise-only wineries in Oregon.

  In April 2025, Vinovate Custom Wine Services acquired The Radiant Wine Company. A press release announcing this development describes this transaction as “bringing together two pioneering forces to create the most robust set of resources available to Oregon producers pursuing traditional method sparkling wine.” When Davis started The Radiant Sparkling Wine Company, his business model was to collaborate with existing producers to help them make a sparkling product. What Vinovate brings to the table is the ability as a custom crush facility to take harvested grapes and produce the still wine that will then be turned into sparkling wine. This service will enable those aspiring vintners who do not have their own winery to bring a sparkling wine to market. As part of the acquisition, Davis will stay on as a full-time consultant for at least one year to support the transition and future growth.

Other Willamette Valley Sparkling Producers to Watch

  Arabilis Wines (Amity)

As PhD scientists turned winemakers, Kenny and Allison McMahon bring a thoughtful, hands-on approach to crafting small-batch still and sparkling wines made using sustainable means. They chose the Eola Amity Hills and Van Duzer Corridor AVAs due to the freshness and intensity of the base wines coming out of this region. They have the distinction of being the only winemaker in the Willamette Valley to make traditional method sparkling wines by doing tirage (aging on the lees after second fermentation) under cork where they disgorge by hand. All their styles are based on four pillars: precision, complexity, freshness, and high quality. Together these pillars add up to what they call “amplitude,” which they define as the “totality of the experience.”  Also, through their other company called The Oregon Sparkling Wine Co., they service other winemakers who want to make a traditional method of sparkling wine.

  Corollary Wines  (Amity)

Since its opening in 2017, sparkling-only producer remains completely dedicated to exploring the terroir of Oregon’s Willamette Valley and its expression in traditional method sparkling wine. In 2022 owners Jeanne Feldkamp and Dan Diephouse acquired 57 acres of land in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA, where they planted estate Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Pinot Blanc grapes. Their distinctive, design-forward tasting room, which opened on May 2024, was created as a spot to show people the life cycle of their sparkling wines beginning with the soil that produces the fruit leading into an immersive experience exploring how they designed their entire property around permaculture principles.

Domaine Willamette (Dayton) 

Jim and Jan Bernau founded Domaine Willamette to produce world-class, méthode traditionnelle sparkling wines. Bernau Estate Vineyard — home to Domaine Willamette — features 20 acres of biodynamically farmed, Demeter certified Biodynamic Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay grapes. Visitors are welcomed with Oregon-inspired hospitality, including elevated wine and food pairings, immersive educational tours, stunning views, and beautiful landscaped gardens overlooking the valley.

Durant Vineyards (Dayton)

Under the direction of winemaker Spencer Spetnagel, Durant launched its sparkling wine program with the 2018 Brut and 2018 Blanc de Blancs. Guests can enjoy these wines at Durant’s outdoor tasting pavilion, which is thoughtfully designed to welcome visitors even during the Willamette Valley’s cooler winter months.

Soter Vineyards (Carlton)

In 1997 Tony and Michelle Soter founded this Demeter-certified Biodynamic vineyard with the mission to produce wines that embody a keen sense of place and purpose. Their sparkling offerings include their Planet Oregon Sparkling Rosé (aka Pop Fizz), One percent of total sales goes to 1% for the Planet with more $130,000 in sales donated to date.

Stoller Family Estate (Dayton)  This proud family-owned Certified B Corporation began its sparkling journey in 2013 with their Brut Rosé made with select Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from blocks planted in the late 1990s, complemented by Pinot Meunier planted in 2015. Also in 2015, they crafted their first Blanc de Blancs made from the late founder Bill Stoller’s original plantings of Chardonnay in celebration of the 20th anniversary of planting the vineyard. These two wines remain their flagship sparkling cuvées, crafted in limited quantities each year along with a multi-vintage program they began in 2019.

Method Oregon Elevates Oregon’s Traditional Sparkling Wine

Currently, more than one hundred Oregon wineries have a traditional method sparkling wine in their portfolio with most of these wineries based in the Willamette Valley. As a means of educating the consumer about traditional method sparkling wines and how they differentiate from other bubbles on the market, twenty-two Willamette Valley producers came together on July 26, 2025, for the Method Oregon Grand Tasting. Each bottle featured underwent at least 15 months of tirage to ensure quality and complexity in the glass and was then paired with local foods and educational programming. This event is slated to take place again on July 25, 2026.

By Becky Garrison

                As reported earlier in The Grapevine Magazine, 2024 marked the 40th anniversary of the Walla Walla AVA, a wine appellation in Eastern Washington State that includes one nested AVA, the Rocks District of Milton Freewater AVA.

                In 1997, Christophe Baron of Cayuse Vineyards planted the first modern day vineyard on the Oregon side of the Walla Walla Valley in a region that was referred to as The Rocks, and later become known as The Rocks District. As per Cayuse Vineyard’s website, “The terroir reminded him of the cobblestones of the southern Rhone valley and Châteauneuf-du-Pape in his native France.” 

                When Steve Robertson, owner of Delmas/SJR Vineyards and the founder of the Rocks District Winegrowers, first visited this region in 2004 there were only 25 to 30 acres of wine grapes and only a handful of wine producers. “There was not much local support for growing wine grapes in that abundantly rocky soil, and I was not encouraged to purchase land there for that purpose,” he recalls. 

                But like Baron, Robertson recognized he could produce world-class wines from these basalt cobbles and gravels, the deposition of which reach many feet below the surface. This depth makes for extremely well-drained soils that encourage deep-root penetration in pursuit of water and nutrition. 

                Typically, wines from this soil series possess an umami character, savory complexities, and a singular minerality. “These wines have very round flavor notes and no hard edges if picked and vinified with respect for those conditions. They’re not necessarily fruit forward, and there exists a saline quality that’s undeniable,” Robertson exclaims.

                Robertson and Baron’s vision for The Rocks District attracted others like David Wanek. “With some unique places like the Rocks, you’re transported to these places instantly when you smell and taste the wine produced from this region. The Rocks terroir is new and different and doesn’t exist anywhere else in the world,” Wanek observes. 

                On a practical level, despite the region’s dry climate, most vineyards have adequate water, as there’s not as much pressure for water due to drought and fire as is the case with some other wine regions in the Pacific Northwest. Also, the price for vineyard land at this time made it easier for Wanek to establish himself as a vintner here as opposed to more established Pacific Northwest regions like Oregon’s Willamette Valley.  

                Wanek began buying and developing vineyards under his company Walla Walla Land Company with the goal to become a premium grower that will attract those vintners who want Rocks District fruit but don’t want to build out their own vineyard. With Robertson guiding him towards those people he would need to build and maintain his vineyards, Wanek expanded to 220 acres of land spread amongst three vineyards. Even though all his vineyards are within two miles of each other, the same clone of a particular varietal will taste very differently at each vineyard. 

                In 2021 Wanek partnered with Jeff Bond to make their own estate wine brand using only grapes farmed from their own vineyards. They named their winery Cimento, which is an Italian word for experiment derived from the 17th century Academia del Cimento, which was the first scientific society created by Galileo’s followers who developed the scientific method. “This word kind of fits what we’re doing. We’re trying to grow plants in 300 feet deep of rocks, and we’re experimenting with different training methods, clones, and rootstocks. So, I thought Cimento was kind of an apt name for what we were trying to accomplish.”

The Establishment of the Rocks District of Milton Freewater AVA

                Robertson and his wife Mary founded SJR Vineyards in 2007 and established Delmas three years later with the 2010 vintage, where his daughter Brooke Robertson currently serves as the Director of Winegrowing and Winemaker. Also, he joined forces with Dr. Kevin Pogue, a professor of geology at Whitman College in Walla Walla to gain formal recognition for this region by establishing the Rocks District of Milton Freewater AVA. This AVA is only 5.9 square miles (3,767 acres) and has the distinction of being the only AVA in the U.S. whose boundaries (96 percent) have been fixed by a single soil series (Freewater Series) and a single landform (alluvial fan). 

                In establishing this AVA, Robertson sought to create an appellation that would be respected for its global distinctiveness and appreciated by fine-wine consumers alongside other world-class wine destinations like Hermitage and Côte-Rôtie in France. In addition to Robertson, six other producers helped fund this project, with the TTB approving the Rocks District of Milton Freewater AVA on February 9, 2015. Following this approval, Robertson formed the Rocks District Winegrowers. (Side note: Pogue has since worked on approving nine additional AVAs in the Pacific Northwest.) 

The Growth of the Rocks District   

                Since 2015, the Milton Freewater AVA has grown from 250 to 707 planted acres. While this AVA has more planted acres than either Hermitage or Côte-Rôtie, Ben Kaehler, General Manager of The Walls Vineyards, observes, “Working in The Rocks District still feels like exploring uncharted waters.” Kaehler notes how the grape varieties of the Rhône have become established, particularly Syrah and Grenache, while the Rhône whites are beginning to attract a lot of attention.” In Robertson’s estimation, the appellation is in a particular sweet spot with much more promise ahead. “The Rhône varieties, especially Syrah, reach physical maturity easily in these cobbled soils and dry conditions. In comparison, the Bordeaux varieties are more challenging because they want to be harvested later than our seasonal weather conditions (heat units) can typically deliver on a consistent basis.”

                In addition, Cabernet and Bordeaux varieties have a totally different feel when grown in the Rocks District Kaehler opines, “You get soft, fine, tannins comparable to the same varieties grown just outside this AVA, which are more typical of the larger Columbia Valley AVA. Both are of excellent quality, but that’s the opportunity.”  Also, while the Tempranillo presents challenges in the cellar, he finds it is an exciting varietal to explore.

                Currently their PÁŠXA brand features five wines all sourced from the Rocks District with four Walls wines using fruit from the Rocks District, including a Single Vineyard Series Rockgarden Cabernet Sauvignon. Their grapes are sourced from two estate vineyards: Rockgarden Vineyard (8 acres) planted in 2007 November and Petros Vineyard (12 acres) planted in 2020, along with fruit from River Rock and Stoney Vine Vineyards. 

                Many of these wineries in The Rocks District like Los Rocosos Vineyards operate like truly a boutique winery with the owners often serving in their tasting room. Headed by Roger Lesmstrom, Los Rocosos Vineyards began in 2016 with a focus on growing for other wineries before producing their own wines. On their eight-acre vineyard that’s drip irrigated and hand harvested they grow Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Grenache Blanc, Sangiovese, and a little bit of Viognier that Lemstrom uses for blending. Currently, they produce between 400 to 600 cases of wine per year for sale in the tasting room, as well as selling grapes to nine different winemakers. In addition, Lesmstrom buys fruit from growers he trusts. 

                A number of Walla Walla based wineries such as Echolands Winery feature these wines in their portfolio. Winemaker and General Manager Brian Rudin are drawn to these grapes due to their distinctive aromatic profile. “Wines from The Rocks District just smell different than anything else on this planet with such a cool flavor range. Also, it’s one of the most fun terroir experiments that there is out there to try and harness the right amount of mineral and savory tones to achieve the perfect balance.” 

                Further, a small but growing number of winemakers in the Willamette Valley have begun to explore making wine using Rocks District fruit with Brian and April Zawada, owners of Violet Vines (Carlton, OR) having the distinction of being the first Willamette Valley winery to own a vineyard within this AVA. In 2019, they purchased five acres in The Rocks District with a focus on growing Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvèdre varieties to produce both single varietal bottlings along with a GSM blend. “I’ve been taking what I’ve learned over the years in terms of making high quality Pinot noir in the Willamette Valley and applying some of those same practices to these wines,” Brian states. 

                The success of these wines led them to offer both a Willamette Valley and a Rocks District tasting flight in their Carlton tasting room, which they find gives them an opportunity to educate the consumer about the differences between these two wine regions. As a result of the enthusiastic reception to these wines, the Zawadas hope to host events with other Willamette Valley winemakers who are also experimenting with fruit from The Rocks District.

Challenges Growing Grapes in The Rocks

                Lemstrom describes operating a vineyard in The Rocks District as akin to “growing grapes on chunks of styrofoam in the heat,” adding that attention to nutrients, available moisture, temperature variations, and wind, are critical for vine growth. In his experience, the greatest threat is weather-related damage. “Imagine having 20% of your crop damaged by hail the size of golf balls or a solid week of 118-degree temperatures turning the top clusters into raisins.” 

                As Wanek declares, “It’s hard enough to walk on those stones, let alone, you know, farm them. You must hand harvest and hand farm basically everything in The Rocks District.” In a similar vein, not using herbicide translates into manual weed control.

                Also, chilly air can be a challenge. The Rocks District receives air drainage from both the Blue Mountains and the VanSycle Ridge where cold air can move like a river from those higher elevations to the flat valley floor below. To address these concerns, Kaehler notes how most vineyards utilize wind machines for frost protection in the fall and spring. Additionally, during the extreme cold, many winegrowers will select, lay down and bury canes with soil, or will bury the entire trunk, head and up to three buds on head-trained (MHT) vines (a specialized training form found exclusively within The Rocks District developed by Brooke for vine protection, health and longevity) in the fall, in the event of an extreme hard freeze.

                Finally, Robertson believes another key challenge that remains is finding needed talent and expertise on both farming and viticulture fronts as more plantings arrive in the AVA. “It’s difficult to be world-class if you don’t have world-class experienced people to meet the promise of this very distinctive AVA,” he stresses.

Basalt Bash Celebrates the Rocks’ 10th Anniversary 

                On July 25-26, 2025, The Basalt Bash & Barrel Auction celebrated the 10th anniversary of the founding of The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater AVA. This new event was created and hosted by the Rocks District Winegrowers and connected the winegrowers with the local community: with proceeds going to the Milton Freewater School District in support of mental health services, which local officials identified as the greatest community need. The weekend kicked off at Watermill’s winery with a Rocks District Winegrowers wine and tamale tasting, followed by a downtown Milton-Freewater Fiesta. A golf event as well as a silent barrel tasting and auction at Davis Orchards closed out the first annual Basalt Bash festivities. Event organizers were able to write a $75,000 check to the school district from proceeds. This will be an annual event with the next Basalt Bash slated for July 24-25, 2026.

                When reflecting on the future of this burgeoning wine region, Ben Kaehler, General Manager of The Walls Vineyards contemplates, “People may think they know what Rocks District wines are stylistically, but the story is still being written.” With only eighteen percent of this AVA’s land currently being utilized for wine-grape production, there exists tremendous potential for growth. Currently, a hundred additional acres are in development, and the Rocks District Winegrower membership continues to rise each year there for that purpose,” he recalls.