Lares, 'Wicked Liquid' 2020 (750 ml)

64% Pinot Noir, 27% Pinot Gris, 6% Riesling, 2% Aligote
Most of the handpicked fruit for this blended sparkling pink wine came from the tiny Gillirose vineyard in Elkton, Oregon. The Aligote came from Abbey Road Farm in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA of the Willamette Valley. All of it was farmed organically. For the most part, this wine is assembled from various parts of Lares production to make a sparkling pink wine drop just in time for warmer weather.

Statera Cellars is owned and operated by two friends, Meredith Bell and Luke Wylde. Their mission is to make delicious, honest Chardonnay from the most distinct vineyards in their region. They are the first winery in the Willamette Valley to exclusively make Chardonnay—they love the grape and want to showcase its potential and diversity in the Pacific Northwest. Their wines are made using natural and traditional winemaking practices, resulting in wines that are compelling and markedly alive. All of their fruit is sourced from vineyards with whom they have long-term contracts with, sometimes empowering these growers to transition to organics, while ensuring that all of the workers associated with their project are paid a living wage.

Lares is a form of creative exploration for Luke Wylde. This small label gives them the space to lean on what they’ve learned over the years and to create new things because of that experience. Ultimately, they want to make wine in their own way, in a style that’s not dictated by representations of anything but their own curiosity. Working with grapes that are either new to them as a winemaker or using them in ways unfamiliar to my winemaking acumen.