Our new must-stop for beautiful bubbles in Washington is Elentone in Woodinville. Elentone specializes in limited-production, premium sparkling wines using the traditional or Champagne method. We visited for the first time in August, and chatted with co-founder Miguele (Miggy) de Quadros-Sherry and her co-founder husband/winemaker Chris Sherry. Chris poured five beautiful bubbles from their lineup, all of which danced on the palate. Read on for details.

Beautiful Bubbles: The Elentone Story

Elentone co-founder Miguele (Miggy) de Quadros-Sherry and her co-founder husband/winemaker Chris Sherry have a goal to make the best sparkling wine in Washington state. And as far as we can tell, Chris is indeed becoming known as one of the state’s best winemakers of beautiful bubbles.

Chris and Miggy called the winery Elentone, which is the Old English name for Chris’ hometown in the UK, Maidenhead. He studied and honed his craft in in England’s sparkling wine country, in addition to Bordeaux vineyards, where he and Miggy both worked.

Then they moved to Washington state, where Miggy grew up. First, Chris worked as an assistant winemaker for Two Vintners’ Morgan Lee. Next, Chris wanted to produce Syrah in their own winery. But, at that time, Miggy noticed that nobody in Woodinville was focused on traditional methods of sparkling wine, which was their passion. And Elentone was born.

During our visit, Miggy emphasized that Elentone combines the tradition of European sparkling wines and the creative spirit of Washington wines, establishing Washington’s own sparkling wine identity.”What we do is niche, so specific, a quality we try to focus on that makes those sparkling wines we love in England and Champagne special. We pay homage to what we see in Europe but unique to here.”

Beautiful Bubbles

For their initial Elentone vintages (2013-14), Chris did a custom crush at other facilities because the proper infrastructure for sparkling wine was not yet in place. By 2018, they produced their first “proper vintage” at Pomum Cellars, where they continue to do so today. Next year, they plan to move into a place of their own. Their current production is 1,000 cases and growing. Chris also makes bubbles for other wineries, including Kobayashi, known for dazzling wines.

In short, Chris crafts outstanding bubbles with complex minerality that make us smile. He poured five beautiful, exciting sparklers for us: Elentone Brut 2021, Noa Blanc de Blancs 2021, Juno Sparkling Rosé 2022 , Shadowplay Sparkling Rosé of Pinot Noir 2020, and Cloudbusting 2019.

Elentone Brut 2021 ($52) and Cloudbusting 2019 ($72)

Brut 2021 comprises 83% Chardonnay and 17% Pinot Noir from Clos CheValle Vineyard in Lake Chelan. Both grapes underwent primary fermentation and aging in neutral French oak, and on lees for 36 months. Delicious!

Meanwhile, Cloudbusting 2019 is a showstopper, with a different label because it aged longer than the others (five years). Chris blended 83% Chardonnay and 17% Pinot Noir, and told us “It’s essentially the Brut that is aged two more years.” More aging elevates the wine, rounding out the flavors, and creating more delicate, texturally beautiful bubbles. Chris wants to move to aging all his wines for five years.

Miggy said she loves to pair Brut with potato chips or Mac and Cheese. However, for Cloudbusting, she suggests serving it with aged cheddar. “It’s a robust meal in itself. Slow down and savor it.”

Noa Blanc de Blancs 2021 ($61)

Noa Blanc de Blancs sells out most quickly of all Elentone wines, and we understand why. This bottle of beautiful bubbles is citrusy with mouth-watering acidity. It is so bright, fresh, and captivating that we brought some home. Chris blended 84% Chardonnay and 16% Pinot Blanc from Rainmaker Vineyard in the Columbia Gorge AVA. He gave it 4 g/L dosage. Chris and Miggy named this enticing sparkler after their dog, Noa. Sadly, Noa passed away the week before our visit, but this popular wine continues to commemorate her.

Juno Sparkling Rosé 2022 ($46) and Shadowplay Sparkling Rosé of Pinot Noir 2020 ($59)

Juno Sparkling Rosé 2022 comprises of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Pinot Meunier from Clos CheValle Vineyard in Lake Chelan. Miggy noted, “The tiny Meunier berries add a significant amount of tannin, but also create a nice complexity.” Beautiful!

We first tasted Shadowplay Sparkling Rosé 2020 at Taste Washington earlier this year, where we initially met Miggy and knew immediately that we’d soon plan a visit to their tasting room. It took us a few months, but we’re so glad we did. Shadowplay — 100% Pinot Noir with zero dosage — tasted even better in the warmth of summer. We loved it.

Summary: Beautiful Bubbles

In conclusion, Elentone is an impressive addition to Washington’s wine industry. And this sparkling wine house is growing with every vintage. Keep your eye out for these standout beautiful bubbles.

Meanwhile, find us here at Write for Wine and on Instagram, Threads, and Facebook.

Cheers!
Margot and Dave