Adega Vinho Sparkling Release Party

Spending an evening celebrating a special bubbly release sure does sound like a fun way to top off a summer Saturday night. That is just what Adega Vinho did on July 29th as they threw a special ticketed event to mark the release of their first sparkling wine, their Sparkling Riesling. This release was so limited that only those attending the event had the option to purchase a bottle. With just 24 cases produced, this was a very small lot.

Every partygoer received a ticket for the option to purchase one bottle of the lovely bubbly and one ticket for a glass of this sparkler to sample and decide if they wished to purchase. Don’t think that a few of us didn’t joke about how much we might be able to auction off our tickets to the highest bidder if they wished to purchase more bottles, but once we had our first sips, that jesting fell by the wayside. Instead, we started wondering if anyone really didn’t wish to purchase a bottle. Those sitting near me all acknowledged that we were definitely buying our bottles.

How was the party? Well, the parties and celebrations at Adega Vinho are always fun. First, they like a good theme and have been known to have some outstanding theme parties. This party had a Beastie Boys throwback theme. Why the Beastie Boys? Because Beastie rhymes with yeasty. Posters were adorning the front door of the tasting room and hung about inside touting the owners as “The Yeastie Boys.” A little grape, a little yeast, you get the picture.

If you are a regular at Adega Vinho you also understand how the music can be an integral part of their experience as they have a record player and like spinning the vinyl as part of the lively entertainment for your tasting experience. This evening was no exception as the Beastie Boys were playing lightly in the background. Small vials of bubbles were party favors for attendees to enjoy using both inside and outside. Some obliged right away and were thoroughly embracing the joy of blowing bubbles indoors.

During the party, co-owners and brothers Andy and Mike Bilger both shared the story of this wine and how they received a fortuitous call during the pandemic from a vineyard owner offering them these grapes. Without hesitation the answer was someone will be there tomorrow. How lucky we are that they made the decision to produce their first sparkling wine with this very small lot of beautiful fruit allowing a new phase of wine production to begin. They are already creating future sparklers and have things in various stages of production. There will be different varietals and styles in the future, and based on this inaugural bottle, this should be a wonderful addition to their current selection of wines.

Along with your glass of sparkling Riesling, there was ample opportunity to nosh on both hard and soft cheese as well as a lovely spreadable cheese accompanied by red grapes, rustic crusty farm bread, garlic butter pita bread, and a delightful whole fruit cranberry fruit spread. How was the Sparkling Riesling? The nose was lush with honey and honeysuckle notes. The bubbles were super fine and tiny. The color is a delightful clear light golden hue. The tasting notes included apple and a hint of pear with a bit of honey and light yeast. Ultimately, this was a fabulous treat to sample while enjoying the company of fellow attendees and a beautiful summer evening.

This lovely bottle was a true hit and everyone agreed it was the star of the show and really made our journeys from near and far well worthwhile. Some purchased their bottles and enjoyed right then and there with friends and family and others like us, tucked them into a cooler and carried them home to our cellars to enjoy at a later date. When we departed, we loved seeing a bubble blower set up by the door showering us in more tiny bubbles. What a delightful sendoff reminding all of how fun bubbles can be in many forms. As I said, they love a good theme party!