Öömrang Estate Sparkling Wine Demi-Sec Puget Sound 2022

Öömrang has 22 acres of grapes, with a focus on Franconian‑style German whites and sparkling wines that are incredibly rare in the United States. Edmund and Christine Stoecklein moved from New York to Washington State in 2016, and Christine thought Thanksgiving at the new house would be more fun if the family tried making wine in the basement. They bought some grapes, had a great time, liked the results, and wanted to keep going. Edmund felt a little worried about how much wine you could legally make at home, which led to a discussion with an attorney… and the creation of Öömrang. By June, they had planted their first vines.

Edmund was born in Germany, as were Christine’s parents, and the winery gets its name from the Frisian word for the island of Amrum. Christine went back to Germany to learn traditional skills, and in a short time, the project had racked up numerous awards and high ratings for both their wines and eau de vie brandies. She heads up winemaking and distilling with a simple goal: “Make things that taste good.” The fruit here was grown on the estate using organic methods, against a postcard backdrop of Puget Sound, the Olympic Mountains, and the Cascades. Rainfall is low, winters are mild, and summers are ideal. But the full scene at Öömrang? Lovingly whimsical. There is a skeet shooting range, a greenhouse for growing wasabi, and a pointy wooden chapel with a floor-length mosaic of a saint. Bells that ring on the same schedule as the diocese of Munich, farm equipment made in Germany, and a glorious copper still. Edmund’s family owns a 150-year-old winery in northern Bavaria, so maybe it was all inevitable.

The 2022 Sparkling Demi-Sec is aromatic and fresh, with enchanting aromas of Gravenstein apple, caramel, and the tiniest hint of Herbal Essences shampoo, both sweetly floral and subtly herbaceous. It serves up luscious flavors of Fig Newtons, vanilla bean, and candied apples, along with a backbone of pine forest, hovering between off-dry and sweet, with a decisive finish that’s honeyed and mineral-focused, making it great with food, dessert – or even as dessert! The Stoeckleins’ ebullience shines in every detail – and at just $22, this wine’s an easy one to bring home.