Nose
The nose opens up with creamy pear and toasty brioche.
Palate
The mouth continues and adds green apple, Meyer lemon zest and some stone fruit characters. The finish is long and crisp with a touch of fresh ginger.
Growing Conditions
The 2014 growing season got off to an early start with budbreak about two weeks earlier than average. A late winter weather system brought in enough rain to supply the vines through bloom, and mild warm spring weather gave us good fruit set. Mild weather through the growing season without rain events or heat spikes was optimal for the development of the fruit. The early spring brought on an early harvest with average size yields of excellent fruit. This is looking to be an outstanding vintage.
Winemaking
Grapes are handpicked and transported to the winery in small bins where they are gently whole-cluster pressed to retain the delicate vibrancy and freshness. This wine is fermented in stainless steel tanks at 55-60°F. The winemaking team assembles the final blend from 9 base wines, hand selected from our best press fraction, cuvée. Our vintage Blanc de Blancs is made entirely of 100% hand harvested Chardonnay and spends at least 18 months sur lie (on the yeast) before disgorging. This gives it a richly complex yet dry and elegant flavor profile that will only continue to improve with extended aging.
Food Pairing
Grilled ginger lemon chicken with stone fruit and heirloom tomato gazpacho pair perfectly. For your sweet side try a brioche and caramelized pear bread pudding with crème fraiche. Mt. Tam, aged cheddar and cambozola with wildflower honey complete your cheese course.
