Palate
This finely balanced, semi-sweet sparkling wine is surprisingly fruit-forward, subtle and clean. This sparkler opens with fresh peach and citrus undertones. It is a lush wine with notes of kiwi and papaya balanced with a crispness and creamy finish that is subtle yet clean.
Growing Conditions
The growing season of 2015 brought some challenges to our harvest. The spring brought us very early bud break but fortunately no frost. However during bloom the weather turned cold and rainy which resulted in the vines setting a very small crop. Weather through the summer was optimal without any excessive heat spikes or rain events. Between the small crop, the early budbreak and bloom the warm summer the fruit ripened to a near record early harvest.
Harvest
We started picking at the end of July, and while a couple of heat spikes during harvest kept us on our toes, mostly moderate weather allowed us to bring in the fruit at a reasonable rate. With the small crop and good weather the vines produced grapes with excellent concentration and intense character.
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 to retain vibrancy and freshness. The winemaking team assembles the final blend from 10 base wines. The wine is then bottled and aged sur-lie in our caves for 22 months before disgorging.
Food Pairing
Dan-Dan Noodles with spicy chili oil or Thai red prawn curry salad with papaya are a match for this elegant off dry cuvee. The bright acidity compliments caramelized peach upside down cake with whipped cream and orange zest. Also pairs well with a wide selection of soft cheeses akin to Camembert or La Tur.
