Palate
On the
palate, it is an explosion of white and red berry flavors,
with creamy layers of fresh fig, white cherry, and vanilla
beans, underlined by a refreshing acidity. Biscuit, toast and
nutty flavors dominate the long lasting finish.
Growing Conditions
This tête de cuvée honors the visionary work of Guy
Devaux. The winemaking team is given “carte blanche”
every year in crafting this special release, using a variety of
techniques to harness the strength, power and balance of
carefully selected wine lots. The result is a powerful,
elegant cuvée that represents one of Napa Valley’s finest
sparkling wines.
Winemaking
The perfectly ripened fruit was hand picked
during the cool hours of the night and early morning, and
delivered as whole clusters to the winery. The berries were
slowly de-juiced at low pressure with four press fractions
kept separate. Low temperature primary fermentation –
mostly in stainless steel tanks – enhanced fruit tones and
preserved freshness. Individual lots were kept separate
during initial fermentation to fully express the vineyards’
individual strengths and subtleties. Twenty-five percent of
the wine volume was barrel fermented and aged to add
depth and spiciness.
Aging
The blend was aged on the yeast five
and a half years in the bottle after secondary bottle
fermentation, adding creaminess, soft notes and flavors of
biscuit, bread dough, honeysuckle and mocha. The wine
was disgorged as a brut style and aged another six months
on the cork before release
Appearance
In appearance, the wine has a brilliant golden
yellow color, with a mesmerizing stream of tiny bubbles
rising to a persistent crown of white mousse.
Food Pairing
Perfect on its own as an evening starter, it is
also a perfect match to a wide selection of foods, from wild
mushroom risotto to roasted duck or densely flavored
game dishes.
