Nose
Rich, tropical fruit aromas are reflected on the palate—pineapple, citrus and cherry. Toasted hazelnuts and freshly-baked sourdough grace the senses, emphasizing the importance of time spent yeast-aging in our caves.
Palate
The mid-palate, luxurious with vanilla cream, is complemented by a rich, zesty, seamless finish that lasts as long as the memories of this unforgettable wine.
Growing Conditions
The diverse 1998 vintage gave Schramsberg dense, concentrated fruit. The cool and late growing season, finished by an Indian Summer, allowed the grapes to hang on the vine longer than usual. The lowered yields promoted focused, complex characters in each vineyard.
Source: 50% Napa County, 21% Mendocino County, 18% Monterey County, 11% Marin County
Winemaking
The 80 vineyard blocks in Carneros in southern Napa and along the Pacific Coast that went into the J. Schram were carefully nurtured throughout the growing season. Cluster samples were pulled several times before the optimal pick date was selected. Complexity was gained in the wine through fermentation in both oak barrels and stainless steel tanks. Some of the small lots underwent malolactic fermentation to enrich aromas and infuse creaminess on the palate. 29% barrel and malolactic fermentation lended weight and viscosity to this opulent wine.
Aging
The wine was then aged in Schramsberg’s historic Diamond Mountain caves for over five years.
