2022 Schramsberg - Brut Blanc de Blancs North Coast (750ml)

Jack and Jamie Davies founded Schramsberg in 1965 on a long-abandoned property above St. Helena originally established a century earlier by German immigrant Jacob Schram. Determined to prove that world-class sparkling wine could be made in California, they released the 1965 Blanc de Blancs as America's first commercially produced Chardonnay-based sparkling wine. The wine later gained international recognition in 1972 when President Nixon served it at a historic diplomatic toast in Beijing. Today the Davies' son, Hugh, leads the winery, continuing a tradition built on handpicked fruit and traditional method winemaking.

This Blanc de Blancs is crafted entirely from Chardonnay sourced across the North Coast, drawing mostly from Sonoma and Napa with smaller lots from Mendocino and Marin. The 2022 growing season brought drought and warm temperatures, pushing harvest earlier and concentrating flavor in a smaller crop. About a fifth of the base wine is barrel fermented before the wine undergoes secondary fermentation in bottle, then ages on its lees for roughly two years prior to disgorgement, building complexity beneath its bright fruit.

The nose offers lifted aromas of green apple, apple tart, and custard mingling with tangerine and lemon-lime. On the palate, vibrant grapefruit, golden apple, and white peach carry through to a clean, refined finish touched by vanilla and a hint of ginger spice. This sparkler makes a fine match for fried chicken, a raw oyster bar, or a simple almond tart.