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Blanc de Noirs (white from black) is the counterpart to Blanc de Blancs (white from white). Made primarily from the red grape Pinot Noir, this is a complex, medium-bodied, brut sparkling wine. Schramsberg pioneered the Blanc de Noirs style in the United States, producing the first such commercial American sparkler in 1967. The key to producing this Blanc de Noirs is our sourcing of pinot noir grapes from a vast and varied selection of cool-climate vineyards. Pinot Noir from Carneros and Anderson Valley combine with fruit from low-yielding Sonoma and Marin coastal vineyards to develop a sparkling wine with a breadth of fruitful aroma and flavor. Select Chardonnay lots give zest and backbone to the blend.

Making a white wine from a red grape requires great carehand-picked fruit, early morning harvest, optimal fruit maturity and delicate pressing. A balance of bright flavors, crisp acidity and minimal tannins is achieved. Barrel and malolactic fermentation of wine lots add richness and body. Yeast contact in the bottle harmonizes all the elements together in a mature, toasty style. The youthful fruit character of the wine will develop and soften with additional age in the bottle. With proper storage, this sparkling wine will be delicious for many years, even decades to come.

Schramsberg Blanc de Noirs is particularly well-suited to serve with a variety of foods, including soft and nutty cheeses, macadamia nut-crusted halibut, and pork tenderloin with fresh rosemary and lemon thyme.

The 2016 vintage was a near-perfect growing season with ideal weather conditions throughout. Thanks to a relatively steady and mild July and August, and then a series of warm days at the end of the growing season, vineyards were able to progress to perfect ripeness for the light yields that were present.


TASTING NOTES
The 2017 Blanc de Noirs has generous aromas of Honeycrisp apple, apricot, white peach and candied ginger. Its vibrant and fresh nose is complemented by notes of orange zest, honey, and sugar cookie. On the palate, there are juicy flavors of Asian pear, pineapple, white grapefruit, and honeysuckle, with soft touches of meringue cookie, cinnamon, and toasted almond. The quenching long finish is fresh, with a bright clean acidity.
- Winemakers Sean Thompson and Hugh Davies

New Release: 2017 Blanc de Noirs (1 x 750 ml)
Varietal Composition83% Pinot Noir, 17% Chardonnay

County Composition53% Sonoma, 20% Mendocino, 18% Napa, 9% Marin

AppellationNorth Coast

Harvest DatesAugust 8 - September 9, 2017

Barrel Fermentation30%

Alcohol12.6%
TA0.82g/100mLpH3.16RS0.90 g/100mL

Disgorging DatesOctober 2019 - July 2020
Release DateJanuary 1, 2021

Cases Produced7,990 (9-Liter)

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