Dark gold in color. Nose of brioche and lemon custard. Flavors of lemon and bread with a tart finish. A lot more complexity with the aging as the tart green apple flavors have evolved.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very solid. We like our bubbly with a little aged after disgorgement to give more concentrated taste. Acidity is present, but most would find it concentrated & bready vs refreshing, finish has slight bitterness to it, which we like. There's still life ahead depending on your palate.
Bought @ clearance 6 yrs ago locally for $35 tax in, vs current pricing of $70+ tax in. At at price, there's lots of choices including real champagne.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Color is straw golden pale with an energetic mousse. Light in color. Nose has a distinctive washed cheese rind to it. A touch of blue cheese specifically. Bottle is not tainted or flawed. Body is light plus. Acid is strong and the wine is slightly unbalanced in its favor. The wines effervescence is strong but not overbearing. On the pallet, notes of pear, green apple, and tropical fruits ring through. The finish is medium in length. Definitely tastes like a Californian sparkling wine. Good wine but not memorable.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Bright medium gold in color with a very plentiful and energetic mousse. On the nose it's rich and ripe, with apple and apricot fruit aromas as well as some sweet spice and just a hint of yeasty autolytic character. And as it warms in the glass, the fruit becomes a bit more exotic, perhaps like guava and mango. On the palate, it has a nice creamy texture, and the fruit takes on a fresher, more acidic bent, moving toward green apple, lemon, and lime on the attack before mellowing to the more tropical fruit leading up to the finish. The dosage is very well judged, going completely unnoticed as the wine doesn't taste sweet or overly tart, just as it should be. On the finish, it has a nice chalky mineral dimension, and leaves the palate clean and wanting another sip.
This isn't the most complex or subtle bubbly, but it's extremely well put together and was clearly made with high quality fruit. It's also aging very well, in great condition and still acting quite young. This can go a long way, and perhaps might develop into something more layered in the future. Even if not, it's still very good wine and very good value when it comes to traditional method sparkling. Also, definitely don't drink this one ice cold. It really opens up and has a lot more to give once it gets 10 degrees or so above fridge temp.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
looks like a 6 y/o sparkling wine cork, on the nose earth,bread dough, hints of green fruit and honeysuckle, layered and textured on the palate yet still , excellent freshness , dusty and chalky mineral to the finish
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Lively bubbles, pale straw color. Nose is on the lemony side with little yeastiness or floral notes. Clean and crisp on the palate with a somewhat short finish. Very pleasant for this price point.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Pale straw colour, creamy with light flavors of green apple and honey and a nice toastiness throughout. This comes across as crisp with the lively acidity, but lacking in minerality.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
California Wine Fair - Toronto, ON (Fairmont Royal York): Relatively light nose of green apple skin, honeydew melon, ginger and stone. Palate is fairly rich and round with honey and slightly elevated dosage; 10+ g/l (checked later and it is 12g/l). Medium length finish. Good traditional sparkler on the young side. This lands for $50/bottle in Ontario so your money may be better spent on Champagne.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Excellent American sparkling wine - consistent in its high quality and effervescent jubilation; some of us sipped it on its own and were very happy to do so; some had it as a mimosa...it always comes through.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Smooth flavors with apple, pear and moderate acidity. Tried many of their different sparklers at their vineyard and impressive wine cellars in Calistoga, and this is one of my favorites, even though it is one of their less expensive options.
Picking up several more - good QPR.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Not the best showing. I usually find this to be a very consistent workhorse sparkler, but this particular bottle had strong chalky notes and a leesy aspect that really overpowered the fruit. Still a great bargain at $28, but I think this was just an off bottle.
I had the last glass or so the next day and it rounded out nicely and was much improved. The overwhelming sourdough like lees almost totally subsided and more ginger-like notes emerged. Today's version would merit a few extra points.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Delightful! Around here, this is the best blanc de blancs that $40 can buy. I much prefer this to the NV Champagne available at twice the price. Worth aging!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very pleased with this blanc de blancs. Pale straw colour, required about 45 minutes of air to start opening up. Elegant and satisfying, yet relatively light with a delightful toastiness throughout. This comes across as crisp with the lively acidity, albeit lacking in minerality and depth. In 3 years this will round out to something rather special. Well balanced. Very quickly, I picked up belgian waffles with boysenberry compote. Interesting!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Brioche and yeast. Dry with a powerful acidity. A yeasty palate that leads into lemon zest, which is almost overwhelming. Overall pretty solid for the price point.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very nice bottle of. Earthy apple and pear flavors. Well balanced acidity to fruit. Dry crisp finish. Guessed this to be an older wine than it actually was.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
I love schramsberg. This was great as well. Paired with crab cocktail & lobster tacos at Eddie V's in Orlando. Nice acidity with a backbone & depth. For the price this is well worth it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Had at our Christmas party. Always love these wines. 1.5 was a big hit. Gone quickly. Smoother than I would expect for this young of a wine. Maybe the bigger format helped. Yeasty nose but subtle. Citrus palate. Can't go wrong with this vineyard except for the 2005 J Schram. My wife and I both don't like that vintage.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Champagne Tasting at Gordon's (Gordon's Fine Wine & Liquors): Less expressive than other vintages of the BdB I've tasted. But generally true to character - lighter than the BdN, more citrusy, good acid and warmth, finish is a touch short. $30.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Vin Chicago Holiday Champagne Tasting (Chicago, IL): Tasting, brief note. Very good fruit aromas and flavors to start. Easy to enjoy. Moderate finesse, finish and length. Very good California sparkling wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Simple. Straight-forward. I've enjoyed better vintages of Schramsberg with more pleasant fruit notes and well-integrated acidity. Opened five bottles at the same time, and every one of them had very linear characteristics.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Straw yellow with medium to small never ending streams. Beautiful mouse but disappeared quickly. Nose was butter, brioche, green apple, slate and candied lemon peel. Medium body that was very lively. Pallet was oyster shell, lime zest, distant yellow fruits and candied lemon. Medium plus finish.
Schramsberg strikes again. Buy a case and enjoy. This one is a keeper!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Enjoyed at the winery and subsequently from magnum with family. Very light, white gold color, consistent with being 100% Chardonnay. Great mousse with very tiny bubbles. Still young but ready to drink. Aromas and flavors of toasty vanilla, lemon meringue, juicy pear, and some creamy apple. Very good at $32 or less
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Bright, golden straw, small bead, and medium foam. Oyster shell, yeast, green apples, quince, bread, and a touch of honey on the nose. The youthful palate exhibits great tension: it's crisp, lively, and airy, yet creamy, biscuity, and tactile, with candied, Granny Smith apple, lime citrus, green apricot, and nectarine flavors. A lime pith backnote complements the slaty, shale-inflected finish. This is frisky, lip-smacking, and delicious. Schramsberg is on top of its game.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is an older Pinot that was peaking. Took about 30 minutes to open and then provided a musty, mushroom, and currant flavors. This wine is probably a little past it's peak so this was the right time to drink it. The wine looks Ruby colored. It smells like Mushroom, and Red Currant.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Schramsberg Tasting (Calistoga, CA): Notes of green apple and lemon. Fine mousse. Quite pleasant and entrancing -- you can tell that this has more to say. I needed more time for the tasting, and this would need more time in your cellar.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
1/29/2023 - Canuck wrote:
AFC championship
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/12/2021 - sstein19 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark gold in color. Nose of brioche and lemon custard. Flavors of lemon and bread with a tart finish. A lot more complexity with the aging as the tart green apple flavors have evolved.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/7/2020 - bboard Likes this wine:
Very solid. We like our bubbly with a little aged after disgorgement to give more concentrated taste. Acidity is present, but most would find it concentrated & bready vs refreshing, finish has slight bitterness to it, which we like. There's still life ahead depending on your palate.
Bought @ clearance 6 yrs ago locally for $35 tax in, vs current pricing of $70+ tax in. At at price, there's lots of choices including real champagne.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/26/2017 - jmtierney3rd wrote: 87 Points
Color is straw golden pale with an energetic mousse. Light in color. Nose has a distinctive washed cheese rind to it. A touch of blue cheese specifically. Bottle is not tainted or flawed. Body is light plus. Acid is strong and the wine is slightly unbalanced in its favor. The wines effervescence is strong but not overbearing. On the pallet, notes of pear, green apple, and tropical fruits ring through. The finish is medium in length. Definitely tastes like a Californian sparkling wine. Good wine but not memorable.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/17/2016 - bablues wrote: 91 Points
6th Annual Christmas dinner and cellar raid (Naperville, IL): Part of Christmas Dinner and Cellar Raid, didn't take detailed notes. Drank this as a toast to Cam and Ashly's engagement. Very nice bubbly.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
12/3/2016 - JVG wrote:
Bright medium gold in color with a very plentiful and energetic mousse. On the nose it's rich and ripe, with apple and apricot fruit aromas as well as some sweet spice and just a hint of yeasty autolytic character. And as it warms in the glass, the fruit becomes a bit more exotic, perhaps like guava and mango. On the palate, it has a nice creamy texture, and the fruit takes on a fresher, more acidic bent, moving toward green apple, lemon, and lime on the attack before mellowing to the more tropical fruit leading up to the finish. The dosage is very well judged, going completely unnoticed as the wine doesn't taste sweet or overly tart, just as it should be. On the finish, it has a nice chalky mineral dimension, and leaves the palate clean and wanting another sip.
This isn't the most complex or subtle bubbly, but it's extremely well put together and was clearly made with high quality fruit. It's also aging very well, in great condition and still acting quite young. This can go a long way, and perhaps might develop into something more layered in the future. Even if not, it's still very good wine and very good value when it comes to traditional method sparkling. Also, definitely don't drink this one ice cold. It really opens up and has a lot more to give once it gets 10 degrees or so above fridge temp.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/24/2016 - smileBD Likes this wine: 89 Points
drank it to start off Thanksgiving. Great, light , crisp bubbles - we all loved it!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/11/2016 - ABOVETHEINFLUENCE wrote:
looks like a 6 y/o sparkling wine cork, on the nose earth,bread dough, hints of green fruit and honeysuckle, layered and textured on the palate yet still , excellent freshness , dusty and chalky mineral to the finish
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/26/2015 - Appleosu Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking great now! Very sparkly. A sparkling wine gem from the USA
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/28/2015 - theguy Likes this wine: 90 Points
Clean. Fruity and tart.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/28/2015 - skinut Likes this wine: 90 Points
Lively bubbles, pale straw color. Nose is on the lemony side with little yeastiness or floral notes. Clean and crisp on the palate with a somewhat short finish. Very pleasant for this price point.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/1/2015 - Doc90 wrote: 90 Points
Happy New Year!!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/12/2014 - AllRed wrote: 88 Points
Citrus and apple blossom aromas with a dirty quality lying underneath. Apple and chalk on the palate.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/9/2014 - gsquireh Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very drinkable honeysuckle cream with ripe apple and grilled peaches. Rounded and delicious mouth feel with a balanced minerality and acidity.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/4/2014 - dgkula Likes this wine: 89 Points
Pale straw colour, creamy with light flavors of green apple and honey and a nice toastiness throughout. This comes across as crisp with the lively acidity, but lacking in minerality.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/11/2014 - ssspore Likes this wine: 91 Points
Crisp and clean.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/24/2014 - DoubleMagnum Likes this wine: 89 Points
Very good sparkler. Nothing overly complex but refreshing and enjoyable. If the mousse was finer I would've rated 90+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/7/2014 - Wine Canuck wrote: 88 Points
California Wine Fair - Toronto, ON (Fairmont Royal York): Relatively light nose of green apple skin, honeydew melon, ginger and stone. Palate is fairly rich and round with honey and slightly elevated dosage; 10+ g/l (checked later and it is 12g/l). Medium length finish. Good traditional sparkler on the young side. This lands for $50/bottle in Ontario so your money may be better spent on Champagne.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/6/2014 - alabunka wrote: 92 Points
Excellent American sparkling wine - consistent in its high quality and effervescent jubilation; some of us sipped it on its own and were very happy to do so; some had it as a mimosa...it always comes through.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/4/2014 - Redrunners Likes this wine: 91 Points
Enjoyable and consistent sparker.
Smooth flavors with apple, pear and moderate acidity. Tried many of their different sparklers at their vineyard and impressive wine cellars in Calistoga, and this is one of my favorites, even though it is one of their less expensive options.
Picking up several more - good QPR.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/3/2014 - Seafoam Manor wrote: 86 Points
Not the best showing. I usually find this to be a very consistent workhorse sparkler, but this particular bottle had strong chalky notes and a leesy aspect that really overpowered the fruit. Still a great bargain at $28, but I think this was just an off bottle.
I had the last glass or so the next day and it rounded out nicely and was much improved. The overwhelming sourdough like lees almost totally subsided and more ginger-like notes emerged. Today's version would merit a few extra points.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/1/2014 - NaderBC Likes this wine: 92 Points
This bottle was delicious! More pronounced minerality than the previous two, and fine balance.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/25/2014 - NaderBC Likes this wine: 90 Points
Delightful! Around here, this is the best blanc de blancs that $40 can buy. I much prefer this to the NV Champagne available at twice the price. Worth aging!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/24/2014 - NaderBC Likes this wine: 89 Points
Very pleased with this blanc de blancs. Pale straw colour, required about 45 minutes of air to start opening up. Elegant and satisfying, yet relatively light with a delightful toastiness throughout. This comes across as crisp with the lively acidity, albeit lacking in minerality and depth. In 3 years this will round out to something rather special. Well balanced. Very quickly, I picked up belgian waffles with boysenberry compote. Interesting!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/1/2014 - Vinophiliac559 wrote: 85 Points
Brioche and yeast. Dry with a powerful acidity. A yeasty palate that leads into lemon zest, which is almost overwhelming. Overall pretty solid for the price point.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/1/2014 - ecola Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very nice bottle of. Earthy apple and pear flavors. Well balanced acidity to fruit. Dry crisp finish. Guessed this to be an older wine than it actually was.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
1/1/2014 - PDD wrote: 90 Points
Happy New Year!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/31/2013 - Tangy1570 wrote: 87 Points
Really like the 100% chard grapes. Nice pear taste
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/30/2013 - JDV.DDSPHD wrote: 93 Points
I love schramsberg. This was great as well. Paired with crab cocktail & lobster tacos at Eddie V's in Orlando. Nice acidity with a backbone & depth. For the price this is well worth it.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/24/2013 - birdiefour Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice bubbly....mild acidity, good flavor. Went well with shrimp cocktail.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/13/2013 - ssspore Likes this wine: 90 Points
Had at our Christmas party. Always love these wines. 1.5 was a big hit. Gone quickly. Smoother than I would expect for this young of a wine. Maybe the bigger format helped. Yeasty nose but subtle. Citrus palate. Can't go wrong with this vineyard except for the 2005 J Schram. My wife and I both don't like that vintage.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/7/2013 - Benj wrote: 87 Points
Champagne Tasting at Gordon's (Gordon's Fine Wine & Liquors): Less expressive than other vintages of the BdB I've tasted. But generally true to character - lighter than the BdN, more citrusy, good acid and warmth, finish is a touch short. $30.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/6/2013 - Burgundy Al wrote:
Vin Chicago Holiday Champagne Tasting (Chicago, IL): Tasting, brief note. Very good fruit aromas and flavors to start. Easy to enjoy. Moderate finesse, finish and length. Very good California sparkling wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/5/2013 - Motz wrote: 87 Points
Nice taste profile, a bit of cashew fruit and chalk. Not especially complex. Refreshing, approachable. Nice.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/17/2013 - jinatnrt wrote: 87 Points
Simple. Straight-forward. I've enjoyed better vintages of Schramsberg with more pleasant fruit notes and well-integrated acidity.
Opened five bottles at the same time, and every one of them had very linear characteristics.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/17/2013 - cucycling Likes this wine: 89 Points
nice, dry, great bubbles, good QPR
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/17/2013 - CieloVista wrote: 88 Points
Bright, golden straw with aromas of apples and honey. It was bright, crisp, lively and had flavors of apples and citrus. Nice clean finish.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/3/2013 - aaronl3182 wrote: 91 Points
Straw yellow with medium to small never ending streams. Beautiful mouse but disappeared quickly. Nose was butter, brioche, green apple, slate and candied lemon peel. Medium body that was very lively. Pallet was oyster shell, lime zest, distant yellow fruits and candied lemon. Medium plus finish.
Schramsberg strikes again. Buy a case and enjoy. This one is a keeper!
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/31/2013 - wmccone54 wrote: 89 Points
Enjoyed at the winery and subsequently from magnum with family. Very light, white gold color, consistent with being 100% Chardonnay. Great mousse with very tiny bubbles. Still young but ready to drink. Aromas and flavors of toasty vanilla, lemon meringue, juicy pear, and some creamy apple. Very good at $32 or less
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/21/2013 - Baron Slick wrote: 92 Points
Bright, golden straw, small bead, and medium foam. Oyster shell, yeast, green apples, quince, bread, and a touch of honey on the nose. The youthful palate exhibits great tension: it's crisp, lively, and airy, yet creamy, biscuity, and tactile, with candied, Granny Smith apple, lime citrus, green apricot, and nectarine flavors. A lime pith backnote complements the slaty, shale-inflected finish. This is frisky, lip-smacking, and delicious. Schramsberg is on top of its game.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/17/2013 - napasoutherner Likes this wine:
This is an older Pinot that was peaking. Took about 30 minutes to open and then provided a musty, mushroom, and currant flavors. This wine is probably a little past it's peak so this was the right time to drink it.
The wine looks Ruby colored. It smells like Mushroom, and Red Currant.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/18/2013 - Vince92673 wrote: 89 Points
Pretty golden sun color, very nice yeasty smell, flavors of lemon and Granny Smith apples.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/7/2013 - acyso wrote: 90 Points
Schramsberg Tasting (Calistoga, CA): Notes of green apple and lemon. Fine mousse. Quite pleasant and entrancing -- you can tell that this has more to say. I needed more time for the tasting, and this would need more time in your cellar.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment