88% Pinot Noir, 12% Chardonnay
The Schramsberg Blanc de Noirs Brut is made from Pinot Noir with a touch of Chardonnay added for length on the palate. It has been handcrafted using select cool climate North Coast vineyards, barrel fermentation, and extended aging in the estate's historic hillside caves.
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 the sourcing of Pinot Noir grapes from a vast and varied selection of cool-climate vineyards.
Pinot Noir from low-yielding Sonoma and Marin coastal vineyards combine with fruit from Carneros and Anderson Valley sites, to develop a sparkling wine with a breadth of fruitful aroma and flavor. Select Chardonnay lots are then added, to give zest and backbone to the blend.
Making a white wine from a red grape requires great care: hand-picked fruit, early morning harvest, optimal 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. 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.
