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2016 Sparkling Brut
Sonoma Coast
About this Wine
The 2016 Sparkling Brut has developed an elegantly mature aroma profile with sophisticated notes of brioche and yellow apple.
Library Selection
Tasting Notes
Tasting Notes
Winemaking
Winemaking
Vintage
Vintage
Vineyard
Vineyard
Tech. Notes
Tech. Notes
additional notes
Tasting Notes
The 2016 Sparkling Brut has developed an elegantly mature aroma profile with sophisticated notes of brioche and yellow apple. On the palate, crisp acidity and a beautifully textural mousse underscore vibrant lemon citrus and fresh pear flavors that dazzle throughout a rich, creamy finish.
Winemaking
In order to achieve the ideal balance of tannin and acid in the final blend, each block was picked on a different day, with three press cuts for each block. To preserve the delicate aromatics, this Méthode Champenoise sparkling wine was fermented in tank at a cool 65º F. To allow the wine to breathe without imparting overt toast aromas, it was aged in three-year-old French oak barrels. The 50/50 blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir was assembled in 2017.
Vintage
The 2016 vintage started with an early bud break, followed by a warm growing season. To ensure a complex and compelling wine, we harvested our sparkling wine grapes earlier, at low sugar levels and high acids. The Chardonnay came from the Sangiacomo’s Kiser Ranch and was picked on August 22nd, 2016 with crisp flavors at 17.5º Brix. The Pinot Noir came from a small hillside block of Thale’s that was farmed specifically for sparkling wine, providing glorious red fruit flavors when it was picked on August 12th at 20º Brix.
Vineyard
In 2016, we applied our decades of experience making world-class Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays—the varietals we love—to craft our first sparkling wine. To create a sparkling wine of uncommon elegance and sophistication, we blended 50% Chardonnay from the famed Sangiacomo Vineyard (the first vineyard we ever sourced from), with 50% Pinot Noir from our own beloved Thale’s Estate Vineyard.
Technical Notes
- composition:
50% Chardonnay
50% Pinot Noir - aging:
Press fractions kept separate & cold fermented at 65° F. Racked to 3-year-old French barrels.
additional notes