2020 Blanc de Noirs Reserve

About This Wine

Blanc de Noirs means “white from blacks,” which aptly describes this white sparkling wine made from the red Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes.  If you have ever cut into a red grape, you’ve probably noticed that in most cases, the inside of the grape is white.  Such is the case with Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.  The color in a red Pinot Noir wine is extracted from the skins.  In order to make this Blanc de Noirs, we instead send the grapes directly into the presses and gently press the juice away from the skins, trying to minimize any color pick-up in the process.  The juice is then fermented at cool temperatures to maintain the bright fruit characters of the grapes.  When the wines are finished, the winemaking team carefully selects the best lots of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier to create the Blanc de Noirs blend.

Profile

This Blanc de Noirs deftly weaves between the powerful and elegant characters of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Bold and vibrant aromas of ripe strawberry, raspberry, orange marmalade, and apricot are accented with toasted brioche notes from more than 3 years on the yeast. On the palate, a frothy mousse leads into notes of stone fruit, strawberry, and a hint of candied orange peel, culminating in a well-structured finish.

Occasions & Pairings

The fruit on this wine makes me think of summer.  It would be delicious paired with a lobster roll or perhaps a salad of grilled peaches, strawberries, and feta.