Sparkling Brut
| Wine Type: | Sparkling Wine |
| Varietal Composition: | |
| 55% | Chardonnay |
| 36% | Pinot Noir |
| 9% | Pinot Meunier |
| Appellation: | Columbia Valley, Washington State |
| Harvest Date: | October 2010 |
| Acid: | 9.0 g/L |
| PH: | 3.0 |
| Bottling Date: | August 2011 |
| Alcohol %: | 13% |
Having Sparkling wine makes everything about life more enjoyable. The bouquet on this has Meyer lemon peel, melon, and just a touch of brioche. The first sip reveals a medley of Anjou pear, Fuji apple, pink grapefruit, and candied dried fruits. The bubbly effervescence is perfectly balanced with the crisp acidity ensuring a lingering finish.
2012 is a special year for Columbia Winery…it marks our 50th anniversary. To celebrate, we are introducing our first sparkling wine to our collection of Small Lot offerings. Handcrafted in the traditional méthode champenoise, this inaugural release is a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier. The Chardonnay was grown at Smasne Vineyards in the Yakima Valley while the Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier hail from Karma’s Estate Vineyard in the new Lake Chelan American Viticultural Area (AVA). Both of these vineyards are part of the greater Columbia Valley appellation. Karma’s Estate Vineyard is a cool north-facing site located high above Lake Chelan. Pinot Noir ripens here at the very end of the growing season and provides finesse to the cuvée. Th e Chardonnay from Smasne Vineyards also grows at a relatively cool site in the central Yakima Valley and provides acidity and structure. We assembled the cuvée and cold stabilized it to remove excess tartrates, then bottled it mid-year following harvest. After the secondary fermentation finished in the bottle, the wine aged for nearly a year in our cool cellar. The bottles were carefully riddled to settle the yeast sediment that lends some character to aging. Aft er disgorging, a dosage liqueur of the blend mixed with pure cane sugar was added to bring balance to the wine. An additional three months of aging prior to release brought a harmonious equilibrium to the flavor spectrum. In a word, this non-vintage Brut offering is a delight.
This is a decadent wine perfect for special occasions. Or you like, enjoy it with good friends and a tasty appetizer such as your favorite oysters, triple crème cheese, or candied almonds.