Join us to sample wines from Schramsberg Winery and chat with winemaker,
Hugh Davies
premier winemaker and proprietor.
About Hugh:
One might say that Hugh Davies was born with a wineglass in his hand, and that wouldn’t be too far from the truth. Hugh was born in 1965, the same year that his parents, Jack and Jamie Davies, purchased the abandoned Schramsberg Estate in Calistoga. Hugh grew up among the vines, caves, tanks and barrels that make Schramsberg Vineyards what it is today; the premier producer of American sparkling wines.
This Mirabelle Brut has generous fruitful aromas of pear, tangerine and ripe peach,followed by nuances of vanilla and star anise. In the mouth, there are flavors of mandarin orange, stone fruit and yellow apple. The palate is crisp on entry with a citrus acidity and a lingering finish.
This 2017 Blanc de Blancs has bright aromas of Meyer lemon, golden apple, Bosc pear, marzipan and vanilla cookie, which intermingle with hints of warm pastry and cinnamon. Granny Smith apple, candied lemon, and baked pineapple bring fruitful notes to the mid- palate, ending with a long, clean and vibrant finish.
While this wine can be enjoyed by itself as an apéritif, it is also perfect with fresh oysters and other shellfish, crab cakes, ceviche and grilled sea bass. It is also delicious with lemon chicken and Thai curries. Serve with aged Gouda or other hard cheeses, and as a counterpoint to soft triple creams.
The partner to our Mirabelle Brut, the Mirabelle Brut Rosé is a specially crafted blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Schramsberg's select cool-climate vineyards in Carneros, Anderson Valley, and the Sonoma and Marin coastal areas of Northern California. Pinot Noir lots, including a few fermented with skin contact, provide brightness of berry fruit and body, while Chardonnay lots lend length and zest to the palate. Additional flavor depth and aromatic complexity results from the blending of base wine lots aged in barrels and tanks for one or more years. The finished Brut Rosé exhibits fresh, elegant and toasty aromas that lead into lively and delicious fruit flavors on the palate.
The grapes are picked by hand and gently pressed to provide superior quality juice for the production of this balanced, refreshing Rosé bubbly. In the spring following the fall harvest, base wines are individually evaluated and carefully blended by our winemakers. The wine undergoes second fermentation in the bottle and rests in Schramsberg's historic Diamond Mountain caves for approximately two years. Following the en tirage aging, an extensive dosage trial process produces the ideal finishing touch, and the sparkling wine is ready to be enjoyed.
The multi-vintage Mirabelle Rosé is delicious on its own, and it also pairs well with everything from classic Hawaiian pizza and grilled salmon to barbecued chicken and simple pastas.
Making a white wine from a red grape requires great care-hand-picked fruit, early morning harvest, optimal fruit 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. Yeast contact in the bottle harmonizes all the elements together in a mature, toasty style. 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.
Pairings: 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.
