2021 Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs Half-bottle
95 points · Wine Enthusiast, November 2024
- 2years on the yeast
- 9g/L dosage · Brut
- 12.3%alcohol
- 18%barrel fermented
- 46,400cases made
About this wine
Blanc de Blancs (white from whites), made from Chardonnay, is the counterpart to the Blanc de Noirs (white from blacks), made from Pinot Noir. Blanc de Blancs was the first wine Schramsberg produced in 1965 and was America's first commercially produced Chardonnay-based brut sparkling wine. Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs gained international recognition in 1972 when then President Nixon served the wine at the historic "Toast to Peace" in Beijing, China.
The Schramsberg style of Blanc de Blancs is dry and crisp. Small lots of barrel fermented wines, some of which complete malolactic fermentation, are added to stainless-steel fermented wines to create added complexity in the blended base wine. After undergoing a second fermentation in bottle, the wine then ages on its yeast lees for about two years prior to disgorgement. With its vibrant, fruitful and focused nature, this sparkling wine will maintain its freshness, structure and refined finish for many years, even decades following its initial release.
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 2021 growing season started with cold temperatures and minimal rain, that gave way to warm weather through the summer months. Hot days and cold nights allowed for steady ripening throughout the season. The few heat spikes at the end of August encouraged the vines to dig deep in the soils, resulting in highly concentrated fruit with a beautiful balance of generous acidity.
Tasting notes
The 2021 Blanc de Blancs has lifted aromas of fresh Granny Smith apple, lemonlime and fresh baked bread, intermingled with hints of baked pineapple and toasted almonds. Its vibrant flavors of Meyer lemon and tart apple bring drive to the mid-palate, leading to a clean, palate-cleansing finish. - Winemakers Sean Thompson, Jessica Koga and Hugh Davies
What the critics say
- 95points
It is the 57th bottling of these bubbles. I hope you pick up a bottle to enjoy. This wine is bright, with aromas of Golden Delicious apple, orange blossom, acacia honey and mineral on the nose. Flavors on the palate are baked Bosc pear, mandarin orange, fresh walnut, toasted brioche and kaffir lime. The wine offers a subtle, creamy mousse, with a long, lifted and dry finish.
Wine Enthusiast, November 2024 - 92points
This pale white gold colored Sparkling Wine from Schramsberg displays lots of random tiny streaming bubbles. It opens with a light lemon and bread dough bouquet with hints of green apple and almond. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied with bright acidity. The mouthfeel is round, balanced, clean, and fresh. The flavor profile is lime, lemon verbena, and green apple blend with notes of ginger ale and brioche. We also detected hints of white tea and stony minerality. The finish is dry, and its flavors and acidity linger and last for quite a while. The Tasting Panel would pair Blanc de Blancs with a thick cut grilled mahi-mahi or Wellfleet oysters.
Ken's Wine Guide, December 2024 - 91points
Fragrant and refreshing, this sleek version offers appealing flavors of green apple, Meyer lemon and yeast roll. Finishes bright, with acidity.
Wine Spectator, September 2024
