The 2018 vintage started cold and dry, with most rain events occurring in February and March. This weather pushed bud break to a later date, which is beneficial to avoid potential late-season frosts. Through June, we saw moderate temperatures and some wind that impacted the fruit set, playing a pivotal role in total harvest volume. We then experienced a lengthy heatwave in August. Once the heatwave subsided, moderate weather followed and prolonged harvest, allowing for ample hangtime on clusters. The culmination of these weather events created exceptional fruit quality and pushed us to create a vintage sparkling with some extra "hangtime" in the bottle.
The extended aging process of the 2018 Sparkling follows the traditional method to produce some of the world's most renowned sparkling wines. Prolonged contact with lees (spent yeast cells) creates a richer mouthfeel reminiscent of cream or mousse. The aromas of apple cider and candied ginger are immediately met with bright acidity. These aromas are followed by tantalizing flavors of granny smith apple, honeycomb, and brioche that round out this beautiful wine. This wine is aged to perfection but lay one down to experience the continued development of this special bottling.
This is a boxed set with two bottles included.