Nose
This wine features a nose of ripe peaches and
pears that cultivates a youthful acidity on the palate.
Palate
Additional flavors of stone fruits, biscuit and gooseberry
all lead to a soft finish of warm brioche and toasted nuts.
Growing Conditions
Although Pinot Meunier is one of three major varietals
used in crafting super-premium sparkling wines, it is
typically part of an overall blend. Alone this varietal is
delightfully expressive. With the 2012 vintage we selected
a few exclusive lots of Pinot Meunier from Napa Valley
that showcase these bright flavors and aromas
Bottling
This wine ripens gracefully in the bottle during
yeast aging, developing rich tones of biscuit and warm
brioche.
Winemaking
Pinot Meunier tends to deliver wines that age
faster than Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and is generally
not blended into cuvees intended to age for over 3 years
on the lees. Our 2012 was kept 18 months on its
secondary fermentation lees before disgorging to ensure a
perfect balance between its primary fruit flavors coming
from the grapes and the aging flavors that developed
during fermentation and yeast aging.
