Nose

Generous aromas of Marasca cherry, Red Delicious apple and notes of toasted brioche.

Palate

Concentrated flavors of fresh strawberry, balanced with tangy raspberry, envelope the subtle nuances of almond paste and Meyer lemon curd. The palate provides an acidic backbone that supports the wine’s supple and creamy texture, leading into a long, lingering finish.

Growing Conditions

A drier than normal winter and spring, prompted an early bud break, exposing many vines to to the latest and deepest frost to hit the area in decades. This frost, combined with a unusual springtime heatwave, caused erratic set and lower yields later in the season. The sparkling wine harvest began in mid-August, which is average for sparkling wine. Besides a week-long heat spell in early September, mild summer temperatures were mainly experience in 2008. This allowed the vines to slowly ripen. With no rush to harvest, the grapes were picked at their optimal ripeness for sparkling wine, with delicious flavors, low sugars and high acidity.

County Composition: 73% Napa, 24% Sonoma, 3% Marin

Bottling

Bottled: April 12, 2009

Winemaking

This wine is blended from the vintage’s best Chardonnay and Pinot Noir stainless steel tank and neutral French oak barrel wine lots, from Schramsberg’s collection of 115 cool-climate vineyard sites in Carneros, Anderson Valley, Sonoma Coast and Marin.

Barrel Fermentation: 35%

Principal Chardonnay Blocks:
Napa-Carneros: Jones, Tognetti
Sonoma: Keefer
Principal Pinot Noir Blocks:
Sonoma: Saltonstall, Jonive

Aging

Following secondary fermentation in the bottle, this bottle was aged on its yeast lees for seven years in Schramsberg’s historic caves, it was then hand-riddled and finished with a select brut dosage.

Food Pairing

J. Schram Rosé is the epitome of grace, style and elegance in a glass, it lends itself to be served as an apéritif, with a first course or a light main course. Courses might include consummés, cedar planked lobster, scallop ceviche, seared swordfish, fresh crab, roasted poultry or braised pork loin.