Richard Grant Wrotham Pinot Napa Sparkling Blanc de Noir 2004
Product Description
Each vintage of Richard Grant (R.G.) Sparkling wine is made by the classic 'methode champenoise' from 100% Wrotham Clone Pinot Noir grapes grown in our own Yountville vineyard. The wines are naturally low in alcohol, delicate and easy to enjoy with or without food. They have a unique fruitiness and varietal flavor which takes on the characteristics of rich, well-aged Champagne yeast as the wines age in the bottle. Indeed, yeast is the main source of the classic “gout de Champagne” character that is so highly prized in fine Champagnes and Sparkling wines around the world. To fully understand this, click "What is Champagne?" in the green panel (above the bottle picture) just to the left of this text.
The question for all champagne makers to decide is 'Exactly how much yeast character do we want in this wine?' Most ordinary Champagnes and Sparkling Wines around the world are given less than a year of yeast contact. Doing so allows them to sell at lower price but quality is often sacrificed. The finest wines receive at least two years, sometimes even three.
Richard Grant Vintage Sparkling Wine is given a minimum of four years yeast contact before disgorging and release for sale. The negative of that is the obvious cost of not releasing wine until nearly five years after crushing the grapes. The positive is that the wines are superb by world standards. It was through experimentation that I learned a minimum of four years "en tirage" produces significantly better Sparkling Wine from Wrotham Pinot Noir grapes, so that is what we do.
The question for all champagne makers to decide is 'Exactly how much yeast character do we want in this wine?' Most ordinary Champagnes and Sparkling Wines around the world are given less than a year of yeast contact. Doing so allows them to sell at lower price but quality is often sacrificed. The finest wines receive at least two years, sometimes even three.
Richard Grant Vintage Sparkling Wine is given a minimum of four years yeast contact before disgorging and release for sale. The negative of that is the obvious cost of not releasing wine until nearly five years after crushing the grapes. The positive is that the wines are superb by world standards. It was through experimentation that I learned a minimum of four years "en tirage" produces significantly better Sparkling Wine from Wrotham Pinot Noir grapes, so that is what we do.
