Wine Enthusiast
94 Points
Schramsberg 2016 Crémant Méthode Champenoise Demi-Sec (Napa Valley). With a dry, floral nose, this lovely sparkler is a blend of 68% Flora, 31% Chardonnay and 1% Pinot Noir, with 15% barrel fermentation. Sweet, unctuous layers of peach, pear and vanilla biscuit are lifted by a balance of fresh acidity and underlying structure, making for a cohesive experience on the palate.
Wine Spectator
90 Points
Brisk and fresh, with lovely rose petal and orange blossom aromas, and crisp lemon and strawberry flavors that linger. Drink now. 16,333 cases made.
The Tasting Panel
94 Point
Fresh and juicy with the bright acidity expected of a Blanc de Blancs but with the addition of a lovely roundness and richness of fruit; lively, complete and elegant, lush and long.”
The Wine Advocate
90 Points
The nose of the 2016 Blanc de Blancs is bright and fresh, with scents of quince peel, red apples, floral perfume, brioche and a nutty undercurrent. The light-bodied palate is dry with energetic mousse and a nice balance of mineral and tirage character, finishing with fantastic freshness. 36,209 cases produced. The Blanc de Blancs was the first cuvée Schramsberg produced, in 1965.
The Wine Advocate
90 Points
The Schramsberg Blanc de Noirs was the first of its style to be produced commercially in the US, originally released in 1967. The 2016 Blanc de Noirs, made up of 81% Pinot Noir and 19% Chardonnay, opens with broody bruised apples, bread dough, baked quince and floral perfume. The medium-bodied palate is rounded with pure tree fruits mingling with nutty nuance, lifted by gently creamy mousse and finishing long. 10,130 cases produced.
The Wine Advocate
91 Points
The 2016 Brut Rosé has a pale to medium salmon-pink color and is a blend of 64% Pinot Noir and 36% Chardonnay. It has open, inviting aromas of melon, red berries, citrus peel and spices. The medium bodied-palate offers intense, berry-laced flavors with rounded, creamy mousse, and it finishes long and uplifted. 15,150 cases produced.
The Wine Advocate
91 Points
The 2016 Crémant Demi-Sec is a blend of 31% Chardonnay, 1% Pinot Noir and 68% Flora, an unusual grape that's a cross of Sémillon and Gewürztraminer. It has about 35 grams per liter of residual sugar, as opposed to the roughly nine to 10 grams per liter for the other sparkling wines in the Schramsberg portfolio. It opens slowly to chalk, shell, quince and loads of floral perfume from the base of aromatic Flora. The palate is medium-bodied, off-dry and very perfumed, with lively mousse and a very clean, refreshing finish. This is very well-balanced, aromatically and structurally, with its kiss o
The Wine Advocate
94 Points
Schramberg's top cuvée, the 2011 J. Schram Rosé is made of 69% Chardonnay and 31% Pinot Noir. Medium salmon-pink in color, it's scented of melon, dried red berries and citrus pith with accents of crushed shell and mushroom. The palate is extraordinarily fresh and youthful, with bright berries character, finely beaded mousse and a long, fresh finish. 1,476 cases produced.
The Wine Advocate
93 Points
This is Schramsberg's top cuvée. The 2010 J. Schram is made of 84% Chardonnay and 16% Pinot Noir. The nose is rich and savory, driven by its time on tirage: pastry, mushrooms, coffee and crème brûlée scents mingle with notions of quince paste and apple pie. The palate is voluminous and rich but surprisingly fresh, with a very pretty interplay of pure fruits and toasty character. It has a fine, creamy mousse and a long, nuanced finish. This is drinking wonderfully right now. 2,709 cases produced.
The Wine Advocate
94 Points
The 2010 Reserve is made up of 84% Pinot Noir and 16% Chardonnay. It has a creamy nose with scents of meringue, ground coffee, oyster shell, poached apples and nuances of bread dough, marmalade and mushroom. The palate is lovely, with a wonderfully balanced blend of freshness and savoriness, energy and silkiness, with soft, very finely beaded mousse and a long, nuanced finish. 1,732 cases produced.
Wine Enthusiast
91 Points
Well-balanced and refreshing, this dry wine blends mineral and chalk aspects with tasty raspberry flavors. It is a slightly restrained, elegant expression that will please many.
Wine Enthusiast
90 Points
Fruity but trim, this nicely balanced wine combines fresh apple and a hint of ginger on a crisp texture of tight bubbles. This bracing quality adds to its elegance.
Wine Enthusiast
90 Points
Tiny bubbles keep rising long after this dry and crisp wine made from 100% Chardonnay is poured. It has a lemony flavor with almost salty, nutty accents and vivid acidity to keep it clean and balanced.
Wine & Spirits
90 Points
The Davies family has been making sparkling wine for 50 years, and this Blanc de Blancs has become their flagship. It’s 100 percent chardonnay and this vintage is firm and clean, with clarity to its pale, juicy apple fruit and savory, chalk-like notes from aging on the lees. Refreshing to drink on its own or with any shellfish.
Wine Enthusiast
91 Points
Bold in texture and flavor, this wine offers toasty, lightly smoky aromas that segue to vanilla, toasted almond and baked apple flavors. The pinpoint bubbles tighten the texture just a bit for good balance before a creamy midpalate and finish take over.
Wine Enthusiast
91 Points
This wine is delicious but subtle as it weaves tempting notes of raspberry and cream with toasted nut and baked bread nuances that provide complexity and layering. It has both a vivid crispness and a subtle smoothness that coats the mouth and helps the finish linger.
Wine & Spirits
90 Points
This is a blend of Schramsberg's top lots culled from 115 vineyards, mostly in Napa-Carneros and Sonoma Coast (41 percent each), with contributions from Anderson Valley and Marin. It's more chardonnay (69 percent) than pinot noir, and 40 percent of the lot fermented in barrels. After seven years of aging in bottle on the lees, the wine has a rich, nutty autolysis character as well as enough firm acidity to structure its ripe raspberry sweetness. Serve it at the start of a meal with mousse truffée, or at the end, with a lightly sweetened berry tart.
jamessuckling.com
92 Points
This has attractive complexity with honey, chamomile and toasted bread, ahead of bright, light pink grapefruit and berries. The palate has a very succulent and juicy feel with the same blend of pink-fruit flavors. Fresh crunch of acidity. A blend of 81% pinot noir and 19% chardonnay. Drink now.
jamessuckling.com
91 Points
This rosé sparkling wine has a very attractive nose with light red berries and strawberries. Some light, grassy elements and a pastry-like edge. The palate has a juicy and fresh feel with blood oranges and red berries intermingling in an approachable fleshy and fresh mode. 64% pinot noir and 36% chardonnay. Drink now.
jamessuckling.com
92 Points
Lots of dried fruit with caramel and cream. Apricots. Full-bodied sparkling wine. Dense and rich palate. A big and fruity wine. 84% chardonnay and 16% pinot noir. Drink now.