Blanc de Blancs (white from white) made from Chardonnay is the counterpart to the Blanc de Noirs (white from black), made from Pinot Noir. Blanc de Blancs was the first wine Schramsberg produced in 1965 and was America’s first commercially produced, Chardonnay-based brut sparkling wine. Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs gained international recognition in 1972 when then President Nixon served the wine at the historic Toast to Peace in Beijing, China.

The Schramsberg style of Blanc de Blancs is dry and crisp. Small lots of malolactic- and barrel-fermented wines are added for complexity. The wine is aged on the yeast lees in the bottle for two years prior to disgorgement. With its vibrant, fruitful and crisp nature, this sparkling wine will maintain its freshness, structure and refined finish for many years, even decades following its initial release.

While this wine can be enjoyed by itself as an apéritif, it is also perfect with fresh oysters and other shellfish, crab cakes, ceviche and grilled sea bass. It is also delicious with lemon chicken and Thai curries. Serve with aged Gouda or other hard cheeses and as a counterpoint to soft triple creams.

The relatively warm 2004 season delivered a generously flavored Blanc de Blancs with alluring aromas of green apple, citrus and tropical fruits. Rich, tart Bayview Avenue Carneros Chardonnay forms the core, with components ranging from the Marin Coast to the Anderson Valley contributing further depth of fruit. Yeast-derived notes of fresh sourdough and toasted almond blend with hints of crème brûlée. On the palate, this lively sparkler is ripe and crisp with tangy lemon zest early on, progressing to a clean, balanced finish. Hugh Davies and Craig Roemer, Winemakers