Blanc de Noirs (white from black) is the counterpart to Blanc de Blancs (white from white). Made primarily from the red grape Pinot Noir, this is a complex, medium-bodied, brut sparkling wine. Schramsberg Vineyards pioneered the Blanc de Noirs style in the United States, producing the first such American sparkler in 1967. The key to producing this Blanc de Noirs is our sourcing of pinot noir grapes from a vast and varied selection of cool-climate vineyards. Pinot Noir from Carneros and Anderson Valley combine with fruit from low-yielding Sonoma and Marin coastal vineyards to develop a sparkling wine with a breadth of fruitful aroma and flavor. Select Chardonnay lots give zest and backbone to the blend.

Making a white wine from a red grape requires great care—hand-picked fruit, early morning harvest, optimal fruit maturity and delicate pressing. A balance of bright flavors, crisp acidity and minimal tannins is achieved. Barrel and malolactic fermentation of wine lots add richness and body. Yeast contact in the bottle harmonizes all the elements together in a mature, toasty style. The youthful fruit character of the wine will develop and soften with additional age in the bottle. With proper storage, this sparkling wine will be delicious for many years, even decades to come.

Schramsberg Vineyards Blanc de Noirs is particularly well-suited to serve with a variety of foods, including soft and nutty cheeses, macadamia nut-crusted halibut and pork tenderloin with fresh rosemary and lemon thyme.

The 2016 vintage was a near-perfect growing season with ideal weather conditions throughout. Thanks to a relatively steady and mild July and August, and then a series of warm days at the end of the growing season, vineyards were able to progress to perfect ripeness for the light yields that were present.

“The 2016 Blanc de Noirs expresses generous aromas of peach, toasted almond and fresh red apple, which gradually layer with gragrances of strawberry, citrus blossom and marzipan. A juicy entry generously coats the mid-palate with orange and vanilla spice, followed by crisp and tart flavors of raspberry, grapefruit and lemongrass. A lively and balanced acidity gives way to a clean, fresh and mouthwatering floral and mandarin orange finish.” — Winemakers Sean Thompson and Hugh Davies