If done right, sparkling wine production is time-consuming and expensive. It seems Schramsberg spares no expense. The 2016 Blanc de Noirs exhibits the nuance of age often absent from New World sparklers, with subtle notes of maturity and the richness that only develops in bubbly over time. This vintage of Schramsberg's Blanc de Noirs shows hints of red fruits, baked apple and stone fruits, with impressive palate length and a fine, persistent mousse.

Incisively yeasty and charged with plenty of spry, mildly citrusy fruit, this comparatively elegant and refined bottling displays the brightness reminiscent of a Blanc de Blancs while quietly possessing a bit of the expected richness of a Blanc de Noirs. Balanced to crispness and buoyed by very well integrated acidity with wonderfully persistent, pin-point bubbles to spare, it fully reflects the Schramsberg Blanc de Noirs norm of being far more concerned with grace and finesse than with full volume, toasty extravagance.

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.

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.