Brut Rosé, North Coast – 2001
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Introduction
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The Schramsberg Brut Rosé is flavorful, complex and dry, making it a perfect match to any food and delicious by itself as an aperitif. The character of the wine is most strongly influenced by bright, flavorful Pinot Noir. Chardonnay is added to give spice, structure and length on the palate.
Additionally, each year, the fruit from a few small Pinot Noir vineyard blocks is ripened for an additional two weeks on the vine, then pressed and fermented on the skins to produce select Pinot Noir base wine lots. The Schramsberg Brut Rosé’s subtle color and its focused strawberry/raspberry-like flavors are marked by the 2-3% additions of these red wines prior to the initial bottling and again with the finishing dosage.
Hand picking, careful handling and gentle pressing produce a wine without skin and seed tannin. The wine then ages on the yeast for two and a half years – just enough time to achieve refined effervescence without diminishing its fresh appeal.
The Schramsberg Brut Rosé was selected for White House luncheons honoring the Grand Duke and Duchess of Luxembourg, and later for Prince Charles and Princess Diana of Great Britain. The 2001 vintage received 91 points in the Wine Enthusiast Magazine’s Top 100 Wines of 2004 issue.
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Technical Information
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Varietal Composition: 57% Pinot Noir, 43% Chardonnay
Source: 71% Napa County, 21% Mendocino County, 7% Sonoma County, 1% Marin County
Alcohol: 12.4%
TA: 0.83g/100mL
pH:2.85
RS: 1.15%
Bottle Size: 750ml
Production: 3,578 cases
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Tasting Notes
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“Fresh, lively raspberry and strawberry aromas first greet you from a glass of the 2001 Brut Rosé. Behind the glorious fruit is a complex and inviting set of characters – anisette, creamy vanilla and a touch of spiced orange. It is evident in the delicate citrus scents and the crisp, quenching acidity that small lots of Chardonnay are added to this Pinot Noir-based wine. Saltonstall Vineyard Pinot Noir, from Sonoma County’s Chileno Valley, adds the final blush of color and infuses this wine with the signature opulent berry characters of our Brut Rosé. ”
– Hugh Davies, Winemaker
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