From the inception of Schramsberg’s efforts in 1965, the winery has sought to achieve the greatest elegance and individuality possible in its sparkling wines. J. Schram epitomizes Schramsberg’s philosophy to create a wine in which no effort has been spared and no care has been omitted. Representing only 3 percent of the winery’s annual production, the Chardonnay-focused J. Schram blend is assembled from the very best base wine lots of the approximately 250 produced each year. This special bottling is dedicated to Schramsberg’s founder of 1862, Jacob Schram, and has been a great success since its premier 1987 vintage was released in 1992.

Cluster samples from more than 115 cool-climate vineyard sources are pulled several times before the optimal pick date for each block is selected. Complexity is gained through fermentation in both oak barrels and stainless-steel tanks. Some of the small lots undergo malolactic fermentation to enrich aromas and infuse creaminess on the palate. The wine is then aged for more than seven years on the yeast in Schramsberg’s historic Diamond Mountain caves, riddled by hand, and finished with an exceptional brut dosage.

J. Schram is appealing on its own as an apéritif or enjoyed with fresh shellfish, caviar on toast point, smoked salmon, tangy cheeses, seafood brochettes, cedar-planked lobster, mesquite-grilled quail or Serrano ham and porcini risotto.

The 2012 North Coast wine grape harvest saw textbook conditions, with an ideal bud break and flowering, that led to an even fruit set over the spring. A lengthy stretch of warm days and cool, foggy nights during the summer months, was ideal for the grapes as they matured. Any significant rains held off until the grapes found optimal ripeness, promoting exceptional fruit quality with a uniform balance of acids and sugars.

“The 2012 J. Schram opens with aromas of caramelized pineapple, dried orange peel, ginger and toffee, enhanced by notes of lemon curd, honey and brioche. The elegant and lingering palate delivers elements of baked apple, orange and pineapple upside down cake, layered with flavors of white peach and graham cracker on the finish.” —Winemakers Sean Thompson and Hugh Davies