Schramsberg Reserve is the winery’s top Pinot Noir-focused brut sparkling wine. Representing about 3 percent of Schramsberg’s annual production, this richly flavored and full-bodied sparkler is made from only the finest base-wine lots produced each year. More than seven years old upon release, this fruitful, yet dry, toasty and creamy bubbly will age gracefully for another 20 to 30 years.

Though primarily Pinot Noir, small amounts of select Chardonnay lots are added to the blend to lend additional backbone and length to the palate. Distinct barrel- and malolactic-fermented lots are also layered in to provide viscosity and depth. Each bottle is aged in contact with the yeast in Schramsberg’s historic Diamond Mountain hillside caves for more than seven years, affording the development of seasoned, roasted and caramelized richness. The yeast is then removed and a finishing dosage, determined through extensive and comprehensive trials, is added to fine-tune the wine’s balance of flavor.

Schramsberg Reserve is well-suited with a main course, such as fruit-stuffed veal, pork tenderloin, roasted duck with mango, cedar-plank grilled salmon, and curried chicken salad. This flavorful bubbly also can be served as an apéritif with smoked oysters, caviar and hard cheeses such as aged Swiss Sbrinz, Sonoma Vella Jack or Irish Coolea.

A warm to mild summer allowed a slightly later harvest.