“Reserve” is Schramsberg’s top Pinot Noir-focused brut sparkling wine. Representing 2% of our annual production, this richly-flavored and full-bodied sparkler is made from only the finest base wine lots produced each year. Over eight years old upon release, this fruitful, yet dry, toasty and creamy bubbly will age gracefully for another 20-30 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 our historic Diamond Mountain hillside caves for over 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, cedarplank grilled salmon, and curried chicken salad. This flavorful sparkling wine can also be served as an apéritif with smoked oysters, caviar and such hard cheeses as aged Swiss Sbrinz, Sonoma Vella Jack, or Irish Coolea.

A drier than normal winter and spring prompted an early bud break, exposing many vines to a late and deep frost. This, combined with an unusual springtime heatwave and erratic set, resulted in lower yields later in the season. The sparkling wine harvest began in mid-August, which is about normal for us. Besides a week-long heat spell in early September, mild summer temperatures were mainly experienced in 2008. This allowed vines to slowly ripen. With no rush to harvest, the grapes were picked at their optimal ripeness with delicious flavors, low sugars and high acidity.

“The 2008 Reserve exhibits bursting, fruitful aromas of red apple, caramelized pear and lemon bar, that gain complexity with touches of toffee, honey and candied pecan. Flavors of baked orange cake, vanilla custard, and shortbread cookie are followed by developed notes of graham cracker and cinnamon. The palate is rich on entry with a dense structure supported by long, mouthwatering acidity.” — Winemakers Sean Thompson and Hugh Davies