Winemaker Notes
J. Schram is appealing on its own as an aperitif or enjoyed with fresh shellfish, caviar, smoked salmon, tangy cheese, seafood brochettes or risotto with prosciutto.
Professional Ratings
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Connoisseurs' Guide
World-class bubbly in every dimension, this deep, rich, complex, layered, lively, developed yet youthful wine has achieved what only a handful have ever been able to accomplish. From the very first sniff of its creamy, yeasty, lightly toasty, brioche, pie crust, Meyer lemon, crisp apple notes to its insistently foamy, pinpointy mousse to the artful blending of rich and austere elements all the way to its long, refined, tangy, complex and flavorful finish, this brilliant bottling is about as good as good gets
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Wine Enthusiast
Don't even think about opening this brut for at least six years and probably far longer. Made from 85% Chardonnay and 15% Pinot Noir, it's rich and full-bodied, with elaborately ripe flavors of tangerines, raspberries, roasted almonds and coconut, brioche, honey and vanilla. Good as it is, it simply needs time for everything to transmutate into magic.
Cellar Selection
In 1965, Jack and Jamie Davies founded Schramsberg and set out to make world-class sparkling wine in the true méthode traditionelle style on the property originally established in 1862 by German immigrant Jacob Schram. There were only 22 bonded wineries in Napa Valley and fewer than 100 acres of California vineyards planted to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Schramsberg was the first California winery to provide a Blanc de Blancs in 1965 followed by a Blanc de Noirs in 1967. Now their son, Hugh Davies, leads the winery’s management and winemaking team.
The Schramsberg estate in Napa Valley’s famed Diamond Mountain District is a registered historic landmark with Napa’s first caves, hand-dug in the 1880s, and its first hillside vineyards. Quality focus drives all aspects of wine production starting with access to over 120 cool-climate sites in Carneros, Marin, Mendocino and Sonoma, which result in over 200 separate lots. Unique among California sparkling wine houses, Schramsberg ferments about 25 percent of its juice in oak barrels to produce rich, flavorful, complex wines.
Most of Schramsberg’s viticultural and winemaking practices are carried out by hand: grapes are hand harvested, the wines are handcrafted, and the bottles are stacked and riddled in underground caves. The family and the winery embody excellence and innovation in winemaking, as well as preservation of their land, their history and their community.
California enjoys a long history and proven reputation as an admirable source of sparkling wines. Agoston Haraszthy, who established Buena Vista Winery in the mid 1850s, first attempted to make traditional method sparkling wine in California in the 1870s. Shortly thereafter Korbel followed, and with great success. Today domestic producers such as Schramsberg, Iron Horse and J. Wine Co remain at the forefront of the market.
Since the 1970s the state has consistently attracted the attention and investment of large and respected European and French-based firms who are responsible for Domaine Chandon, Mumm-Napa Valley, Roederer Estate and Domaine Carneros (Taittinger), to name a few. Anderson Valley and Carneros remain standout regions for top quality Pinot noir and Chardonnay for these.