Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs 2022

Schramsberg is one of the pioneers of American sparkling wine and has been producing méthode traditionnelle wines in California’s Napa Valley since 1965. The winery was founded by Jack and Jamie Davies, who revived the historic Schramsberg property on Diamond Mountain and set out to prove that California could produce sparkling wines with the complexity and longevity of the great wines of Champagne. Their first Blanc de Blancs was also America’s first commercially produced sparkling wine made primarily from chardonnay, and the bottling remains one of Schramsberg’s signatures today.

The 2022 Blanc de Blancs is made from 100% chardonnay sourced from vineyards throughout California’s North Coast, with fruit coming primarily from Sonoma and Napa, plus small contributions from Mendocino and Marin. The wide range of vineyard sources allows the winemaking team to build both freshness and depth into the final blend. The 2022 growing season was warm and dry, with lower yields producing concentrated fruit, while the different regions contributed their own character, from Sonoma’s refined aromatics to the structure of Carneros fruit.

Schramsberg combines traditional sparkling winemaking with a thoughtful use of different fermentation vessels. Most of the base wine is fermented in stainless steel to preserve freshness and precision, while 22% of the 2022 was barrel fermented. Some of those barrel lots also completed malolactic fermentation, adding texture and complexity. The wine then undergoes its second fermentation in bottle and spends about two years aging on its lees before disgorgement, helping develop the subtle brioche and creamy notes that complement its bright fruit and acidity.

The 2022 is crisp, energetic and dry, with green apple, grapefruit, golden apple and white peach alongside tangerine and lemon lime. The extended lees aging adds subtle pastry and creamy notes, while the acidity keeps the wine focused and refreshing through the finish. It is a classic expression of Schramsberg’s style: polished and complex enough for a special occasion, but bright and approachable enough to open with dinner any night of the week.