2021 Blanc de Noir Sparkling - Black Label

Varietal: 44% Pinot Noir, 56% Chardonnay

Appellation:  Sonoma Coast, Mendocino County

pH: 3.16

TA: 8.0

RS: 2.7g/L

Years on Yeast: 2 years, 11 months

Fermentation: Primary fermentation completed in a mix of stainless-steel and neutral oak barrels at cellar temperature.  Secondary fermentation completely arrested.

The VML Sparkling program got going almost as early as the VML brand began.  At that time (and actually still to this day), we didn’t have the equipment at our facility to make Sparkling wines in the traditional method, which was the style we preferred.  Enter Ironhorse.  David Munksgard, the incredible mind behind all of the wonderful Ironhorse Sparkling wines, agreed to help us out.  We would pick the grapes, do the primary fermentation at our facility, and then send them off to his team to coax them to the finish line.  It’s been an absolute delight to collaborate with him, and the wines are definitely better for it.

The 2021 Black Label was aged on lees for just about 3 years, giving it complexity and depth that only comes from extended aging.  Slightly pink in color, the nose shows green apple, lemon lime, hints of freshly baked French bread, and straw.  Palate weight is medium to elegant, with apple blossom, tart strawberry, and tangerine all present.  Tight bubbles lengthen the finish, with a nice zip of acid counterbalancing the more fruit forward notes abound.