NV Blanc de Blancs

VQA Niagara Escarpment

About This Wine:

This sparkling wine originates from our Cave Spring Vineyard, located on a hillside of the Niagara Escarpment overlooking Lake Ontario known as the Beamsville Bench. Bottle fermented in the Traditional Method principally from Chardonnay, it was aged sur lie for a ninimum of 18 months prior to disgorging, resulting in a dry, brut-style wine exhibiting the delicate effervescence and mineral nuances reflective of its origins.

Origin:

Niagara Escarpment

Soil:

Stony clay till composed primarily of limestone and dolostone mixed with sandstone, shale and traces of granite and gneiss; soils overlie moraine and sandstone/shale bedrock; depth ranges from 4 to 8 m

Composition:

95% Chardonnay, 5% Riesling

Harvest Data:

Sept 25 - Oct 31, 2017
Sugar- 18.9º Brix
Titratable Acitity- 9.8 g/L
pH- 3.16

Vinification:

The base wine was fermented dry, 85% in tank and 15% in neutral 225L and 500L French oak, using selected yeasts, all lots were aged sur lie for 5 months prior to tirage; aged sur lie in bottle for 18 months prior to disgorging; 3 g/L dosage

Bottling Data:

Alc./Vol. 12%
Residual Sugar- 3 g/L
Titratable Acidity- 8.3 g/L
pH- 3.13

Tasting Notes:

On the nose, aromas of bread dough, green apple and lemon merangue lead the way over top nuances of wet stone and hazelnuts. The palate is dry with a very fine, tight and vivacious mousse. It is creamy in feel up front, becoming richly textured and mineral on the mid-palate, with lively apple fruit throughout. The finish is long and full, with intense toast and yeast overtones alongside hints of citrus.

Taste Profile:

Dry (D)

Serving Suggestions:

Raw oysters; lobster bisque or clam chowder; game terrine; fried or lightly battered shellfish; sushi/sashimi; omelettes and quiches; heavier seafood off the grill (e.g., halibut, prawns); smoked duck; or as an aperitif.

Ageability:

This crisp, Crémant-style sparkler, driven by its primary fruit character, will gain in complexity until at least 2025.

Ontario Retail Price:

$29.95

Availability:

Winery, LCBO (213983), selected Grocery Stores

Reviews & Accolades:

WINE ACCESS: This wine is the flagship for Cave Spring's increasingly important sparkling wine focus, which now involves four labels. It won a Lieutenant-Governor's Award in 2012. This 100% chardonnay was aged for three years, building subtle almond complexity into the dried apple, lemon and shortbread aromas. It is light-bodied, lively, gentle, delicate and a touch sweet, yet built on a beam of mineral acidity. There's excellent length on the finish. This is a terrific blanc de blanc. 91 points. David Lawrason