NV Blanc de Blancs

VQA Niagara Escarpment

About This Wine:

Our Blanc de Blancs is made entirely from Chardonnay grapes, which we grow in the limestone-clay soils of our vineyards along the benchlands of the Niagara Escarpment. Vinified in the Traditional Method, it was fermented and aged sur lie in bottle for a minimum of 36 months prior to disgorging. The result is a dry, Brut-style sparkling wine exhibiting delicate effervescence mineral nuances that are true to its cool-climate 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:

60% Chardonnay, 40% Chardonnay Musqué

Harvest Data:

Sept. 10 - 15
Sugar- 19º Brix
Titratable Acitity- 9.12 g/L
pH- 3.13

Vinification:

The base wine was fermented dry, 85% in tank and 15% in neutral 225L and 500L Frenh oak, using selected yeasts, all lots were aged sur lie for 6 months prior to tirage and a further 36 months prior to disgorging; the dosage was 2 g/L

Bottling Data:

Tirage- April 2016;Disgorging April 2019
Alc./Vol. 12%
Residual Sugar- 3.6 g/L
Titratable Acidity- 7.8 g/L
pH- 3.02

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