Presidential Pedigree
- First-Class Sparkling Wine Value
2009 Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs
The plain fact is that Schramsberg is producing the most compelling and rigorous sparkling wine in the New World.
Making great sparkling wine is extremely difficult, but Schramsberg has managed to excel in the category. It can go head-to-head with great Champagne.
We've witnessed it ourselves.
In 2007, we participated in a blind tasting of sparklers, which included all the big tête de cuvées. The Schramsberg was selected by more than a few people for wine of the night, proving it can certainly hold its own in France's League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.
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Schramsberg is not only the finest domestic sparkling wine, it's also one of the great values in wine. It's a good move to stock up on for the upcoming festivities and beyond.
Obviously our heart lies within Champagne, but the quality that Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs delivers for the price is hard to deny - it qualitatively drinks like Champagnes twice its price.
Schramsberg is an important chapter in California winemaking history - it's a beautiful example of the trail-blazing spirit of American viniculture. In 1965, Jamie and Jack Davies set out to Napa from LA to do something no one else had done yet in America: they wanted to make great sparkling wines based on Champagne's grapes and Champagne's methods - secondary fermentation in bottle, aging the wines for several years before release, etc.
In no time at all, Schramsberg was realizing its goal - producing exemplary American sparkling wine. Their flagship Blanc de Blancs has made quite a name for itself over five decades of vintages - it has been used in some official capacity by every president since Nixon.
Perhaps the ultimate sign of Schramsberg's success was that French Champagne houses started to flock to California. Names like Moët & Chandon, Mumm, and Roederer now all have domestic sparkling wine in their portfolio.
The 2009 Blanc de Blancs is a great edition of this superb sparkler. It lends waves of crisp apple, creamy lemon and tangy pineapple flavors to complement the usual stone fruit and lime zest while hints of fresh-baked brioche and toasted hazelnut round out the nose and palate.
While Schramsberg's 09 Blanc de Blancs is perfect for the celebrations that will occur over the next couple weeks, it's also a good move to pick up a few extra bottles. After a couple years in the cellar, the wine will get richer, deeper and more complex. It has the body and persistence to excel at the table with anything from seafood to fried chicken.
To order, please email us at offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.
Robert Schagrin
Managing Partner
Crush Wine & Spirits