A Special Release for Spring 2022
Road 31 “20th Anniversary” Méthode Champenoise, 2017 Blanc de Noir, Carneros, Napa Valley.
This was a triumph of bubbles over fire...
In 2020, smoke damaged—beyond recovery—my traditional Pinot Noir. It was an enological and spiritual disaster of epic proportions, on what was to be my 20th anniversary of crafting Road 31 wine. After a good cry on the empty crush pad, I had an epiphany: there was Pinot Noir, from my same vineyards — though from previous vintages, when Mother Nature was in a friendlier mood —sitting in various friends’ cellars in the form of base wine intended for sparkling wine. I could buy it, finish it, make it my own…make sparking—something I’ve always wanted to do—and celebrate 20 years.
To learn more about the story behind this special “20th Anniversary” Méthode Champenoise, read the Release Letter.
About The Wine
This sparkling wine was crafted with strict adherence to the traditional, labor-intensive, “Méthode Champenoise” process. It underwent a secondary fermentation in bottle to form its bubbles, sitting “en tirage” (on yeast lees, in bottle) for three long years. Blending trials—oh what fun—ensued, resulting in a “goldilocks” (just right) dosage of 8g/L. Riddling, disgorgment, and dosage were executed in May 2021.
| Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir | Alcohol at bottle: 12% |
| Harvest Dates: Aug 7 - 20 | pH: 3.0 |
| Time En Tirage: 3 years | TA: 8g/ml |
| Disgorgement: May 2021 | Total Production: 750 cases |
| Dosage: .8% |
Claim Your Allocation
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