Why America’s Ultra-Aged Sparkling Wines Are Having a Moment
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While the United Sates has been recognized for years as the home of some of the world’s finest sparkling wine, a more recent development on our shores is the release of long-aged bubbly made in the style of the finest Champagne. Bottles from a single vintage that are aged on their lees for at least five years—and in some cases almost 20—are far more complex and profound than their much younger siblings. No longer a one-off among houses with French origins, ultra-aged American sparkling is a small but rapidly growing category appreciated by those who enjoy French-style sparkling with an American pedigree.
One of the leaders in the field is Domaine Carneros, whose château at the southern entrance to Napa Valley is a familiar landmark to frequent wine country travelers. Established in 1987 by Champagne’s Taittinger family, its Le Rêve is a Napa sibling to the famed Taittinger Blanc de Blancs Comtes de Champagne, this time made with Carneros Chardonnay. The current vintage of Domaine Carneros Le Rêve Blanc de Blancs, 2018, spent seven years en tirage, resting on its lees after secondary fermentation had taken place in the bottle.
“Extended lees aging is a major contributor to the quality of traditional method sparkling wine,” explains Domaine Carneros CEO Remi Cohen. “As the wine ages on the lees, yeast cells gradually break down releasing compounds that enhance flavor and texture.” This process aids in the development of classic sparkling wine flavors such as shortbread, brioche, and crème fraiche as well as a smooth, creamy mouthfeel and a sense of opulence. The cool, consistent temperatures of 2018 allowed for slow fruit maturation, complex flavor development, and beautiful tension and acidity in the sparkling wines, so this edition of La Rêve also offers notes of citrus, lychee, and Bartlett pear.
Farther north in the valley, Schramsberg Vineyards has been making sparkling wine since Jack and Jamie Davies purchased the abandoned historic estate in 1965. Their son Hugh, who was born that same year and has worked at Schramsberg for 30 years, taking over in 2005, says, “We have been pushing our envelope of quality as hard as possible for 62 vintages.” The latest long-aged release, Schramsberg Vineyards 2007 Late Disgorged J. Schram, is a cuvée of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from some of Napa’s finest vineyards, grown in a season that’s been called the best of the decade.
“There certainly aren’t as many examples of 19-year-old sparkling wines produced in the United States as there are in Champagne,” Davies says, adding that using barrel and malolactic fermentation in the initial base blend gives this bottling a richness more reminiscent of its French cousins. However, Davies notes that certain qualities are pure California. “The elevated natural acidity in the wine is reflective of the cool North Coast vineyard set that we work with, lending us exceptional crispness upon entry and length to the finish,” he says. “Additionally, I would think that the wine’s layered fruitful core, albeit nearly 20 years in, is also reflective of our Pacific terroir.”
These spend more time like this than your average bubbly.
Domaine Willamette
Oregon’s Domaine Willamette is one of the finest examples of the state’s prowess in sparkling wine, a natural extension of its preeminent reputation for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.Domaine Willamette 2017 Extended Tirage Brut, the winery’s first long-aged release, is a result of a quest to see how patient aging could result in a richer, more developed sparkling wine. “While shorter aging highlights bright fruit and freshness, seven years in tirage gives the wine room to build texture, depth, and integration naturally,” says Terry Culton, director of winemaking and vineyards. “The result is a more evolved expression of méthode traditionnelle, with greater richness and a broader range of character alongside the wine’s fruit profile.”
Domaine Willamette doesn’t aim to replicate Champagne, but Culton says it wants to uphold the same standards of quality and craftsmanship developed there over centuries. “Our goal is to create a sparkling wine of distinction that reflects the unique character of our estate vineyards, our Willamette Valley terroir, and the cool-climate conditions that make Oregon such a compelling place to craft sparkling wine,” he explains.
Fans of pink bubbles will surely enjoy Gran Moraine Yamhill-Carlton Extended Tirage Brut Rosé NV, which spends six years on its lees. “We pick to preserve bright acidity and freshness, giving the wine the structure it needs to benefit from extended aging on its lees,” winemaker Shane Moore says. “Over time, that freshness allows richness and layers of character to develop.” Speaking about the shift in the wine’s character such as a decrease in the freshness of fruit notes and the development of finer bubbles and more intricate flavors, he adds, “It’s a bit like letting a soup simmer longer;the fruit recedes, and other layers come forward.”
The extended lees aging adds a depth that makes this style of wine exceptionally food friendly. Arthur Hon, sommelier at New York City wine bar Lei, enjoys Domaine Carneros 2000 Le Rêve Late Disgorged Blanc de Blancs for its seductive velvety texture and flavors of salted taffy apple and toasted almond with gentle but lively citrus notes. He recommends pairing it with roast chicken or pork Milanese with parmesan breadcrumbs: “The gentle umami flavors of roast chicken or a classic Milanese in crispy cheese coating pair lovely with the fruity and savory notes of the wine.” At Jory at the Allison Inn & Spa in Newberg, Ore., wine director Elaine Kim likes to pour Gran Moraine Extended Tirage Brut Rosé NV alongside wagyu steak frites. “The wine’s acidity and elegant flavors both stand up perfectly to this dish in a way that feels light, refreshing, and really satisfying,” she says. “Both the dish and the wine give you decadence that’s delicious and approachable.” It turns out that patience isn’t just a virtue; it is also the special ingredient in some of America’s best sparkling wines.
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