Freshly-baked strawberry pastry, lifted jasmine, lemon zest. Crunchy nectarine, crushed stone, tart watermelon candy. A deliciously lively and spirited procession of white raspberry, ruby grapefruit, and Rainier cherry highlights a pure and impressively delicate fruit core bursting with soft yet zippy evervesence. Suggestions of sourdough and flaky croissant gracefully emerge within a thread of gorgeous bready impressions that playfully intersect with mineral hints of Himalayan sea salt and fresh coastal earthiness. Wafts of cherry blossom and wildflowers provide a range of understated floral overtones that rise above subtle natural notes of autumn leaves, pine needle, and mint. Beautiful precise, nuanced, and complex on the palate while displaying outstanding energy and poise; exhibiting a perfectly crisp and dry presentation that is dainty, finesse-driven, and impressively well balanced. Light bodied and carried by brilliant acidity. This 2017 Estate Brut Rosé by Cuvaison is a pretty and elegant sparking wine from Los Carneros.

Crafting a diverse lineup of wine from their estate vineyards on the Napa Valley side of Los Carneros, Cuvaison is a storied family-owned producer that has been consistently elevating cool climate viticulture in California since their founding in 1969. This bottling, made in Méthode Champenoise using 65% Pinot Noir/35% Chardonnay sourced from the Cuvaison Estate, is an excellent example of the elegance and complexity that well made California bubbly can express. This wine gleams with a fresh and zesty citrus and red-fruited core layered with captivating autolytic notes, delicate floral tones, and pleasant saline minerality. This is substantial enough to enjoy on its own yet still delicate enough to mesh well with even the most hard-to-pair foods, and should hold up well to moderate term cellaring. Delicious.