2016 Estate Brut Rosé - Cuvaison

Delicate strawberry, baker's yeast, dried lemon peel. Rainier cherry, forest floor, pink grapefruit pith. Peach skin, citrus zest, and raspberry essence seamlessly converge with broken flint, cheese rind, and wildflowers in a layered and impressively expressive display. Nuanced impressions of white mushroom, dried clay, and crushed seashell emerge to enhance the multidimensional bouquet with a dose of pretty organic funk while coriander and nutmeg reveal a gentle dusting of spice. A hint of gunsmoke exposes a mild air of reduction that plays wonderfully with sourdough and complex leesy character. Rich and broad yet perfectly weightless on the palate; exhibiting a mouth-filling and distinctly vinous quality fleshed out by fine and delicate mousse. Decidedly full in body for sparkling yet not the least bit heavy thanks to a crisp backbone of deliciously high acidity. This 2016 Estate Brut Rosé by Cuvaison is an intriguing and outstandingly executed Méthode Champenoise sparkler from Napa Valley's Los Carneros.

While Napa is certainly known for putting out some of the world's greatest expressions of Cabernet, the Valley's most southerly reaches are uniquely capable of producing spectacular cool climate wine thanks to the pronounced moderating influence of the nearby San Pablo Bay. This bottling, crafted by Cuvaison using 70% Pinot Noir/30% Chardonnay sourced from their estate in Los Carneros and produced via Méthode Champenoise, proves that Napa can shape sparkling wine of absolutely exceptional quality. Although fuller, richer, and more bright-fruited than one might expect from a traditional bottle of Champagne, this wine expresses similarly captivating autolytic complexity paired with interesting earthy and saline undercurrents. It is broad yet suprisingly delicate while remaining perfectly nuanced; never allowing its concentration to overwhelm even its subtlest of charms. Well done.