Sold Out: Solera Sparkling Chardonnay NV no. 1

Vinification Notes:

The base still (dry) wine, aka vin clair, was first selected from Hawkeye Ranch Chardonnay from 2018 (two barrels) and 2019 (one barrel). On September 5, 2020, we hand-harvested the 2020 Hawkeye Chardonnay and refrigerated approximately 30 gallons of the freshly pressed juice in a catering-style cold box set to 33℉. Keeping the juice at this temperature prevents the native yeast from beginning to ferment the available sugars until bottling.

To create a sparkling wine, we allowed the chilled 2020 juice to come to room temperature and begin native fermentation to use as the liqueur de tirage, leaving enough remaining sugar and yeast in the total blend to continue fermenting in bottle and create CO2 bubbles, and blended this fresh juice with the aged base wine. We quickly hand-bottled under crown cap to capture the active fermentation and kept the bottled wine sur latte (on it’s side, to increase lees contact) for 10 months before riddling the lees sur pointe (settling the lees to the neck of the bottle). The sparkling wine was then disgorged without additions and each bottle was finished under cork and cage.

Serving Temp:

Straight out of the fridge. This wine will come into itself as it warms up slightly, but is best with a chill. If sipping throughout the evening, keep bottle chilled with an ice bucket or put back in the fridge periodically. Unfinished bottles can be stored with a clamped champagne stopper to preserve the bubbles through the following evening.

At Bottling:

12.5% alcohol. Unfined. Unfiltered. At disgorgement (September 1, 2021): free SO2 < 2 mg/L, total SO2 12 mg/L. 1.1 g/L RS (dry).