Grande Cuvée Blanc de Noir 2013 Recently Disgorged
Tasting Notes
This limited production of Recently Disgorged Grande Cuvée 2013 has spent 7 years on the lees giving it an extra touch of brioche and bread characteristics. On the palate, it is rich but fresh with flavours of brown sugar, grilled lemon, white cherries and a touch of earthiness and mineral, balanced by firm acidity and a full mouthfeel. The mousse is fine and persistent with a finish of roast caramel and white cherry.
Perfectly ready to drink on release either as an aperitif or paired with a variety of fare from fresh shellfish, rich risotto to bloomy rind cheese. Will also benefit from short to medium-term ageing to further develop complexities.
$69.95
APPELLATION
VQA Creek Shores
VINEYARD
100% Whitty Vineyard
GRAPE VARIETY
100% Pinot Noir
BRIX AT HARVEST
19.2
ALCOHOL CONTENT
12.5%
RESIDUAL SUGAR
5 grams/Litre
WINEMAKING NOTES
Produced only in exceptional vintages, our Grande Cuvée is 100% Pinot Noir sourced from our Whitty Vineyard in Creek Shores. After a careful manual harvest, the whole bunches of Pinot Noir are put into the press where the free-run juice is separated out and blended with the first gentle press to extract juice but not colour or phenolics. After primary fermentation, the wine was then prepared and bottled for secondary fermentation. This release of Recently Disgorged Grande Cuvée has aged on lees for seven years during which the bubbles became smaller and more compact and autolysis, or the development of toast and bread character, took place. After disgorging, winemaker Jean-Pierre Colas felt the wine was in perfect balance so decided to not add any sugar to the dosage resulting in a classically dry sparkling wine in the zero dosage style. This wine was not exposed to oak and did not undergo malolactic fermentation.
Rick Vansickle, Wines in Niagara
The Grande Cuvée is only produced in exceptional vintages. It is 100% Pinot Noir sourced from the estate’s Whitty Vineyard in the Creek Shores sub-appellation. After careful manual harvest, the whole bunches of Pinot Noir are put into the press where the free run juice is separated out and blended with the first gentle press to extract juice but not colour or phenolics. The wine was aged on its lees for seven years and no sugar was added, only the base wine was used for the dosage. What a masterpiece! Such a personable sparkling wine with an intriguing nose of mature apple, pear, smoky/flinty notes, lemon curd and brioche/autolytic accents. The colour is golden in the glass with a soft, persistent, and elegant bead. On the palate look for baked pear, stony/saline minerality, ripe apple, lifted lemon-centric citrus notes with rousing acidity keeping it fresh and lifted though a luxurious and long finish. Wow!
Jacky Blisson, MW, WineAlign
Pleasing nose of red apple, brioche, ginger biscuit, and spring floral hints. On the palate, crisp acidity and fine bubbles lead into a rich, creamy mid-palate. Finishes tangy and dry with lingering nutty flavours. Tasted Oct 27, 2021
Michael Godel , WineAlign
Aromatically speaking there exudes neither more complexity nor more understanding of what wants and needs in sparkling wine made from pinot noir. The toasty excess and colourless, fruit compote exceptionality could be too much if it were not for everything else that distracts and draws attention. A spice box of masalas and rubs, citrus of so many ilk and herbs fresh, sweet and mashed into pesto. An evolved and anti-vivid expression such as this is both mesmerizing and comforting. Years of life ahead. Drink 2020-2026. Tasted October 2020.
Decanter Awards 2022, Decanter
Silver: Inviting aromas of nut, honey, peach and apricot; crisp palate is layered with apple, stone fruit and herb.
