2016 White Spark

White

VA - Loudoun - Middleburg

$55.00 / 750 mL Bottle

Alcohol 12%
pH 3.02

Bottling Date 12/2020

Also known as Casey's Cuvee! 100% Estate Chardonnay. Produced in the methode champenoise. Aged 36 months in bottle before manual disgorgement & dosage for a Brut style. ------------------------------------------------------------------- WINEMAKING NOTES Our White Spark Blanc de Blancs is made from 100% Chardonnay from the Estate produced in the Méthode Champenoise winemaking style. After hand-harvesting and sorting in the vineyard, our grapes were gently transported into small lugs and then stored for one night in a cold room. The day after, the grapes were sorted again on a sorting table before being pressed with a specific sparkling pressing program: only the “Coeur de cuvée” or “middle juice” from the press was used to make this sparkling. Cold-settling occurred for one night and then alcoholic fermentation began in stainless steel tank. This base wine was fermented and aged entirely in stainless steel. In May of the following year, the base wine underwent secondary fermentation in bottle after the addition of yeast, nutrients for the yeast, and sugar. The bottling was done by hand and the bottles were stored in layers via wire cage to be aged on lees. After 41 months, we proceeded to manually disgorge (or “remove”) the yeasts precipitate (or “lees”) from the bottles and then added a dosage liquor to each bottle (the dosage liquor contained a high concentration of sugar to result in a final product at 6 g/l). We then completed bottling by replacing the capsule closure with natural cork and wire, all done by hand on October 22, 2020. TASTING & PAIRING NOTES Bright, clear color – mineral – pastry & brioche – silky bubble structure – apple – pear Pairs best with brunch food (French toast, quiche, pastries) – fried foods – sweet & salty combinations PRODUCTION DETAILS Vintage Year: 2016 Vineyard: 100% Casanel Vineyard – 100% Estate Appellation: AVA Middleburg Composition: 100% Chardonnay Average Vine Age: 8 & 9 years Harvest Date: 8/24/16 Bottling/Tirage Date (for secondary fermentation in bottles): 5/24/17 Disgorging Date: 10/22/2020 Primary Fermentation: Stainless Steel Yeast: Spark ML: 0% pH: 3.02 Alcohol: 12.0% vol. Residual Sugar: 6 g/l in glucose-fructose (added with dosage/expedition liquor) .6% RS (Extra Brut) Primary Aging: 100% Stainless Steel Aging Time in Tirage: 41 months Cases produced: 59 cases Cellaring: Enjoy it now to 2029.

Maker Name

Katie DeSouza Henley & Tyler Henley

Vineyard/Orchard Name

Casanel Vineyards