Schramsberg 2007 Brut Rose

Schramsberg Brut Rose, 2007.  This is what we were sipping when the ball dropped and the first moments of 2012 slipped into play.  And I can only hope this is a sign of good things to come because this bottle was absolutely wonderful.  We picked it up in Napa when we took a tour of the living cave that houses Schramsberg’s beautiful creations.  It was an early morning on day three of our wine adventure and I have to admit that things were beginning to run together.  So when I popped the cork on this gorgeous bottle I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect.  First, the color of this rose is so special – peach hues with an antique tint.  Not bright pink like the roses that have given the method a bad name.  It gave us a bold first sip with bright flavors typical of a pinot noir (which is the primary grape used in this bottle) – strong berries with a tart undertone.  It had a beautiful, clean finish.  We savored every sip and this is now at the top of my list as a favorite sparkling.  If you find yourself in Napa I would encourage a trip to Schramsberg, including the tour.  Schramsberg is American royalty when it comes to our version of Champagne and their caves are spectacular.  Find out more here – Schramsberg – and poke around for some of their other bottles the next time you are at a wine shop.  I have found their Blanc de Blancs for $25.  Not a bad buy, especially for a special occasion.  And Schramsberg lives up to that as it certainly brightened our New Year’s evening and gave us a refreshing and delicious start to 2012.