This 2016 Blanc de Blancs has bright aromas of ripe green apple, Bosc pear, sweet spice and buttered brioche, which intermingle with hints of fresh ginger, stone fruit and coriander. Honeycrisp apple, grilled lemon, and orange peel bring fruitful notes to the mid-palate, ending with a clean crisp acidity that’s punctuated with caramelized and tropical flavors. Blanc de Blancs (white from white), made from Chardonnay, is the counterpart to the Blanc de Noirs (white from black), made from Pinot Noir. Blanc de Blancs was the first wine Schramsberg produced in 1965 and was America’s first commercially produced Chardonnay-based brut sparkling wine. Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs gained international recognition in 1972 when then President Nixon served the wine at the historic “Toast to Peace” in Beijing, China. The Schramsberg style of Blanc de Blancs is dry and crisp. Small lots of malolactic- and barrel-fermented wines are added for complexity. The wine is aged on the yeast lees in the bottle for almost two years prior to disgorgement. With its vibrant, fruitful and crisp nature, this sparkling wine will maintain its freshness, structure and refined finish for many years, even decades, following its initial release. For the 2017 vintage, abundant winter rains prior to the growing season helped recharge reservoirs and groundwater. Spring weather was cool to mild, with increased vine vigor and extended flowering in some areas. After a summer of heat spikes, harvest started in the beginning of August. Warm days and cool nights throughout harvest encouraged exceptional fruit development while maintaining bright acidity.