Schramsberg Brut North Coast Mirabelle NV

91 points/'Editors' Choice,' Wine Enthusiast: "This elegant, dry bubbly has a light-gold color, aromas like peach skin and white cherries, and flavors that are crisp, fruity and vivid. It starts out reserved before opening up to riper, richer tones, partly due to 15% reserve wine in the blend. Not just for toasting, it will make a very good match with seafood."

90 points Erin Brooks (Wine Advocate): "The NV Mirabelle Brut features baked yellow apples, toasted brioche, beeswax and floral aromas on the nose. Medium-bodied and dry, it has vigorous mousse and a gentle roundness to its texture. It balances savory and toasty flavors with youthful fruit and has a long, crisp finish."

Producer notes: "[$30 list] 68% Chardonnay, 32% Pinot Noir. County Composition: 44% Sonoma, 42% Napa, 9% Mendocino, 5% Marin. This flavorful, bright bubbly exhibits the crisp acidity and vibrant apple/citrus fruit that is characteristic of cool-climate Chardonnay. Pinot Noir adds body to the palate and further depth of fruit flavor. The grapes for Mirabelle are grown in the cool-climate pockets of Californias North Coast, including the Napa-Carneros, Sonoma Coast, Anderson Valley, and Marin County. The fruit is hand-picked in the early morning hours at optimal maturity. Individual lot fermentations allow the winemakers to carefully select the components that make up the finished blend. After bottle fermentation and two years of aging en tirage, subsequent trials determine the ideal dosage to finish this brut style. Mirabelle Brut is delicious as a dry apéritif and is also well-suited as an accompaniment to a broad range of foods, including oysters on the half shell, sushi, baked halibut, country fried chicken, cream-based pasta dishes, fruits, nuts and cheeses. Alcohol 12.5%."