NV EXTRA BRUT ROSÉ MARCHANT VINEYARD FARMHOUSE BLOCK

Christian and Juergen Grieb are our partner winemakers for this bottling, and it really is a wonderful partnership. They’re Washington-focused sparkling winemakers, and they pull this Pinot Noir for us from a single block of a single vineyard called Marchant. Marchant Vineyard is a cool-climate Yakima Valley Vineyard; just cool enough to be perfect for Pinot Noir, and that’s all they grow there. We’re pulling from a block closest to the farmhouse on the property: hence the “Farmhouse Block” designation.

We settled on a brisk five grams per liter dosage. This puts us in the “Extra Brut” category; drier than Brut. Our bubbly saw extended time on the lees, a full 24 months before disgorgement. The wine clocks in at 12% listed alc and pours into the glass with a delicate pink color. The aromatic fruit profile mixes red fruits (strawberry, red cherry) with stone fruits (peach, nectarine). Then there are leesy notes of bread and almond paste, and some no-doubt-about-it Pinot savory/salty notes (think chicken stock). The texture is very delicate, with fine ethereal bubbles. I love how the low dosage allows Pinot’s mineral and savory subtleties to play a major role here. There’s no hiding behind sugar; everything is transparent. The finish is salt-dusted strawberry, mouthwatering and delicious and expressive of this special little patch of Washington terroir.

I’d pair this with so many different foods. Autumn/winter bisques and chowders and other creamy soups, for sure. Shrimp and grits? Absolutely. Chicken and pork dishes should be no problem either. Drink it with a cheese course; hell, drink it with breakfast! I’ve been loving a simple breakfast lately where you caramelize leeks in butter (onions work too, but I prefer the grassy edge of leeks), then scramble eggs in with your leeks. When the eggs are nearly firm, add a nob of Boursin (the peppercorn version works great too) and stir to combine. Pair it with simple greens w/ a miso vinaigrette, and pour a big slug of our bubbly. Weekend paradise.

Tech Sheet for the NV-Extra-Brut-Rose