2017 Schramsberg Juster Vineyard Blanc de Noirs

Schramsberg Vineyards is one of California’s most historic wine producers. Located a few miles south of Calistoga, the estate was founded in 1862 by Jacob Schram, a German immigrant who came from a winemaking family along the Rhine River. By the end of the 19th century Schram’s California estate was producing wines that were acclaimed in New York and elsewhere. In the 20th century the estate changed hands several times, then Jack Davies and his wife Jamie purchased it in 1965 with the idea of making sparkling wine. By the 1970s the Davies’ sparkling wines were considered so exceptional that they were served at the White House. Schramsberg is now run by Hugh Davies, Jack and Jamie’s youngest son. Besides a full line of sparkling wines, the estate also produces Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir.

Alexander Valley is an American Viticultural Area just north of Healdsburg, in Sonoma County. It was granted AVA status in 1984, with amendments made in subsequent years. The Russian River flows through the valley, and the region was named for Cyrus Alexander, a 19th century landowner and grape grower. The AVA includes 15,000 vineyard acres, much of it rich, alluvial soil layered on a bed of gravel, somewhat similar to many vineyards in Bordeaux. Alexander Valley is sheltered from marine weather by the low hills northeast of Healdsburg, though it is often shrouded in the morning fog coming off the Russian River. Some of the earliest commercial winemaking in the area started in the 1880s, when immigrants formed the Italian Swiss Colony cooperative at Asti. The region made jug wines until the 1960s and 1970s, when a new wave of quality-minded producers started estates. Today Alexander Valley is home to some of California’s most admired wineries, including Simi, Stonestreet and the Francis Ford Coppola Winery. Silver Oak Cellars, though based in Napa Valley, has a second winery in Alexander Valley where it makes Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Many grapes do well in the Alexander Valley, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and Zinfandel.