Amista Amistara Extra Brut Blanc de Blanc NV
NV, Dry Creek Valley, California, USA
Loading tasteimonials...
Profile & Story
2023 was a beautiful vintage. We had tons of rain all winter long and a very delayed budbreak and bloom. The summer was warm but temperate with no crazy weather. This allowed for a long hang time in all our blocks and a very slow ripening. The natural acidities were preserved in the grapes which made for lovely and ageable wines. This is a stand out and age worthy vintage. Our Wente block of Chardonnay at Morningsong is affectionately referred to as our 'lemonade block' because of the cartons around the young vines when the block was planted in 2010. This block grows on former river bed soil so it is filled with minerality and brightness that shines through from the soil to the grapes to the final wine. We picked these grapes by hand at daybreak and immediately pressed them off the skins so they would be very fresh and pure in aroma and flavor from very minimal contact with the skins and seeds. We fermented cold in a stainless steel tank for over one month. After fermentation, the wine went to bottle for a second fermentation for 12 months.
Tasting Notes
Our Amistara is such a special wine. The addition of a small amount of the newer vintage of our concrete fermented Chardonnay really highlights the depth, fruit tones and baked bread characteristics of the wine. The aromas are of crisp green apple baked in a pie shell, wildflower honey, lemon zest and lemon verbena. The palate is bright and delicious with lots of natural acidity and great tension across the palate. This wine is delicious now but is also an age worthy sparkling as well!