2012 Sextant Sparkling

This inaugural release of the Sextant Sparkling celebrates the culmination of over ten years of suspense…the ultimate in winemaking anticipation…the realization of Nancy and Craig Stoller’s vision.

An Immediate Classic
Classically made, this lovely dry sparkling is a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir hand-picked in the cool morning hours on the historic MacGregor Vineyard, the oldest still cultivated in the Edna Valley on California’s Central Coast. The berries were gently pressed before cold fermentation in small stainless-steel vessels. We selected and blended for tirage the following spring, adding a liqueur made of yeast and sugar to begin secondary fermentation in the bottle. The magic truly began when the bottles were carefully laid to rest within steel riddling cages in our cool, dark cellar where they slumbered for a full eight years before disgorgement and addition of the final dosage. Another nine months of bottle aging followed before this masterpiece of patience and determination was finally released – a sparkling wine of traditional French style unique to California.