91 Points Wine & Spirits
A fresh new release from Scharffenberger, Roederer Estate’s sister winery in Anderson Valley, this feels clean and sunny, with green melon, raw almond and green tea notes that last. It’s refreshing and comfortably balanced, the best wine from Scharffenberger we’ve tasted in many years.
 
Winemaker Notes
Scharffenberger Brut Excellence is made by the traditional méthode champenoise process – whereby the wines are individually bottle-fermented before being riddled and disgorged. The wine is approximately two-thirds Pinot Noir and one-third Chardonnay and undergoes 100% malolactic fermentation. Scharffenberger Brut is made from its own 120-acre vineyards in the Anderson Valley. In addition, Scharffenberger Cellars has long-term contracts with select vineyards in the greater Mendocino County. This type of vineyard selection allows us to choose from the best vineyards in the area which enables us to produce our trademark cuvée.
The wine is two-thirds Pinot Noir which produces a red fruit (cherry and plum) forward nose combined with one-third Chardonnay which adds the tropical expression of litchi nut and mango. The 100% malolactic fermentation adds a vanilla cream character producing a round and full-bodied wine. After approximately two years on the yeast lees, there are notes of freshly baked bread and pastry that enhances the more fruit-forward style of the wine. Finally, after several months on the cork the wine develops caramel and hazel complexors.