2017 Archangel Blanc de Noir VQA

Although the tradition of making sparkling wine is more than 500 years old, it has recently experienced a sort of renaissance amongst wine drinkers. These curious drinkers are recognizing that some of the highest quality sparkling wines come from non-traditional places and are in fact excellent everyday wines, not just for celebratory events.

Our sparkling wine history dates back to 2007, when we experimented with a small bottling of Pinot Noir Rosé. We were so pleased with the results that we moved on to create a blanc de blancs (white wine made from white grapes).

All of our Archangel sparkling wines are vinified using the traditional method, which means that the wine was aged on lees in the bottle that is available on the shelf. A pure and elegant way of crafting sparkling wine, this method allows the wine to develop a great amount of complexity, while maintaining its delicate character. We believe that wine should be a reflection of the local terroir and the nuances of each vintage, therefore our sparkling wines are vintage dated.

In the end, the wine speaks for itself with notes of green apple, pear and bread on the nose. The bubbles on the palate explode, creating a clean and fresh feeling, assisted further by a touch of tart acidity. Tree fruits such as citrus, apple, peach and pear are the immediate flavours. The finish is both long and dry.

 

Varietal:	Chardonnay
Vineyard:	Angels Gate Estate
Aging Process:	Bottle Fermented (Traditional Method)
Alcohol:	12%
Cases:	6000

 

Although the tradition of making sparkling wine is more than 500 years old, it has recently experienced a sort of renaissance amongst wine drinkers.  These curious drinkers are recognizing that some of the highest quality sparkling wines come from non-traditional places and are in fact excellent everyday wines, not just for celebratory events.

All of our Archangel sparkling wines are vinified using the traditional method, which means that the wine was aged on lees in the bottle that is available on the shelf.  A pure and elegant way of crafting sparkling wine, this method allows the wine to develop a great amount of complexity, while maintaining its delicate character.  We believe that wine should be a reflection of the local terroir and the nuances of each vintage, therefore our sparkling wines are vintage dated.

While the rosé colour is a draw for many, this wine speaks for itself on the nose and palate.  Hints of cherry, cotton candy and orange peel are prominent up front, with hints of baked apple and stewed cranberry in lingering in the background.  The palate is quite fruit forward, considering this vintage spent nearly 5 years on lees.  On the palate, the berry flavours are supported by an underlying note of toast and nut.

Pair this sparkling with salmon steak, peppered pork loin, shellfish or glazed ham.

Varietal:	Pinot Noir 55%, Pinot Meunier 20%, Chardonnay 20%, Dornfelder 5%
Vineyard:	Kew Vineyard, AG Estate Vineyard
Aging Process:	Bottle Fermented (Traditional Method), Five years on Lees
Alcohol:	12.5%
Cases:	70

 

Although the tradition of making sparkling wine is more than 500 years old, it has recently experienced a sort of renaissance amongst wine drinkers.  These curious drinkers are recognizing that some of the highest quality sparkling wines come from non-traditional places and are in fact excellent everyday wines, not just for celebratory events.

Our sparkling wine history dates back to 2007, when we experimented with a small bottling of Pinot Noir Rosé.  We were so pleased with the results that we moved on to create a blanc de blancs (white wine made from white grapes).  

All of our Archangel sparkling wines are vinified using the traditional method, which means that the wine was aged on lees in the bottle that is available on the shelf.  A pure and elegant way of crafting sparkling wine, this method allows the wine to develop a great amount of complexity, while maintaining its delicate character.  We believe that wine should be a reflection of the local terroir and the nuances of each vintage, therefore our sparkling wines are vintage dated.

This Sauvignon Blanc is certainly the most unusual in the Angels Gate sparkling family, as this varietal is not normally considered a traditional grape for sparkling wine.  That being said, it is an excellent varietal for sparkling due to its naturally high acidity and fruit forward nose.

This sparkling has been fermented into an off-dry, crowd pleasing style, which also sets it apart from our other Archangel’s.  The nose is dominated by refreshing notes of citrus, mango and melon with very subtle herbaceous undertones. The palate is clean, crisp and lively!

Varietal:	Sauvignon Blanc
Vineyard:	Mountainview Vineyard
Aging Process:	Bottle Fermented (Traditional Method)
Alcohol:	11.5%
Cases:	800