September 1, 2015, Los Gatos, CA — Byington Vineyards and Winery completed their earliest harvest ever this season, with the entire crop of estate Pinot Noir grapes harvested and into the cellar by August 13, 2015. The first pick was made on August 6, 2015, which is harvested between 20 – 21 brix to preserve the freshness and acidity needed to make a Pinot Noir rosé. Overall yields were down: approximately 9 tons of Pinot were brought in for the 2015 harvest, compared to 22 tons in 2014.
Byington recently released its first ever sparkling wine, a Pinot Noir rosé made in the Methode Champenoise style, but with a few twists. Winemaker Andrew Brenkwitz first hand-selected the very best Pinot Noir grape clusters on August 17, 2013, when the sugars were still at a low 16 brix, distilling them into Pinot Noir brandy. The brandy was then matured in French oak barrels for three years. A subsequent pick of Pinot Noir was harvested on August 27, 2013, to extract juice for a bottle-fermented Pinot Noir Sparkling Rosé wine.
An additional harvest of Pinot Noir was conducted after the grapes had turned into raisins on the vines in mid-November. These dessicated berries were then crafted into a sweet late harvest wine, called “Euphoria,” which was fortified with a small amount of the Pinot Noir brandy. Euphoria II is now available for purchase in the tasting room for $26.
Once the bottle fermentation of the Pinot Noir Rosé Sparkling wine had concluded, Brenkwitz added a splash of the Euphoria Late Harvest Pinot Noir to each bottle as a unique dosage.
The primary fruit flavors exhibited by this complex sparkling creation are strawberries, rhubarb and cherries, and the elegant mouth feel is enriched by the effervescence from the tiny bubbles typical of Methode Champenoise. The label for this first ever Byington Pinot Noir Rosé Sparkling wine was designed by renowned San Francisco artist Ichin Liao.
The Sparkling Rosé is now available for events, online purchase and in the Byington Tasting Room for a retail price of $39.00. Case discounts of 10% are available through the end of September. Byington wine club members enjoy a generous 20% discount on bottle purchases, and an additional 10% when purchasing a case. Enjoy it by the glass in the tasting room for $12.00.
About Byington Vineyards & Winery
Byington offers a stunning, 95-acre, wine-experience getaway with expansive views of the Santa Cruz Mountains, Monterey Bay and estate Pinot Noir vineyards, just minutes from Silicon Valley. Byington crafts award-winning wines in an 18,000-square-foot villa that houses winemaking facilities, wine cave, tasting room and elegant event facilities. Visitors are invited to taste, picnic, hike, take a tour through the vineyards, enjoy special barrel and library tastings in the caves and enjoy live music every Sunday. The tasting room is open Thursday through Sunday, from 11 to 5 pm. Tasting fee is $12.
21850 Bear Creek Road, Los Gatos, California, 95033; 408-354-1111; Byington.com
