2019 Caraccioli Brut Cuvée Estate Santa Lucia Highlands

JD98 Winemaker/owner Scott Caraccioli draws complexity for the 2019 Brut Cuvee Escolle Vineyard from a selection of clones grown at his estate vineyard, which add tremendous length and breadth across the palate, blending 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir. It has great structure with phenolic ripeness, and layers of salinity and oyster shell mixed with a purity of pear and strawberry. Lengthy and complex, with a hint of richness, it’s gorgeous and will age another 10-15 years.
Estate Notes: The cuvee begins fermentation in stainless steel tanks utilizing a yeast strain chosen specifically for our sparkling project. 20% of the wines finish primary fermentation in neutral French oak barrels, while the remaining 80% undergo similar oak aging once the primary fermentation is complete. The total time on oak is approximately two months. Due to the extremely low pH, the wines never undergo malolactic fermentation. 57 months sur lie aging. 1500 cases produced. 12% alcohol.