Good morning all, Scott Stone reporting live from the winery. It’s a beautiful January morning here in Sonoma, CA mostly clear skies and a crisp 44F.
I highly recommend this woot offering as this wine is very limited in production (approx 400cs)and much of it has already been sold. Additionally, the 2008 vintage will not be available.
As mentioned, this wine is ideal for special occasions or simply to spice up any weeknight.
Thank you and enjoy,
Scott Stone
I’m always up for a sparkling offer. in for 2.
Rattage please?
[QUOTE=andrewthornton1351, post:57, topic:305835]
i’d be in for one if i had a girlfriend to share it with..
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I am a sparkler fan and currently unattached. I don’t need a partner to share. About once a month I have a lazy Sunday when I make a nice 2PM dinner or bunch of great appetizers, open a bubbly bottle, watch what I have on the DVR and do some laundry. (Yes I do laundry every week, just not with sparking wine). I finish the whole thing myself without a problem. I also seem to forget that the next day is Monday and I sleep well that night. In for 1.
Thanks Axel! I’ll stop by my favorite store on the way home this afternoon.
In for 3! I love sparklies of all colors! In particular I enjoyed the Mumm Red with Thanksgiving dinner this year. Can’t wait to take your suggestion and try these with Chinese and sushi. And of course, we’ll be drinking one in the bubble bath on Valentine’s Day.
My family usually buys a case of this every holiday season and it is always a hit. While I thought that this year’s release was not quite as good as some past years, it is still wonderful. It is a deep rose color, and has a great crisp taste, but with some of the depth of red wines. Though it has berry flavors, it is not sweet. I would describe it as crisp up front, followed by subtle berry flavors. That’s my unprofessional description, as I love wine but am no expert at it, so I hope I didn’t cause too much cringing by those who are much more eloquent and knowledgeable than me!
It was very descriptive, thanks for the review!
[QUOTE=wineyum, post:67, topic:305835]
My family usually buys a case of this every holiday season and it is always a hit. While I thought that this year’s release was not quite as good as some past years, it is still wonderful. It is a deep rose color, and has a great crisp taste, but with some of the depth of red wines. Though it has berry flavors, it is not sweet. I would describe it as crisp up front, followed by subtle berry flavors. That’s my unprofessional description, as I love wine but am no expert at it, so I hope I didn’t cause too much cringing by those who are much more eloquent and knowledgeable than me!
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Actually a spot-on description! This is a wine that you almost have to drink with your eyes closed to convince your mind that it’s not a “red wine”! Some years are a little lighter in color, and actually easier to convince people to try because then it’s “rose”. But truly the color is red, and in most years it’s not pink at all. Just a very “clear” red, if that makes sense? It depends on the vintage and how dark the grapes get at that early stage, since we’re picking at below 20 brix. The '06 seemed more like a Rose, but '07 is definitely bright red! Unfortunately we can’t make it every year because not every vintage sees veraison (color change) before the grapes get too sweet. So this '07 will be the last until the '09 gets released in 2 years (we didn’t make '08). Axel
You’re not the first winery I have heard this from, but I have to disagree. I think that some (like some still wine) changes drastically with age and develops very different flavors than they originally had. I recently opened a 2000 IH Wedding Cuvee and while it was very different than newer vintages I’ve had, it was delicious. Better is a subjective measure based on taste preference, but it had certainly changed and was certainly beautiful. 
Back to an initial question that was overlooked in the flurry of good discussion. I’m surprised the acidity is relatively low given the sub 20 Brix at harvest. Most sparklers are closer to a pH of 3 with TAs over 7 g/L. This is close to a pH of 4 with a TA near 5 g/L. Is this from the skin contact? Or does the fruit come from a block (or blocks) that typically show lower acidity? Or is it a vintage effect?
Well, “most bubbly” would encompass all the mass market stuff like Lambrusco and Cook’s and Moscato d’Asti. I think it’s fair to say that upper tier bubbly is ageworthy, but it is not “most bubbly.”
Given the style (fruity) and acidity (low-ish), I’m not going to argue with the winery. If they say drink soon, I trust them.
[QUOTE=gcdyersb, post:72, topic:305835]
Well, “most bubbly” would encompass all the mass market stuff like Lambrusco and Cook’s and Moscato d’Asti. I think it’s fair to say that upper tier bubbly is ageworthy, but it is not “most bubbly.”
Given the style (fruity) and acidity (low-ish), I’m not going to argue with the winery. If they say drink soon, I trust them.
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Ah. Very fair point. I think most bubbles as most of what we drink, not Korbel and such. And certainly not arguing about this offering. I wouldn’t imagine it would get better with age either.
[QUOTE=gcdyersb, post:71, topic:305835]
Back to an initial question that was overlooked in the flurry of good discussion. I’m surprised the acidity is relatively low given the sub 20 Brix at harvest. Most sparklers are closer to a pH of 3 with TAs over 7 g/L. This is close to a pH of 4 with a TA near 5 g/L. Is this from the skin contact? Or does the fruit come from a block (or blocks) that typically show lower acidity? Or is it a vintage effect?
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I’ve asked our winemaker to check those numbers because I think they’re high, but the wine is definitely balanced. pH tells only part of the story and what little I personally know about vineyard chemistry, it can be thrown off by other elements in the vineyard. That said, we’ve used Ricci Vineyard for this project for at least a decade (used to come off our own estate) and those numbers are as high as we’ve seen, so it could be vintage related. But it doesn’t seem to affect the finished product, so we’ve pretty much just gone on taste. It could also be the cold stabilization process, as this wine has had a tendency in years past to drop a small tartrate deposit, so we’ve made sure it’s cold stable, which is hard to do with a red cuvee (pigments are microscopic particles that can “seed” the tartrates).
[QUOTE=skiwino, post:74, topic:305835]
It could also be the cold stabilization process, as this wine has had a tendency in years past to drop a small tartrate deposit, so we’ve made sure it’s cold stable, which is hard to do with a red cuvee (pigments are microscopic particles that can “seed” the tartrates).
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If tartaric acid (plus potassium) is precipitated out as potassium bitartrate, that would lower the TA, right? Maybe that is the key.
Not concerned about the balance–actually lower acid is probably better for young consumption. I find higher acid sparklers a bit austere at times, though it is all about balance in the end.
[QUOTE=gcdyersb, post:75, topic:305835]
If tartaric acid (plus potassium) is precipitated out as potassium bitartrate, that would lower the TA, right? Maybe that is the key.
Not concerned about the balance–actually lower acid is probably better for young consumption. I find higher acid sparklers a bit austere at times, though it is all about balance in the end.
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Give it a try, I think you’ll like it a lot!
No kidding. 
My wife buys a case of their Sauvignon Blanc every few weeks, shipped from New Joisey, and we’ve got a cellar full of heritage offerings and whatnot. Huge Schug fans here, and sad…
[QUOTE=skiwino, post:41, topic:305835]
Try asking your local retailer in CT to order you a bottle. The SCHUG wholesaler in CT is Opici, and they have a few cases in stock of the '06. '07 just got released, that will be coming next. Note, the retailer won’t be able to give you the woot price, but you’ll be close without the shipping.
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Please disregard my PM to you, I just read this. 
Just wanted to say that I really enjoyed the previous Schug offering - this one is a bit outside my budget for something I think I won’t like, but I look forward to the next one 
[QUOTE=JLessard, post:78, topic:305835]
Please disregard my PM to you, I just read this.
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No problem, just let me know personally if your local retailers are unwilling to help you out. Remember, they set their own prices,so it may not be a woot-type deal. But if they want a state that keeps direct shipments out, they have a moral if not legal obligation to bring you the wines you want. I can always tell you which wines are distributed in CT, and with that knowledge you can tell the retailer they have access to the wine. Feel free to email me at axel@schugwinery.com.
[QUOTE=michaepf, post:79, topic:305835]
Just wanted to say that I really enjoyed the previous Schug offering - this one is a bit outside my budget for something I think I won’t like, but I look forward to the next one 
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Great, we’ll keep the offers coming! Maybe some Sauvignon Blanc soon, my favorite for Spring!