Some days call for a white. Certain nights suggest a red. And there are many times to revel in rosé. So here’s a little insight into how Mumm Napa’s white, rosé, and red sparkling wines are made to bring out the very best in every grape, so that you can bring out the best in every occasion.
A Kaleidoscope of White
Our white sparkling wines are by no means devoid of color. Rich with many hues and flavors, whites are the foundation of everything sparkling—the result of a tried-and-true, centuries-old process known as méthode traditionnelle.
Hand-harvested grapes — Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier, and sometimes Pinot Gris — are pressed in whole clusters, and can produce a beautiful spectrum of colors.
Mumm Napa’s Blanc de Blancs, or white of whites, is produced solely from white grapes, predominantly with Chardonnay and some Pinot Gris. The Chardonnay contributes to the wine’s bright, elegant citrus tone, while the Pinot Gris adds an appealing stone fruit character that enriches the wine’s texture and flavors. A few selected lots are aged in French oak barrels to add depth, complexity, and spiciness.
Cuvée M gets its lovely peach-rose hue from a white base and a proprietary, final blend of late-harvest Muscat and Pinot Noir. Cuvée means blend, and this is one of the only Sec-style wines we make.
The pale straw color of Demi-Sec, edged with a hint of yellow-green, is created through a blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, with a touch of Pinot Meunier and Pinot Gris. Adding a balanced dosage is essential to the wine’s texture and complexity and counters the acidity of the cuvée.
A Bouquet of Rosé
Elegant Mumm Napa rosés blend from a foundation of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, with others thoughtfully added to each wine’s blend to create a gorgeous spectrum of shades.
Our sparkling rosés derive their vibrant colors and rich flavors through varying blending components and vineyard lots, and, in most cases, an extended cold soak of Pinot Noir grapes prior to fermentation to extract color and flavor.
Brut Reserve Rosé‘s characteristic brilliant pink coral color comes from a small amount of Pinot Noir fruit, left to ripen fully on the vine, which is then fermented in traditional Burgundian fashion and added to the blend. A long cold soak prior to fermentation extracts color and flavor, but little tannin, from this mini-lot of Pinot Noir.
An especially expressive Pinot Noir inspired the creation of the 2011 Devaux Ranch Rosé — the first-ever Devaux Ranch Rosé from Mumm Napa — while maintaining the bright acidity that is the hallmark of all great sparkling wines.
DVX Rosé blends 50% Pinot Noir with 50% Chardonnay to create a delicate pink salmon color from the very best grapes from our vineyards. Every year, DVX Rosé starts as the traditional DVX base blend of equal parts Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. A small percentage of red Pinot Noir is added to create the beautiful light pink color, resulting in the final blend of 52% Pinot Noir and 48% Chardonnay.
Seeing Red
Our bevy of bubbles wouldn’t be complete without a sparkling red. Superb red sparkling wines are relatively rare. Achieving the correct balance between depth and flavor, and the elegance associated with méthode traditionnelle wines, requires true talent. Ours are both light and refreshing, and diverse enough to pair with warm days or festive holidays.
Premium Pinot Noir grapes give our Sparkling Pinot Noir its striking, ruby red color with a purple hue. The young wine is allowed to ferment on skins after being de-stemmed, until it reaches a perfect balance between color, fruit, and structure. A five-day, whole-berry cold soak extracts deep color and flavors before fermentation begins. After fermentation, wine is quickly pressed off the skins to avoid over extraction of harsh tannins.
The stunning Cuvée M Red‘s deep ruby color sparkles in the glass, unusual not only because it is red but also because it is a slightly sweeter style of wine. A five-day, whole-berry cold soak extracts deep colors before fermentation begins. After fermentation, wine is quickly pressed off the skins to avoid over extraction of harsh tannins.
Careful grape selection and blending, along with Mumm Napa’s meticulous winemaking, expresses the range of colors that rounds out any sparkling wine experience. For a quick reference, here’s how the sparkling wine grapes contribute their traits to the end result.
Grape Traits At A Glance
Pinot Noir: Dark-skinned; brings fullness and body to the wine, often with red and black cherry/berry flavors and aromas.
Chardonnay: Light-skinned; adds structure, acidity, and ageability, with some lighter green apple, citrus, and stone fruit notes.
Pinot Meunier: Dark-skinned; adds freshness; floral, tart berry, and rhubarb flavors and aromas.
Pinot Gris: Light-to-dark skinned; contributes round body and creamy texture; ripe summer fruit and melon notes; some spiciness.
The post The Colors of Sparkling: White, Rosé, and Red appeared first on Mumm Napa Blog.
