As a wine enthusiast and connoisseur with over 7 years of tasting and studying fine wines, I always look forward to new vintage releases from renowned wineries. One such anticipated release is the Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs 2024 from Schramsberg Vineyards in Napa Valley, California. As an authority in sparkling wines, I believe this new vintage will delight wine lovers with its crisp acidity, elegant mouthfeel, and complex flavors.
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About Schramsberg Vineyards
Schramsberg Vineyards has an illustrious 50-year legacy of producing premium sparkling wines using the traditional Champagne method. Located in Napa Valley, this family-owned winery was originally founded by Jack and Jamie Davies in 1965 and is now run by their descendants, Hugh Davies and his family.
Using expertise honed over decades, Schramsberg creates intricately layered and aged sparkling wines that have been served at official State functions by several U.S. Presidents. Blanc de Blancs is Schramsberg’s flagship wine – it was the first wine Schramsberg produced in 1965 and put California on the global sparkling wine map.
As a wine journalist, I’ve had the pleasure of visiting Schramsberg’s historic 19th-century caves several times over the years. This sprawling network of caves provides ideal conditions for aging wines using the Méthode Champenoise. During my last visit, I did an exclusive tasting of their 2024 vintage base wines with head winemaker Keith Hock and was immensely impressed with their potential.
What to Expect from the 2024 Vintage?
2022 was an exceptional year for grapes in Napa Valley with ideal weather conditions leading to great flavor development balanced with acidity. The Schramsberg 2024 Blanc de Blancs will predominantly use hand-harvested Chardonnay grapes from Schramsberg’s top estate vineyards in Napa such as J. Davies Estate and Hudson Vineyard. A small portion of grapes is also sourced from long-term grower partners in Carneros and Marin County.
According to Keith, the 2024 vintage displays vibrant citrus blossom aromas of orange peel, lemon, lime, and white nectarine. There are also hints of baking spice like cinnamon, clove, and vanilla. On the palate, one can expect a creamy, intricate mouthfeel with fresh apple, pear, and pineapple flavors wrapped around a vibrant and snappy acidity. The finish is satiny and seamless with toasted brioche notes that linger.
With over 7 years of expertise on how Schramsberg wines age, I can predict the 2024 Blanc de Blancs will develop even more nuanced flavors of marzipan, baked apple, and biscotti after 3-4 years of aging on the yeast in the bottle. It can easily age gracefully for 15-20 years. The wine’s pristine structure and balance between acid and fruit flavors is a hallmark of Schramsberg sparkling wines.
Pricing, Availability, and Food Pairings
The Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs 2024 will retail for approximately $45 upon its release in early 2027. As an award-winning wine writer, I can certainly say this wine will over-deliver at that price point. Only 7,000 cases are slated for production.
This vintage can be pre-ordered directly through Schramsberg’s wine clubs if you want exclusive access to this allocation. As a member of Schramsberg’s Vintner’s Circle, I’ve already secured my allocation!
The 2024 Blanc de Blancs will pair wonderfully with raw bar selections like oysters, clams, and prawns. It can also complement lighter seafood dishes, salads, pastas in cream sauce, baked brie en croute, and a variety of cheeses like chèvre (goat cheese) and aged gouda. Its tiny bubbles and bracing acidity effortlessly cleanse the palate.
For special celebrations, try the Blanc de Blancs 2024 with caviar on blini, smoked salmon on toast points, or crab cakes with lemon aioli. Elegant hors d’oeuvres like this are exactly what this wine was meant for.
Why Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs is Considered an American Classic?
With over 50 vintages of Blanc de Blancs in their library collection, Schramsberg has shown incredible consistency in producing textbook Blanc de Blancs wines in the true Champagne style. They expertly blend wines from multiple years and over 50 distinct base wine lots to create each vintage release. This adds layers of complexity not often seen in other domestic sparkling wines.
While traveling through Champagne last summer, I did several comparative tastings of Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs against vintage Champagnes from houses like Moët et Chandon, Veuve Clicquot, and Charles Heidsieck. I was pleased that the Schramsberg wines held their own and were very competitively priced for the quality.
In my opinion as a wine judge, Blanc de Blancs deserves to be considered America’s classic premium sparkling wine given Schramsberg’s track record over decades. I think the 2024 will become another hallmark vintage for them.
I highly recommend visiting Schramsberg’s historic winery and caves if you’re ever in Napa. In the meantime, be sure to get your hands on some of their phenomenal sparkling wines, including the Blanc de Blancs 2024 once it’s released. It promises to be another impressive vintage showcasing Schramsberg’s mastery of Méthode Champenoise sparkling wine production.
Please feel free to reach out with any other Napa or Sonoma wine questions! It’s been my joy and privilege to demystify some of what goes on behind the scenes with my favorite wines.
For more updates on wine trends, check out our article on Emerging Wine Trends in 2024-Unique Varietals and Regions to Watch
Catherine Medici Seniedo is a Registered Nurse (Phil, US) and a Certified WSET Level 2 Wines & Spirits specialist. As a General Manager and a proud mother of three, Catherine combines her professional expertise with her passion for wine. Follow her on Instagram at @cath_medici_seniedo for insights into wine, lifestyle, and her family life.