2022 Carboniste Albarino 'Octopus' Extra Brut Sparkling, California (750ml)
About the Icons
Carboniste is a dedicated producer of modern Californian sparkling wines from husband and wife duo, Dan and Jacqueline Person. Dan spent three years at Schramsberg, staged at Domaine de la Romanee Conti in 2009, and spent the past few years with Dan Petroski at Larkmead; Jacqueline a longtime and invested consultant for Naked Wines. Together, they embarked on their passion for sparkling wine and produced three flagship items: Sparkling Albariño, Extra Brut Pinot Noir Rosé, and a Pét-Nat Pinot Grigio.
Producer Notes ~ "Our signature critter is back for its fourth year! As the statewide drought continues to challenge our growers, less water means smaller berries. However, it also means greater concentration of flavor. Our Albariño from Gomes Vineyard is electric in freshness, luscious with ripe tropical fruit, yet light on the palate. We feel that the 2021 vintage has amplified these characteristics, making it the best version of itself to date. Freshly disgorged and ready to drink now! As always, it wouldn't hurt to pair it with some grilled octopus. The Gomes family has been farming on Andrus Island since the 1800’s when they immigrated from Portugal, where Albariño (Alvarinho) is grown extensively in Vinho Verde near the Atlantic Ocean. This site has deep, rich soil, well fed from the Sacramento River. It is dry farmed without cultivation and is transitioning to organic farming certification.
After harvest, grapes were pressed whole cluster and settled for 2 days as juice. Clear juice helps to retain the purity and focus of this wine. The juice was fermented in tank with native yeast at 60-65°F for 3 weeks. The fermentation sediment was kept with the wine until bottling without the addition of sulfur dioxide or the presence of malolactic fermentation. The wine was bottled with fresh yeast and a small amount of sugar. After 4 months in bottle, the yeast had consumed the sugar, the sediment was removed, and we added back a small amount of wine and sugar. After a light dosage, the bottles were capped again in order to preserve the natural youth and freshness of the wine. We prefer crown caps as a final closure. They are safe and easy to open, and they are trusted across the world to age wines before disgorging (including Champagne!)"