Wine Enthusiast 90
Elegant and plush, this wine is both light and rich at the same time, as it combines a fine mousse of bubbles with good fruit and spice flavors and a creamy texture. Everything is well-blended and harmonious, as well as concentrated enough to have a long and lightly ripe finish. Best Buy

The Korbel Blanc de Noirs California Champagne is blended to be one of the most fruit-forward champagnes created by a producer known for its fruit-forward style. Korbel achieves this by using four distinct red grape varieties. Each variety makes its own contribution to the blend. Pinot Noir is the classic grape variety for Blanc de Noirs cuvees. Our Pinot Noir grapes come from our estate vineyards in the Russian River Valley. The Pinot Noir contributes a black cherry fruit note, complexity and depth of flavor.

The other three varieties are less traditional for California champagne production, but we have found them to be very important parts of Korbel's fruit-forward style. Gamay brings a raspberry aroma and light, delicate balance to the blend. Zinfandel is bolder, with aromas of ripe strawberries and a bit of spiciness in the finish. Sangiovese completes the blend with aromas of crisp red cherries and good structure.

Winemaking
In California Champagne styles, the term "Blanc de Noirs" means a white cuvee (blend) from black grapes. In reality, the color is a very light blush of pink and copper. We achieve this style by gently pressing whole, uncrushed clusters of red grapes with very light pressure. As the grapes are pressed, the skins split and let the juice flow out of the berry. The juice is a pale green color at first, then starts to pick up some pink and copper hues as the pressing continues. When the color starts to become too dark, the pressing is stopped to maintain the delicate style we desire.
The fruit-forward base cuvee, combined with the elegance provided by the Mthode Champenoise process, makes for a beautifully refreshing champagne. Korbel's Blanc de Noirs is finished with a medium-dry dosage level that is in harmonious balance with the generous fruit.