NV-C Colin "Blanche de Castille" 1er Cru, Champagne, France (750ml)   

_{A Quarterly Sparkling Wine Club Selection}
Pale yellow color. Aromas of ripe red apple skin and yellow plum. The lively palate shows bruised apple, pear and lemon pith. An assertive, richer style of Blanc de Blancs with great texture and a beautiful mineral note on the finish.

At Champagne Colin, the Colin family believes it takes more than a just terroir, to craft Champagnes worthy of the name. In their view, it also requires the winegrowers’ ancestral expertise and experience combined with modern techniques. It was the Colin women who pioneered the Colin Champagne vineyards, grandmothers Geneviève Prieur and Marie Louise Radet. It is today the dynamic duo of brothers Richard and Romain Colin, who, after taking the helm in 1997, became passionate grower-producers responsible for the future of this family Champagne house. Most of the 10-hectare estate is planted to Chardonnay, with Premier Cru classified vineyards located in the prestigious Côte des Blancs villages of Vertus, Bergères-les-Vertus and Cuis, and Grand Cru classified vineyards in the villages of Cramant and Oiry. The “Cuvée Castille” is 100% Chardonnay, hand-picked at optimal maturity. The grapes were then transferred to a traditional wooden Coquard press as well as a pneumatic press. Each plot was vinified separately to allow each of the terroirs to express its character to the fullest. This current “Cuvée Castille” is a blend of the 2011 and 2012 vintages. A few months in casks gives the cuvée additional richness and complexity. After the secondary fermentation the wine was aged on the lees for 24 months, and then for an additional 6 months after disgorgement. Dosage: 7.5 g/l Brut.