Saint Clair NV Dawn Méthode Traditionnelle*

Colour:

Medium-straw coloured with a lasting, fine bead.

Aroma:

Elegant and inviting. Biscuit, baked pastry, meringue, wafer and lemon zest combine with layers of citrus fruit and oyster shell.

Palate:

A subtle citrus thread with brazil nut and pastry characters, biscuit and dried fruits. Elegant and complex with a rich palate and fine mousse.

Ageing Potential:

Will benefit from careful cellaring for ten years and beyond. 

Winemakers:

Stewart Maclennan

Harvested:

2016 through 2020

Tirage:

September 2019

Dosage:

March 2022

Winemaking:

Hand harvested and whole bunch pressed, the free run Chardonnay juice was steel tank fermented followed by a steady malolactic fermentation, stirred on lees throughout. The Pinot Noir was lightly pressed and fermented cool in seasoned French barriques, allowed to mature on light lees until blending with our non vintage base wine, to prepare for tirage. The bottle fermentation took place over three months with bottles resting for a minimum of thirty months, until being disgorged and liqueur de dosage added. 

Viticulture:

Sourced primarily from the well-drained stone and sand alluvium of Rapaura Road, in vineyards overlooked by the Saint Clair Vineyard Kitchen. A blend of 63 percent clone 95 Chardonnay and 37 percent Clone 5 Pinot Noir grown on spur pruned and sylvos trained, 20 year old vines. 

Wine Analysis:

Alcohol: 11.5% v/v

Residual Sugar (RS): 4g/L

Total Acidity (TA): 6.9g/L

pH: 3.22

Our Food Match Recommendation:

Perfect for a celebratory occasion. Drink as an aperitif or match with freshly shucked oysters.  

Click here to open the tasting notes as a PDF.