Six Sigma Ranch planned to celebrate their 10th anniversary with a jubilant sparkling rose. But the fates had a few trials in mind before the wine could reach its release.
Yes, the winemakers — Matt Hughes followed by Sandy Robertson — anticipated a few tribulations. After all, the traditional Methode Champenoise is not for the meek. But the grapes were harvested in the treacherous fall of 2015.
Fortune was with the crew at first. They decided to pick early, before the grapes had fully ripened. After a cold soak and press, the juice fermented in stainless before transferring to neutral French oak for a malolactic finish.
During this process, the Rocky Fire, the Jerusalem Fire and the deadly Valley Fire lapped at the ranch, threatening its vineyards. For a time power to the facility was cut and the area subject to evacuation.
The winemaker fretted, but the only option was to weather the storm.
Maybe this odyssey contributed to the Six Sigma 10th Anniversary Sparkling Rose’s tranquil demeanor. In outlasting adversity, the wine gained composure — floral warmth drifts from the glass, buffeted by the effervescent stream of bubbles. Hints of crusted bread dimpled with sea salt, the worn stone of an old chateau, soft peaches and cherries on the limb suggest the calm of a summer afternoon.
On the palate gentle notes of melon and white peach traipse under a floral tulle. A beam of cherry and tart fruit catches your attention, promising a fresh and crisp finish. Yet there is contemplation in this wine — a dry wit and steady minerality — that lend depth to hints of rising dough and sea breezes.
A bright, sweet aspect counters. But this is a Brut — lean and dry.
After malolactic fermentation, Six Sigma handed the still wine over to Gerald Ployez to add the bubbles. The traditional method requires patience, and a lot of time with the bottles, from starting a second fermentation through a dose of liqueur de tirage, riddling and disgorgement — this last a remarkable process of popping worn yeast from each bottle.
Six Sigma did break slightly from tradition. In place of chardonnay, they blended sauvignon blanc (35 percent) with pinot noir (65 percent) to produce the wine.
Celebrating a decade of winemaking was of such import to the crew, they dedicated three-quarters of their entire 2015 pinot noir crop — an award winner in its still form — to the sparkler.
As Else Ahlmann has said, “We were waiting for a special occasion to produce such a fun varietal.”
Yes, it is bright and sparkling. But this is also a cultured wine, more serene in its celebration. After all, it has been through quite an odyssey.
Dave Faries can be reached at 900-2016
