How I found my name on a wine

Who hasn’t dreamed of having their own vineyard? To be able to present your own wine with your name on the elegantly designed label? Today that dream almost came true. No, I haven’t emptied my bank account and bought a vineyard in Provence. I did, however, visit the Scharffenberger Winery in California, USA. Discreetly ignoring the last two letters, I entered their elegantly designed tasting room with a slight sense of ownership. Admittedly, my surname did attract some attention as we sat down to sample some of my… sorry, Their wines.

Do size matters?

All are sparkling, traditional method, and we started with a very interesting double tasting. The same wine, but one in a standard 75 cl bottle and the other a magnum bottle. The question is, does size matter? The short answer is, yes.

The differences were subtle, but clear. The wine from the magnum bottle was rounder and clearer in flavour on the palate. Both had distinct flavours of apple, tangerine, pink grapefruit and carambola. I would have liked to buy a magnum to take home and let it rest for a few years as I think this wine will develop in a very positive direction. 

Beautiful black

My favourite, however, was the  Black Lable. The combination of malolactic fermentation and 5 1/2 years on the lees and 2 years of rest in the bottle after that has given a wine with many layers. The aroma is rich and buttery, with lots of yellow stone fruits such as apricot and peach. The flavour is full and round. The apricot comes back, in the company of cherries, red apples, roses and a clear minerality. This is a wine that does not need food but can be enjoyed in splendid solitude. An elegant lady. But she also has enough character to handle a well-composed cheese platter as well as a flavourful risotto. The bottle that will accompany me home will not however, be enjoyed right away, as I think it has an aging potential of quite a few years. 

The pride in a name

I must admit that my visit to Scharffenberger winery was determined only due to the name. But when I now recommend others to also seek out their wines, it’s because they will find good, balanced, well made wines, with, admittedly, a beautiful name..

Maria Scharffenberg,
Sommelier and teacher