Broken Earth Winery
Sotto Voce
Sparkling Albariño
Paso Robles, California
BUBBLY WINE STYLE
The base wine is the same as their 2018 Limited Release Albariño. The vines are quite old (20+ years) on a quad trellising system that can be susceptible to sunburn, so the harvest date needs to be very specific. The handpicked grapes were in excellent condition, with the ripeness at 21.6 Brix.
Varietal: Albariño
Analysis: 13.3% alcohol / volume
pH: 3.27
Total Acidity: 6.4
Residual Sugar: 7.5 g/L
Harvest Date: September 2018
Bottling Date: July 2020
WINEMAKING NOTES:
“Processed first thing in the morning through the new Diemme Velvet 80 Press, which ensures that little to no oxygen comes in contact with the juice, resulting in brighter, fresher product. The free run juice was separated from the pressings to allow the more elegant characters to prevail. Ferment was complete on 10/19/18, lasting 34 days. The fermented wine was then cold stabilized and heat stabilized.
Most of the base wine was then bottled for limited release while the rest was put through Méthode Champenoise. This is the process used to create the famous wines of the Champagne region in France. A ‘base’ wine is created prior to being transferred to the bottles where the secondary fermentation occurs. Sugar and specialized yeast are then added, the bottle is capped (crown seal) and fermentation occurs, whereby generating more alcohol but more importantly CO2. The wine is then topped to the required level with the liqueur d’expedition before the cork is inserted and the wire hood attached.” – Winemaker, Chris Cameron
Broken Earth Winery
Sotto Voce
Sparkling Verdelho
Paso Robles, California
BUBBLY WINE STYLE
The base wine was produced from the same grapes as their 2018 Limited Release Verdelho. The fruit was handpicked to ensure it retains freshness (no split berries). Processed first thing in the morning through the new Diemme Velvet 80 Press, utilizing the N2 inert gas system. This ensures that little to no oxygen comes in contact with the juice, resulting in brighter, fresher product. Hard pressings were included with the free run to add textural depth.
Varietal: Verdelho
Analysis: 13.2% alcohol / volume
pH: 3.12
Total Acidity: 7.4
Residual Sugar: 6.1 g/L
Harvest Date: September 2018
Bottling Date: July 2020
WINEMAKING NOTES:“Ferment was complete on 10/19/18, lasting 35 days. Post ferment, the wine was left on gross lees for 26 days prior to the addition of a tiny amount of sulfur dioxide. Storage was at 58°F in closed stainless steel.The fermented wine was then cold stabilized and heat stabilized.
Most of the base wine was then bottled for limited release while the rest was put through Méthode Champenoise. This is the process used to create the famous wines of the Champagne region in France. A ‘base’ wine is created prior to being transferred to the bottles where the secondary fermentation occurs. Sugar and specialized yeast are then added, the bottle is capped (crown seal) and fermentation occurs, whereby generating more alcohol but more importantly CO2. The wine is then topped to the required level with the liqueur d’expedition before the cork is inserted and the wire hood attached.” – Winemaker, Chris Cameron
ABOUT BROKEN EARTH:
Celebrating 50 Years: In 1973, Wayne Rodgers (Mash), James Caan (Godfather), Peter Faulk (Columbo), Jack Webb (Dragnet) and local visionary Herman Schwartz established the first large scale vineyard on the Central Coast, planting 520 acres. They anticipated the growth of Paso Robles to be another 2,000 acres with 10-15 wineries over the long-term. Paso Robles now stands around 70,000 acres under vine and over 300 wineries.
Continental Vineyard was a grower for many Napa wineries in the early 70’s and 80’s. Winemakers from all over the world would travel to this vineyard to see what Paso Robles was capable of growing. They continue this tradition today, establishing many new varieties that have never been planted in the US, and have 34 of the 72 varieties grown in the region.
Broken Earth, as a brand, was born from the heritage of the vineyard property originally named “Rancho Tierra Rejada”, meaning “land of worked or farmed earth”. For generations, farmers have cultivated and ‘broken’ the soil in the region with care and respect. Their goal is to respect the land and its treasures. Broken Earth winery encompasses a philosophy to provide wine that reflects the personality of where it is sustainably grown and the personality of its talented craftsmen, the winemaker and crew. Learn more about the winery here.
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