Cuvée L'Inconnu 2013 Blanc de Blancs ***2nd Release***
Production: 60 cases
Harvested July 26, 2013
Disgorged ~ May 2024 (10 years on the lees!)
Zero Dosage
11.0%alc.
Farming ~ Organic
The Vintage: The 2013 growing season was warm with below average precipitation. Bloom began in early spring followed by an average fruit set. The vines loved the mild climate and produced berries that were plump and juicy. Harvest came early. The yields were about average and this held true for most of the region This vintage really conveys all the attributes so special and unique to this place; precision, clarity, & power all framed with a strong sense of the nearby ocean.
The site: The cool climate on the banks of the Santa Ynez River, just 7 miles west of the Pacific Ocean, gets a generous blanket of dense, damp, fog each night, which chills down the vines. The sun burns through around mid-day, giving way to warm and breezy afternoons. This allows the grapes to ripen slowly, keeping a natural acidity to the juice pressed from these grapes. The vines struggle to push through rocky, silty soil, contributing to the complexity and depth in the juice from this fruit.
Winemaking: 2013 Cuvée L'Inconnu (meaning the unknown) was harvested in the foggy, early morning hours from 100% Chardonnay from our Wente Block. It is hyper focused: single vintage, single vineyard, single block and follows in the traditional Méthode Champenoise. 2 tons were lightly pressed with stems in our vintage Coquard press into stainless steel tank. After settling overnight, the juice was racked to a 2nd tank where it fermented in tank, and rested 9 months. April 2014, we put it through secondary fermentation with neutral yeast and low dosage and capped it. Half the vintage was released Spring 2018 after 4 years on the lees. This current release was held back until May 2024 after 10 years on the lees before it was riddled, disgorged and topped off with the same vintage Blanc de Blanc, sans dosage (zero dosage).
Tasting Notes: The flavor profile of the wine reflects where the vines are anchored, in silty, loam soil with an abundance of crushed seashells and limestone on the cool banks of the Santa Ynez River. The cool fog brings citrus and floral notes; the soil brings minerality, which is balanced by a hint of salinity from the nearby ocean. The extended time on the lees gives a nice mid-palate weight to the wine, adding complexity. The acidity which was so prevalent in the 1st release has mellowed significantly with the added time on the lees, but the wine is still bright and clean.
Vinous Review from the 1st release:
Rating: 93 Drinking Window: 2020-2031 Review Date: Sept. 2018
I found much to admire in the Blanc de Blancs Cuvée L'Inconnu, which is done in a style inspired by one of the hottest young growers in Champagne. The 2013 Blanc de Blancs Cuvée L'Inconnu is powerful, rich and resonant in the glass, with tremendous depth in all of its elements. Beautifully expressive, chalky and intense, the 2013 has so much to offer. This chalky, hillside site yields Chardonnays of notable breadth and power, which is exactly what comes through here. This is a stellar wine from Wenzlau. -- Antonio Galloni