Inman Family Wines, Russian River Valley (Sonoma County, California) 2018

 Katherine Inman continues to add elegance and complexity to her vintage luxury blends, including this just-released Extra Brut Luxe.  Inman has also become more interested in the potential of Pinot Gris, both for still and sparkling wines, and this time around she has added 17% Pinot Gris to the blend of 56% Chardonnay and 27% Pinot Noir.  The result is a wine that produces abundant effervescent froth upon pouring that quickly quiets down while giving off a floral and slightly mineral aroma.  The flavors are varied, but the prominent ones are rich apple notes, vanilla bean and woody, bready and yeasty tones to add to the very definite tin-cup minerality than strikes mainly in the finish.  Throughout the sensory experience, there is an elegant, lean but not severe structure.  The dosage is a bare 0.4% and final alcohol at 13%.  Normally, we don’t talk too much about aging most American sparklers, and though there are other exceptions, it would be interesting to try this one again in 7 to 10 years.