Freeman Winery

Yu-ki Estate Blanc de Blancs

Sparkling Wine 20th Anniversary

Yu-ki Estate is located just five miles from the Pacific Ocean at an elevation of 1,000 feet. We originally planted the estate with our favorite heritage and Dijon Pinot Noir clones, and then in 2017, we converted a half-acre  to Chardonnay. We harvested our first Chardonnay from Yu-ki in 2018 and found that it made a beautifully crisp wine—almost like a sparkling wine without bubbles.

The wine’s refreshing profile inspired Akiko—a huge lover of Champagne and sparkling wine—to suggest that we make a sparkler from Yu-ki Chardonnay and release it to celebrate the winery’s 20th anniversary in 2021.  We loved the idea! With the help of Craig Roemer, a former winemaker  at Schramsberg Vineyards in the Napa Valley, we made our first sparkling wine at Freeman.

Using the traditional Champagne method, we produced the wine in the “Brut Nature” style, adding no sugar at the time of disgorging. We took a minimalist approach to winemaking, so that our sparkling wine would be representative of this special vineyard and Freeman’s elegant house style.  The Yu-ki Blanc de Blancs’ fruitfulness is truly exemplary of the site.

The wine’s character was further enriched by time in barrel on the lees from  primary fermentation. Our use of neutral French oak heightened the wine’s  structure and aromas, while the elimination of filtration allowed for natural  clarity without stripping away body. Additional aging in bottle enhanced its yeasty character.

The 2019 Freeman Yu-ki Estate Blanc de Blancs has a youthful and brilliantly clear appearance. The nose has a note of sweetness, with elements of raw honey, candied lemon, subtle dried pineapple, bread yeast, brioche and intense green apple. The creamy texture has enough crisp acidity to stand up to a variety of foods, but the wine can be enjoyed all by itself. This will age well for quite a few years to come.