Pieter Ferreira Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut 2017

The Chardonnay grapes are all hand-picked, each bunch undergoing a thorough and stringent selection process. After whole- bunch pressing and the separating of the cuvée from the taille. Only the cuvée portion is used. After settling, the clear juice was fermented in stainless steel, a small portion undergoing fermentation in traditional barrels from Tonnellerie Artisanale de Champagne (Piece Champenoise). The Pinot Noir is all hand-selected and hand-picked. Prior to pressing the whole bunches were allowed to have a short period of enzymatic colour extraction to draw sufficient natural colour before pressing. They were then pressed and with the separation of cuvée from the taille, the clear juice was fermented in stainless steel. No barrel fermentation on Pinot Noir. After the first fermentation, the wine was blended with the Chardonnay before the secondary fermentation in the bottle. The wine was left on the lees for five years before the sediment was removed by the traditional process of remuage and dégorgement. The bottles were then corked and laid down for a further six months cork maturation.
This vintage 2017, a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir was from an elegant vintage. This release offers wonderful balance, ripe fruit and restraint.