OUR HOUSE
With a passionate commitment to craft terroir-driven sparkling wines, we produce our Blanc de Blancs and Brut Rosé in-house, by hand, without compromise. Partnering with renowned domestic sparkling winemaker Keith Hock, Leslie Renaud and Raemy Paterson are dedicated to developing wines that showcase the complexity and breadth of the vineyards and varietals. Clean, focused, and electrifying, these wines are destined to be savored and celebrated.
FROM SCRUPULOUS TO CEREMONIOUS
One of the first wines Martin Ray learned how to make was sparkling. Under the tutelage of Paul Masson, he was lead through the scrupulous, often painstaking process. Martin admired Paul’s scars, “battle wounds” as he referred to them proudly, that came from the difficult experimentation of fermentation – often leading to rogue bottles exploding on Masson. As a young boy, it was both terrifying and inspiring for Ray, and not something he would attempt for many years after he had started his own house.
It eventually became the wines that he devoted the most time to, and the wines he celebrated the most. His day of work was always capped with a “champagne hour”. Embracing not just the beauty of the finished bottle, but the arduous work, and the patience it took to age the wine, he lived for the ritual. As each day would come to a close, he would make his way up the hill to sit among the vines on his veranda, pop a bottle, and watch the sun’s last rays cast through the bubbles in his glass.
OUR SPARKLING STORY
Being passionate about wine means being dedicated to the entire process for us. As with each of our Martin Ray Reserve programs, our dedication to the final bottle begins in the vineyard, and we are hands-on every step of the way. Embracing the commitment, we are assured by the time it takes to develop, finding contentment in the evolution of the wines.
WINEMAKING
The process of making quality sparkling wine is as complex as the final result. Made méthode traditionelle, the grapes are hand-harvested and fermented in temperature-regulated stainless to maintain freshness. Blended to represent and balance each lot, bottled for secondary fermentation, and aged for a minimum of three years en tirage. This labor-intensive and costly process is not for the faint-hearted but worth every ounce of the effort.
BLANC DE BLANCS
Golden-hued and luminous, our Blanc De Blancs brings an intensity of fruit and delicate effervescence to the palate, a perfect complement to its creamy mousse and subtle salinity. The bracing, lively acidity at the core is a testament to the revered Chardonnay grown in the Russian River Valley.
DOSAGE | 4 g/L
STYLE | Extra Brut
PROFILE | Lean, Complex, Saline
MATURATION | 3 Years en tirage
AGING POTENTIAL | 10-14 Years
SERVING TEMPERATURE | 50–52˚F
BRUT ROSÉ
A brilliant, coral-tinged hue, our Brut Rosé is a red fruit-filled and racy wine, wrapped in citrus and spice. Refined finesse, its delicate effervescence transcends into an exquisite, round palate and lingering finish. From the wild and fervent nose to the bright, punchy fruit, it embodies the breadth of its origins and heritage.
DOSAGE | 6 g/L
STYLE | Brut
PROFILE | Bright, Fresh, Spicy
MATURATION | 3 Years en tirage
AGING POTENTIAL | 8-10 Years
SERVING TEMPERATURE | 48–50˚F
“With the sparkling wine’s bubbles set ablaze, the days events would take on a special glow when retold, relived, during this hour of enchantment.”
– VINEYARDS IN THE SKY
Eleanor Ray