That’s only a small fraction of his achievements, but we’re here to focus on that rare pinot noir clone. The two acres Dick Peterson propagated stands as the only acreage in North America today and is the only fruit source for this amazing sparkling wine. 93 points from Vinous, at a crazy steal over 30%% off?! This is a micro-production of a mere 300 cases, aged for 6 years on the lees, and just boggles the mind with how complex, tasty, and unique a thing this is!

Dick discovered this rare clone of pinot noir in the village of Wrotham, Kent in southeastern England. There, in the 1950s, a single 200-year-old wild vine was traced back to the Roman Empire, who had brought the vines to England over 2000 years ago. That vine was used to create an acre vineyard in the region and kickstarted the now booming sparkling wine industry in England. Upon tasting a Kent “blanc de noir” made from this ancient, unknown clone, Dick loved the wine so much that he brought the Wrotham cuttings to California in 1980. After years of quarantine, he began propagating a vineyard from the Wrotham bud wood on his family’s Christmas tree farm in Yountville. After careful years of growing the vineyard, Dick reached out to UC Davis’ Carole Meredith to investigate the “wooly grapevine” that had grapes like pinot on a vine that looked entirely unique. Carole confirmed the grape was, in fact, pinot noir. Better still, over the centuries of evolution in the harsh, perpetually damp climate of England, the clone had become resistant to powdery mildew. As a happy result, he never has to spray sulfur or chemical fungicides or insecticides in the vineyard (though he adamantly refuses to apply for organic certification, the vineyards certainly would qualify).

This delightfully dry, creamy, complex, and ageable sparkling wine is made under the same exacting conditions as vintage champagne. Dick extends aging to 6 years on the yeast prior to disgorging to create an offering that Antonio Galloni calls “easily one of the best sparkling wines in the United States.” The nose is reminiscent of unbaked bread, with green almonds and cardamom. On the palate, the wine is weighty, with a tempering brightness that brings sensations of strawberry, raspberry, toasty brioche, lemon meringue, and Valencia orange. The finish is spicy and smooth, with a cleansing swipe of acidity to prepare you for your next sip.

We’re so over the moon on this wine, but consider yourself warned… There isn’t much to go around. A rarity to find even at full retail, but at 32% off, this is just a must-have!