How We Get the Bubbles in the Bottle
The Story of Angie Blanc de Blancs
Our Blanc de Blancs project was years in the making. It sat for a long time as little more than a hope for someday, waiting for all the pieces to come together. Creating a traditional method sparkling wine requires patience, precision, a special touch and even more specialist equipment. These things eluded us until 2017, when winemaker Mark Fiore joined EFESTĒ. With Mark’s expertise, and close working relationship with traditional sparkling winemaker Chris Sherry of Elentone, we finally brought this long-awaited dream to life. Just two years later, in 2019, the first vintage of Angie Blanc de Blancs was born.
It All Starts with Chardonnay
Like all EFESTE wines, the base of our Angie Blanc de Blancs starts with native fermentation. It’s made with 100% Chardonnay—one of the three classic grape varietals used in Champagne, France. We source the fruit from the Clos CheValle Vineyard in the Lake Chelan AVA. The vineyard sits in a cooler, higher-elevation part of the region. It benefits from the breeze that come in off the lake, which creates the perfect conditions for the style of Chardonnay we need. A Blanc de Blancs needs a lower alcohol base wine, so we choose grapes based on brix rather than flavor or ripeness. That’s why we always harvest grapes for Angie first each season.
Getting the Bubbles in the Bottle
Once the base wine has reached about 11% alcohol, it’s time for tirage. This is the only time at the winery that we use commercial yeast (and a lot of sugar!). Starting a yeast culture with a little bit of wine, we gradually add more wine and sugar until it becomes dry, which takes about one week. Once dry, it’s combined with the rest of the wine, and immediately bottled and sealed with a bidule (a small insert that collects dead yeast cells) and crown cap.
From here, the wine goes through a secondary fermentation—this time in bottle—for roughly two years. This gives the wine its effervescence. As the yeast consumes the sugar, it produces Co2, creating those delicate bubbles. This is the hallmark of a traditional method Blanc de Blancs, and what gives Angie its sparkle. As traditional method is a lot more complicated and involved than adding carbonation, our winemaker will taste the wine every few months to ensure that fermentation is proceeding and the wine is developing nicely.
From Riddling to Ready
About a month before we’re ready to release a new vintage of Angie, we begin the riddling process. This involves setting the bottles on their sides so that leftover yeast cells can collect in the neck at the bidule. Next comes disgorging, which is a freezing technique that separates the yeast plug from the wine. This leaves only the wine in the bottle, now completely free of sediment. Occasionally, we then add dosage (a blend of wine and sugar) to balance or soften the wine, but only when absolutely necessary. As with everything we do here at EFESTĒ, we prioritize minimal intervention. Finally, the wine is topped, corked, caged, and foiled, ready to be shared! While our Angie Blanc de Blancs can age like this for many years, it will eventually lose its sparkle.
Coming Soon…
We’re extremely excited to be adding a new addition to the Angie lineup, our first vintage of Angie Rosé de Blancs, which is currently aging beautifully in bottle and slated for release in 2026. Sourced from the same Clos CheValle Vineyard, this wine is made using the exact same traditional method with one key difference: a short maceration period on its skins to impart a delicate pink hue. We can’t wait to share it with you all very soon!
Discover 2021 Angie Blanc de Blancs
Known to friends and family as “Angie,” our sparkling wine takes its name from our fun-loving boss-lady, Angela Taylor.
This Blanc de Blancs enchants with its delicate, floral bouquet, accented by vibrant notes of lemon zest and hints of candied almonds. Delight in a crisp and invigorating profile, with flavors of green apple and Asian pear taking center stage. The bright acidity adds a refreshing lift, while the tight bubbles enhance the mouthfeel, creating an elegant texture. Perfectly balanced and refreshingly complex, it’s ideal for celebrating any moment.
Limited Time 6 Bottle Special
During the month of June, you can save up to 30% off a 6-bottle bundle of our Angie Blanc de Blancs!
Sale Pricing: $280 | Club Member Pricing: $230 | Regular Pricing: $330
Club members save $100 on this sparkling special! Join the wine club today to always get the best deals on our wine specials, and up to 20% off all wine purchases!
