BXT 'Manley Vineyard' Blanc de Blancs, Carneros, Sonoma Co., California 2022
Pickup available at DECANT Napa - 2999 Solano, Napa, CA
Usually ready in 1 hour
BXT (Bubbles by Tom) is a meticulously crafted micro-production sparkling wine project based in Napa's Crusher District. Winemaker Tom Sherwood, who holds a Bachelor of Science in Viticulture and Oenology from the University of Adelaide and currently serves as head winemaker at Rocca Family Vineyards, creates grower Champagne-inspired sparklings with his wife Brittany (longtime winemaker at Heitz Cellars). With production limited to fewer than 50 cases per cuvée, BXT embodies an artisanal, hands-on philosophy: each bottle is hand-riddled, hand-disgorged, and individually numbered. The Manley Vineyard bottling represents Tom's grower-producer philosophy at its purest—he personally hand-farms this tiny one-acre parcel just outside downtown Sonoma, which serves as home base for BXT.
- WINEMAKER: Tom Sherwood (proprietor/winemaker)
- FARMING: Certified Organic, hand-farmed by BXT since 2020
- VARIETY: 100% Chardonnay (Blanc de Blancs)
- TERROIR: Manley Vineyard, Carneros, Sonoma County. One-acre parcel planted in 2013 by Randy and Diedra Manley on a mix of sandy loam and clay soils. The vineyard sits in a small section of Sonoma-Carneros near the creek course, characterized by intensely rocky, free-draining soils particularly renowned for quality Chardonnay.
- VINIFICATION: Hand-harvested August 15, 2022. Gently whole-cluster pressed in a small one-ton Coquard basket press (80 gallons per ton yield). Oxidatively handled and fermented with native yeasts in large-format neutral French oak puncheons and Stockinger casks. Traditional method (méthode traditionnelle) with secondary fermentation in bottle under 6 atmospheres of pressure. No fining or filtration.
- AGING: 6-9 months in neutral French oak casks, then assembled and hand-bottled in February 2023. 30 months sur lie in bottle before hand-riddling and disgorgement in February 2025. Zero dosage (Brut Nature). No sulfur added at any stage.
- TASTING NOTES: Steely and tense with a slightly reductive nose of crushed flint, wet stone, white flowers, and citrus blossoms. Bright lemon curd and baked pear emerge alongside chalky minerality and sea spray. The palate offers crystalline precision with crisp apple, fine persistent bubbles, and vivacious acidity. Long, textural finish with impressive depth and mineral purity. A true labor of love showcasing the character of this remarkable site.
- FOOD PAIRINGS: Raw oysters and shellfish, Dungeness crab, seared scallops, aged Comté or Gruyère, delicate white fish preparations
- 900 bottles produced
BXT (Bubbles by Tom) is a meticulously crafted micro-production sparkling wine project based in Napa's Crusher District. Winemaker Tom Sherwood, who holds a Bachelor of Science in Viticulture and Oenology from the University of Adelaide and currently serves as head winemaker at Rocca Family Vineyards, creates grower Champagne-inspired sparklings with his wife Brittany (longtime winemaker at Heitz Cellars). With production limited to fewer than 50 cases per cuvée, BXT embodies an artisanal, hands-on philosophy: each bottle is hand-riddled, hand-disgorged, and individually numbered. The Manley Vineyard bottling represents Tom's grower-producer philosophy at its purest—he personally hand-farms this tiny one-acre parcel just outside downtown Sonoma, which serves as home base for BXT.
- WINEMAKER: Tom Sherwood (proprietor/winemaker)
- FARMING: Certified Organic, hand-farmed by BXT since 2020
- VARIETY: 100% Chardonnay (Blanc de Blancs)
- TERROIR: Manley Vineyard, Carneros, Sonoma County. One-acre parcel planted in 2013 by Randy and Diedra Manley on a mix of sandy loam and clay soils. The vineyard sits in a small section of Sonoma-Carneros near the creek course, characterized by intensely rocky, free-draining soils particularly renowned for quality Chardonnay.
- VINIFICATION: Hand-harvested August 15, 2022. Gently whole-cluster pressed in a small one-ton Coquard basket press (80 gallons per ton yield). Oxidatively handled and fermented with native yeasts in large-format neutral French oak puncheons and Stockinger casks. Traditional method (méthode traditionnelle) with secondary fermentation in bottle under 6 atmospheres of pressure. No fining or filtration.
- AGING: 6-9 months in neutral French oak casks, then assembled and hand-bottled in February 2023. 30 months sur lie in bottle before hand-riddling and disgorgement in February 2025. Zero dosage (Brut Nature). No sulfur added at any stage.
- TASTING NOTES: Steely and tense with a slightly reductive nose of crushed flint, wet stone, white flowers, and citrus blossoms. Bright lemon curd and baked pear emerge alongside chalky minerality and sea spray. The palate offers crystalline precision with crisp apple, fine persistent bubbles, and vivacious acidity. Long, textural finish with impressive depth and mineral purity. A true labor of love showcasing the character of this remarkable site.
- FOOD PAIRINGS: Raw oysters and shellfish, Dungeness crab, seared scallops, aged Comté or Gruyère, delicate white fish preparations
- 900 bottles produced