BXT 'Wheeler Vineyard' Blanc de Blancs, San Benito County, California 2023
BXT (Bubbles by Tom) is a meticulously crafted micro-production sparkling wine project based in Napa's Crusher District. Winemaker Tom Sherwood, who also produces Napa Cabernet by day while his wife Brittany serves as head winemaker at iconic Heitz Cellars, creates grower Champagne-inspired sparklings in his spare time. 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. Sherwood sources from distinctive vineyard sites across Northern California, seeking fruit that achieves compelling depth and character at the acid and sugar levels appropriate for sparkling wine, then allows the wines to express themselves with minimal intervention.
- WINEMAKER: Tom Sherwood (proprietor/winemaker)
- FARMING: Organically farmed for over 40 years by John Siletto and family
- VARIETY: 100% Chardonnay (Blanc de Blancs) – Wente Clone on AXR-1 rootstock
- TERROIR: Wheeler Vineyard, San Benito County.50-year-old vines planted on a gravelly alluvial fan of Pleasanton loam over granite and limestone subsoils. These rare surviving vines on AXR-1 rootstock endured the phylloxera epidemic that devastated California vineyards three decades ago.
- VINIFICATION: Hand-harvested September 16, 2023 (final pick of the vintage). Gently whole-cluster pressed and handled oxidatively. Fermented in large-format neutral French oak barrels. Traditional method (méthode traditionnelle) with secondary fermentation in bottle to 5 bars of atmospheric pressure. No fining or filtration.
- AGING: 18 months sur lie in bottle before hand-riddling and disgorgement. Zero dosage (Brut Nature). No sulfur added at any stage.
- FOOD PAIRINGS: Shellfish and crustaceans (oysters, Dungeness crab, lobster), grilled white fish, aged cheeses, charcuterie
BXT 'Wheeler Vineyard' Blanc de Blancs, San Benito County, California 2023
BXT (Bubbles by Tom) is a meticulously crafted micro-production sparkling wine project based in Napa's Crusher District. Winemaker Tom Sherwood, who also produces Napa Cabernet by day while his wife Brittany serves as head winemaker at iconic Heitz Cellars, creates grower Champagne-inspired sparklings in his spare time. 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. Sherwood sources from distinctive vineyard sites across Northern California, seeking fruit that achieves compelling depth and character at the acid and sugar levels appropriate for sparkling wine, then allows the wines to express themselves with minimal intervention.
- WINEMAKER: Tom Sherwood (proprietor/winemaker)
- FARMING: Organically farmed for over 40 years by John Siletto and family
- VARIETY: 100% Chardonnay (Blanc de Blancs) – Wente Clone on AXR-1 rootstock
- TERROIR: Wheeler Vineyard, San Benito County.50-year-old vines planted on a gravelly alluvial fan of Pleasanton loam over granite and limestone subsoils. These rare surviving vines on AXR-1 rootstock endured the phylloxera epidemic that devastated California vineyards three decades ago.
- VINIFICATION: Hand-harvested September 16, 2023 (final pick of the vintage). Gently whole-cluster pressed and handled oxidatively. Fermented in large-format neutral French oak barrels. Traditional method (méthode traditionnelle) with secondary fermentation in bottle to 5 bars of atmospheric pressure. No fining or filtration.
- AGING: 18 months sur lie in bottle before hand-riddling and disgorgement. Zero dosage (Brut Nature). No sulfur added at any stage.
- FOOD PAIRINGS: Shellfish and crustaceans (oysters, Dungeness crab, lobster), grilled white fish, aged cheeses, charcuterie