2016 Brick & Mortar Block House Vineyard Brut Rose Napa Valley 750 ml

At Michelin three-star SingleThread in Healdsburg, no detail is overlooked, and no world-class wine is out of reach. That’s why it speaks volumes that this gastronomic temple hand-selected the 2016 Brick & Mortar Block House Vineyard Brut Rosé Napa Valley.

All 154 cases of this 100% Pinot Noir bubbly were bound to be sipped by guests at SingleThread. But when those plans changed (i.e. 2020 happened), we got a tip from their sommelier—and then we sprang into action. Now this tiny-production sparkler, which most of the world will never have the chance to try, is being rerouted from one of America’s greatest restaurants to Wine Access members.  

Meticulously sourced from an out-of-the-way vineyard first planted in 1836 by Napa Valley founding father George Yount, this Pinot Noir rosé sparkler boasts unique Napa terroir in every sip. Salmon-hued with a lively fusillade of bubbles, it’s bursting with red fruits, savory herbs, and rose petal aromas, and delights the palate with red cherry, vanilla, almond, and an exquisite cleansing acidity. 

This bubbly would be at home on a table with Billecart-Salmon, Taittinger, and the greats of the world. But instead of delighting the discerning diners at SingleThread, the only place this Napa Valley rarity can be found is here at Wine Access, for just $45.

Brick & Mortar is led by winemaker Matt Iaconis, who was bound for another field—aeronautics—until an elective class at UC Davis piqued his interest in wine. He was hooked. He honed his skills at Piero Antinori’s Antica Napa Valley estate and has left his mark in Australia, New Zealand, Italy, and France. But it was a summer in Burgundy that cemented Iaconis’s commitment to cool-climate, terroir-driven, European-inspired wines, and in 2011, Brick & Mortar was born. 

Matt’s philosophy of crafting site-specific wines with moderate alcohol and bright acidity applies perfectly to sparkling wine, as does his “secret” of hands-off winemaking, a technique rooted in patience. “Less is more,” says Iaconis. “Nowadays, while I maintain the wine, I do almost nothing once the wine hits the barrel, and minimal prior to that. I try to ensure the fruit is of the highest quality entering the winery, and stay out of the way from there.”

For the 2016 Brick & Mortar, Matt used 100% Pinot Noir sourced from Block House’s cool alluvial soils in eastern Yountville. He hand-harvested and whole-cluster-pressed directly to barrel, where the wine spent ten months. After blending in 4% still Pinot Noir, the wine spent an astounding 40 months on the lees, before riddling, disgorging, and dosage. 

At a final residual sugar of just two grams per liter, this has a mouthwatering finish that will have you licking your lips, and ready for another sip. The terroir and painstaking élévage are apparent to the last drop, making it clear why this wine would have a home at one of the most exacting restaurants in the world. It’ll delight just as thoroughly in your home—if you get to it quickly enough.