Every step was taking you here all along.
A maze is built with intentional traps and dead ends designed to get you lost. A labyrinth is different, a single, continuous path with sudden twists, turns, and surprises. A patient person with a hand on the wall will always find their way out. Life isn't a maze; it’s a labyrinth. The dead ends you thought you hit were really just turns guiding you into your next passage. Wherever you may find yourself on the path, savor the moment and celebrate where you landed.
Labyrinth is the foundation of Loose Cannon’s traditional method sparkling program, our inaugural Traditional Method release. Labyrinth Passage One is a non-vintage cuvée from Loose Cannon’s first harvest in 2023, blended with the base wine from 2024 in the final dosage. Subtle oak treatment during primary fermentation and a touch of spirits in the dosage adds a whisper of complexity beneath ripe red fruit and a long toasty finish. With over two years aging en tirage, Labyrinth is a vibrant expression of cool-climate Michigan sparkling wine.
Fruit was whole-cluster pressed, dividing fractions to extract only pure, focused juice. Primary fermentation took place in stainless steel, with the Chardonnay lot fermented separately in a 100% new French oak barrel. The base wine underwent a full spontaneous malolactic fermentation, then aged on fine lees prior to filtration and tirage bottling.
Secondary fermentation was initiated in bottle on July 15, 2024, followed by 26 months of aging en tirage.
Labyrinth is a Traditional Method sparkling wine, crafted through the same labor intensive process used in Champagne for centuries. It begins with a fully fermented base wine. After aging and filtration, a second fermentation takes place directly inside the bottle to create fine, natural carbonation. The wine then ages on its spent yeast cells (lees), developing rich, complex notes of toasted and fresh bread alongside the fruit from the base wine.
To clarify the wine, the yeast sediment is gradually collected through a technique called riddling, where each bottle is turned and angled slightly over time until the yeast settles in the neck. Once riddling is complete, the wine undergoes disgorgement, where the yeast plug is cleanly removed. A final adjustment for sweetness, the dosage, is added before sealing the bottle with its cork and wire hood.
Serve well chilled ideally in a coupe or white wine glass in a tulip glass. Flutes are fine if you actually don't mind washing those, and skip decanting to preserve the bubbles.
Labyrinth: Passage I [INSERT TECH SHEET]
71% Pinot Noir / 29% Chardonnay, Extra Brut (2 g/L RS)
Aged 26 Months in bottle
