Domaine Carneros sparkling wine
American sparkling wine is having a fabulous moment as more and more winemakers use their amazing fruit to craft méthode champenoise bubbly. Producers such as Roederer Estate, Schramsburg, Domaine Carneros, and Domaine Chandon have spent decades perfecting their craft, but today one can find incredible sparkling wine in places such as Oregon, the high-elevation climes of northern New Mexico, or the arid climate of western Colorado. For 2023 resolve to be a flexibly-minded bubbly lover and search out bottles you’d overlook otherwise—here’s a list to get you started:
Coolest and the Best Value—Vara American Silverhead Brut: Fruit from Spain, and Washington meet méthode champenoise style in New Mexico in this marvelous sparkling wine, brimming with notes of toasted almonds, Fuji apple, and ripe pear. This elegant sparkling with its vibrant creamy citrus profile is sure to be a party-pleaser. $25
Matthew Bruno Los Carneros Blanc de Blancs Sparkling 2020: Made with fruit from one of the coolest growing regions in Napa, this sparkler has notes of ripe pear and apple, laced with a bit of lemon zest. Refreshing and racy—and come January 2023, expect the debut of Mathew Bruno Rutherford Estate, a newly-designed tasting room located in the 19th-century historic house, once known as, “the finest house in all of Rutherford.” $65
Etude Grace Benoist Ranch Blanc de Noirs Sparkling Wine, 2018: Well-loved for their expertise with pinot noir, Etude and the winemaking team have embarked on a sparkling that celebrates the varietal with this blend of mostly pinot noir and a bit of chardonnay. The palate is texturally rich with stone fruit notes and a bit of ginger spice on the finish. A nice mousse-like mouthfeel helps it stand up to soft cheeses and of course a big night of celebrating. $60
Hahn Blanc de Blancs Brut, Santa Lucia Highlands, 2017: Tropical fruit and buttered brioche notes on the palate are offset nicely by a zesty citrus freshness. Made from 100% Chardonnay cultivated in Hahn’s very own certified sustainable Smith Vineyard, the grapes are hand harvested and then fermented in stainless steel. 24 months of aging on the lees lends complexity and warmth to the texture. A delicious California sparkler. $50
Benovia Blanc de Noir, Russian River Valley, 2018: Indigenous yeast, whole cluster pressing, for a delicate wine that receives very little dosage, putting it in the Extra Brut category. The texturally rich mouthfeel is accompanied by notes of lemon zest, ripe apple and wild strawberry. Winemaker/Co-Owner Mike Sullivan, hews to organic and sustainable farming—the winery is family-owned and dedicated to making exquisite, small-production pinot noir and chardonnay. $60
Domaine Carneros Cuvee de la Pompadour Brut Rosé: This California sparkling (which is owned by the Taittinger Champagne house) is named for Louis the XV’s lover, Madame de Pompadour, who gets credit for introducing the court at Versailles to the joys of Champagne. The bubbly is complex and flavorful on the palate from the addition of pinot noir juice that enjoys several days of skin contact. Rich and textured with wild strawberry and peach notes that give way to a lingering note of orange peel. Buy several bottles—this one is a crowd-pleaser. $45 (average online)
Corollary Cuvee One Rose, 2018: World-class sparkling is being made in Oregon and this expression is testimony to that. This expression gets 36 months on the lees for optimal flavor development and sultry mousse-like texture on the palate. In keeping with their sustainably-minded goals, founders Jeanne Feldkamp and Dan Diephouse are developing Oregon’s first property dedicated exclusively to sparkling wines—which means we will have even more spectacular sparklers from this brand in the future. $50
Soter Vineyards Estates Brut X: This intriguing non-vintage blend includes reserve wines pulled from the Soter cellars. Barrel fermented and four years on the lees, the final wine is layered and complex with bright ripe apple, ginger and citrus notes on the palate. $65
