American Sparklers let’s celebrate them!
My mom introduced me to my first sparkling wine. She loved Mumm’s Extra Dry Champagne, and we (even as youngsters) experienced our first taste of Champagne. My siblings recalled that as a good memory of our childhood.
Argyle Vintage Blanc de Blancs, Willamette Valley 2019 Starbright color, steady mousse, delicate, soft apples, textured, yet crisp on the palate. This is one of the best bargains on this list.
Roederer Estate L’Ermitage Brut Rosé, Anderson Valley Medium yellow, light salmon color, this wine exhibits an excellent and persistent mousse. Wild strawberries, stone fruits, green apples, and a touch of minerality go a long way.
One of my favorite movie lines in the Sound of Music (1965) was when Liesl von Trapp (Anne Farmon aka Charmain Carr) asked Captain Georg von Trapp, “I like to stay and taste my first Champagne, yes? He is smiling and responds, no!” While my mom loved that movie, and we watched it every Christmas, she gave us our first taste of Champagne. She was also present for my next memorable sparkling wine experience.
In one of my first professional trips to wineries, our cousin Don Lee, a sales rep for Juilliard Alpha, took us up to Sonoma Vineyards where we met Rodney Strong. One of the most exciting wines we tasted was the Sonoma Vineyards Sparkling Wine (I can’t find my original notes, but I remember that moment and even wrote it down. That was 1972 or 1973 and could have been one of the first written wine notes. As the years went on, sparkling wine was always an important section of our Ashbury Market. We sold all the usual brands: Moët & Chandon, Mumm, Veuve Clicquot, and a few other Champagnes, but our little corner store sold more California than French bubblies.
Ashbury Market was the first retail account that Domaine Chandon opened when it debuted in the marketplace. I met Stuart Harrison of M&H Wine. His first question was, “How did you learn about us?” Chandon had just launched its maiden release. As we stood on the undeveloped hillside, he pointed out that this would be the site of Napa Valley’s finest restaurant (to accompany one of California’s soon-to-be-reckoned powerhouses among sparkling wine producers. The restaurant, Étoile, and the wines left a lasting impression on me. Étoile closed in December 2014 after 37 years.
In the following years as the imported wine buyer and later cellarmaster at BevMo for nearly 20 years and Chief Storyteller at Wine.com (2014 to current), my exposure to sparkling wines took me on a trip around the world. Champagne, Franciacorta, Cava, South America, and back to the United States. With improvement in the vineyards and updates in enology, there was no stopping the once genie in the bottle. Today, as I look back at the wines, I tasted in 2022, I am reminded that many of the top bubblies are grown and made in the USA. Here is a list of the ten best I have tasted this year.
· Argyle Vintage Blanc de Blancs, Willamette Valley 2019. Founded in 1987, I was immediately impressed with the founder Rollin Soles’s dedication. From the beginning, I maintained a close watch on this winery, and the wines continued to improve. This wine, made from 100% Chardonnay, is bright and alluring. Starbright color, steady mousse, delicate, soft apples, textured, yet crisp on the palate. This is one of the best bargains on this list. (My Score: 93 Points) Suggested Retail Price: $30
· Banshee Ten of Cups Brut. Born in 2009 at a bar in the Dogpatch neighborhood in San Francisco, this artisan winery offers excellent wines at affordable prices. This wine combines fresh fruitiness and appealing complex nuances. Bright and bold apples, complementary yeastiness, a hint of creaminess. Serve it with grilled peaches, mozzarella, and arugula. (My Score: 91 Points) Suggested Retail Price: $30.
· Bodkin Hotspur Cuvée Rose Brut Zero Dosage. A joint effort by Chris Christensen, an Iowa native, and Andrew Chambers, an Oregon native, this is one of the most innovative and interesting wineries in Sonoma County. I have consistently tasted their wines over the past decade, and I always find them excellent in their categories. This wine begins with a deep pink color before offering dried earth and plenty of red fruits. Its richness makes it a candidate pairing with grilled lamb chops. (My Score: 91 Points) Suggested Retail Price: $25.
· Emmolo Sparkling Wine No. 4, California. Winemaker Cheryl Wagner is a winemaker’s winemaker. Never afraid of getting her hands dirty, she works from the ground up in producing her wines. This rich straw yellow color sparkler sports active apples, tart core fruits, and just a hint of creaminess. Pair it with duck confit and have a great time. (My Score: 90 Points) Suggested Retail Price: $39.
· Goldeneye Brut Rosé, Anderson Valley 2019. The was an energic buzz when this winery debuted in 1996. With the public’s appetite for quality Pinot Noirs, my colleagues could not stop talking about Goldeneye. Exhibiting a faint pink color, this wine dazzles with an active mousse. Sandalwood, dried earth, faint red fruits, and a slight elevation on the palate. The wine’s blend is 63% Pinot Noir and 37% Chardonnay. An entrée wine for sure; try it with Peking duck. (My Score: 92 Points) Suggested Retail: $70.
· Gruet Family Rosé Zéro Dosage, American. One of my favorite sparkling wines tasted in 2022. Founded in 1984, I was intrigued when I first tasted these wines. How could a producer from Albuquerque, New Mexico produces such fine sparkling wines? I was too jaded. Over the years, I have been impressed. Very light pink in color, this wine offers delicate strawberries that bite nicely in the finish. Perfect with sashimi. (My Score: 93 Points) Suggested Retail: $20.
· Iris Vineyards Areté Blanc de Blancs, Willamette Valley. Iris Vineyards was one of my 2022 discoveries. I tasted the winery’s new releases in March on a cool San Franciscan Day with winemaker Aaron Liberman and our local vendor. This wine was outstanding despite the windswept afternoon. Light straw color leads to lively mineral notes, green apples, and chalk. The wine’s long finish suggests a pairing with a tray of raw oysters. (My Score: 93 Points) Suggested Retail Price: $34.
· Roederer Estate L’Ermitage Brut Rosé, Anderson Valley. Always a player in the global market, these wines are always on my annual tasting schedule. Medium yellow, light salmon color, this wine exhibits an excellent and persistent mousse. Wild strawberries, stone fruits, green apples, and a touch of minerality go a long way. Pair it with steamed Dungeness crab in a roasted ginger and green onion sauce. (My Score; 95 Points) Suggested Retail Price: $100.
· Schramsberg J. Schram Brut, North Coast. I am always close to a glass of Schramsberg. This wine is palate-penetrating with style and class. Dried fruit and chalk with zesty apple notes and light autolysis. Pair it with panko-coated, pan-fried Petrale. (My Score: 94 Points) Suggested Retail Price: $130.
· Vara Silverhead Brut Rosado, American. Vara, produced by industry veterans Laurent Gruet, Bob Lindquist, Louisa Sawyer, and Drake McCarthy, among others is an exciting albeit complex venture. This wine is a blend of 75% Syrah and 25% Chardonnay from the Ancient Lakes AVA or Washington State. Bright pink color, very effervescent, candied strawberries, lively on the palate, tart red fruits, crisp aftertaste. Pair it with a raw seafood platter. (My Score: 92 Points) Suggested Retail Price: $27.
The world of sparkling wines continues to expand, and I expect more growth from places one would have never dreamt could produce excellent bubbies. Yet we should remember that the time-honored regions are still here ready to serve all of us. To your health, Happy New Year!
Banshee Ten of Cups Brut Bright and bold apples, complementary yeastiness, a hint of creaminess.
