–With the holiday season now upon us, we invited our local wineries to help us with their top wine recommendations. Wow, were we impressed by the submissions. When you celebrate this season and raise a glass at your Christmas dinner and New Year’s Eve celebration, consider pouring some of our delightful local bubbly wines.
Today we consider sparkling wine recommendations. Champagne has always been a popular choice for kicking off the holidays and ringing in the New Year. California’s Champagne-style sparkling wines make for excellent choices. From the sparkling wines submitted, here are the ones we recommend. Cheers to a bright new year!
Our recommendations are in alphabetical order. Serve them chilled.
Top local sparkling wine recommendations
Austin Hope Treana Blanc De Blanc – $55
Delicate floral aromas of golden apple, stone fruit, and shaved almond. An ethereal mouthfeel dances with notes of pear, green apple, citrus, and brioche. Tangy acidity and hints of creaminess strife a lasting balance on the finish.
Barr Estate 2021 Sparkling Albariño – $32
This delightful sparkling wine is dry and smooth, offering aromas of melon, pear, and peach. Pairs well with oysters, caviar, pate, foie gras, and spicy dishes.
Cutruzzola 2020 Lisa Marie Blanc De Noir – $60
This wine’s fine bubbles elevate aromas of crisp, white nectarine. On the palate, Persian Lime and Bartlett Pear emerge and are paired with lively acidity. The finish is refined and elegant.
Halter Ranch 2020 Libelle – $85
Aromas of crushed pineapple, lime, citrus, and a touch of cream jump from the glass of this picpoul blanc. The entry is bright, crisp, reminiscent of celebration, with flavors of lemon, guava, and pear that segue into a balanced, clean finish. Enjoy as an aperitif, with cheese and charcuterie, or oysters.
Le Vigne 2020 Isabella Blanc de Noir – $52
the wine opens with aromas of peach and creme fraiche that lead to hints of a light doughy mousse. On the palate notes of tamarind and macadamia are framed by it’s crisp acidity and silky mouthfeel.
Opolo NV Sparkling – $16
This non-vintage wine is refreshing, light golden in color, and full of flavor with pronounced ribbons of bubbles. The palate holds effervescent notes of peach and apple that lead to a delightful finish. The sparkling is perfect for an afternoon poolside or celebration. It’s a great value.
Paris Valley Road 2020 Sparkling – $36
This méthode traditionnelle sparkling has notes of d’Anjou pears, Meyer lemons, green apples, apricots, and blanched almonds mingle. Whispers of jasmine, orange blossoms, and brioche delicately emerge as well. The finish is polished and very satisfying.
Rava Winery Sparkling Negro Amaro – $60
This pink sparkling is made from a certified french clone of Negro Amaro. It has more structure than a rosé, but is softer than a full bodied red. It’s fruity with black cherry, cranberry, and pomegranate on the nose. It has medium tannin structure, with a long finish. It pairs well with barbeque chicken pizza, pulled pork sandwiches, teriyaki, or cranberry sauce.
Rava Winery Sparkling Blanc de Blancs – $55
This brut sparkling wine displays a bead of refined bubbles and pale straw color. It has aromas of pineapple and yellow apples accented by toasted almond and biscuit notes from the extended aging on the lees, finishing with hints of lemon citrus. It pairs well with aged gouda or other hard cheeses, and as a counterpoint to soft triple creams. It also pairs nicely with puffed pastry, crab legs, grilled scallops, or fettuccine alfredo.
Sextant 2012 Sparkling Brut – $98
This wine has spent extended time en tirage. A yeasty sourdough starter characteristic immediately wafts from the glass, along with hints of toasted almond and French bread fresh from the oven. These aromas follow through to the palate, with crisp green apple and rich lemon meringue notes adding seductive layers to a concentrated core of minerality. Tiny bubbles abound, and are perfectly juxtaposed by a velvety-smooth creamy complexity.
SummerWood Asa Awa Sparkling Grenache Blanc – $40
This wine has aromas of white flowers, green apples, Asian pear, and quince. This bright wine greets the palate with flavors of grapefruit, lemon zest, green apples, and lemon lime tones. Pairs well with oysters, sushi, or roasted chicken.
Steinbeck 2021 Cuvee Rhone – $90
Only 10 cases produced. Aromas show pink berry, lemon tart, and rising pizza dough. A silky-fine bead on the palate, and textural and mineral driven, with ripe persimmon, cherry, shortbread, and playful cooking spices. Meant to go with a meal.
Tobin James Sparkling Dream Weaver – $14
This sparkling wine has a refreshing balance of white peach fruit, tingly acid, and subtle sweetness. Its body is zippy, fresh, and light bouncing effervescence. It’s off dry, and pairs well with brunch, charcuterie, fried chicken, waffles, oysters, crab cakes, and lobster. It’s a great value.
More local wine recommendations
- Best local sparkling wines
- Best local rosé wines
- Best local white wines
- Best local pinot noir
- Best local zinfandel wines
- Best Spanish-style wines
- Best local Rhone-style red wines and red blends
- Best cabernet, Bordeaux-style, and red wines
- Best local dessert wines
Publisher’s note: For the 10th year in a row we thought it would be fun to recommend local wines for the holidays. Once again, we received an amazing amount of participation from our local wineries. Over the last two weeks, we received more than 100 entries. Fortunately, there were many solid, well-made wines to recommend. We have created several lists of top local wines into categories. The recommended wines above are in alphabetical order.
