Yes, California Does Sparkle

Lest you think that California has nothing to offer in terms of sparkling wine, you should know that the French think differently. If the terrain in Cali was not up to par to produce beautiful bubbly then highly regarded French brands such as Taittinger certainly wouldn’t associate themselves with sparklers from the Golden State.

Although Vino Girl must admit that it’s tough to measure up to “real deal” Champagne, it’s always nice to try something different every once in awhile. Domaine Carneros, owned by Taittinger, makes sparkling wines including Le Reve Blanc de Blancs, Brut Cuvee and Brut Rose that are much more than acceptable.

The Domaine Carneros vineyards are, as you might have garnered from the name, located in the Carneros appellation, a cool climate region overlapping with both Napa and Sonoma Valley. The wines are made using the same method as in Champagne and can be found for about $25 for the Brut Cuvee, $30 for the Rose and $60 for the Le Reve.

Here are some other California sparklers that are owned by or associated with French Champagne companies:

Domaine Chandon - Moët & Chandon

Mumm Cuvée Napa - G. H. Mumm Champagne

Scharffenberger Cellars turned Pacific Echo now Scharffenberger again - Veuve Clicquot

Roederer Estate - Champagne Louis Roederer

Piper Sonoma – Piper Heidsieck Champagne

Cheers!