AlmaFriaSonomaCoastSparklingChardonnay

This sparkling chardonnay is one of the Statesâ€?most unique sparkling wines, a 50/50 non-vintage bottling composed of a perpetual cuvée dating back to 2010 and sparkling Chardonnay from the current vintage (in this instance, 2020). The origins of this wine date back to winemaker Carroll Kemp’s time at Red Car, when he began the perpetual cuvée as a side project after his investors laughed off the suggestion. A decade later, however, and the joke is firmly on them. Amongst the greatest sparkling wines we’ve ever tried from California, this is a truly one-of-one bottling that bursts with notes of citrus and green apple, alongside lovely hints of toasted brioche. Truly first-class bubbles.

17.5/20 �Light-to-medium yellow-gold, with medium-fine bubbles. Aromas of citrus peel and parchment with a hint of dried apples. A plush mousse fills the palate and delivers wonderfully salty flavours of lemon peel and lemon oil, orange peel and seawater, with a hint of toasted bread. Excellent acidity and wonderful, smooth depth. Very impressive debut. �Alder Yarrow, JancisRobinson.com

94/100 �A new wine in this range, the NV (2020) Sparkling Chardonnay is equal parts 2020 vintage and a perpetual reserve that goes back to 2010. Bright, fresh and nuanced, the 2020 is seriously impressive. Lemon confit, white flowers, mint, slate and white pepper are some of the notes that come alive in the glass. Bottling under slightly lower pressure yields a sparkling wine with fine mousse. The no dosage approach works well here. �Antonio Galloni, Vinous

93/100 â€?Kemp started building a perpetual cuvee of Blanc de Blancs in 2011 but didn’t bottle it. ‘There are not a lot of base wines in California so I spent a decade building the base wine.â€?He did his first tirage bottling in 2020. Recently disgorged; it’s a blend of 10 vintages total; half is from 2020, and the other half is a 10-year cuvée. The wine was bottled intentionally with fewer bubbles and a more vinous character, which pairs well with West Sonoma Coast Chardonnay. Redolent florals, cut pears and notes of honeyed ginger build out the aromatics. The palate is rich with honeysuckle, ripe pear, and golden apples, finishing with rich honeyed stone fruits. â€?Clive Pursehouse, Decanter