sparkling wine Archives - On The Wine Road

Valdo Numero 10 Sparkling Wine

In Ocotber I was invited to a media luncheon that was served with Valdo Numero 10 sparkling wine. I couldn’t resist attending as it took place in one of my favorite San Francisco restaurants, Sens. It also included a vertical tasting of 4 Valdo vintages.

Matteo Bolla hosted the event. Yes, the same Italian name behind a number of varietals including Bolla Valpolicella. The family split a century ago but Matteo’s family lineage concentrated on prosecco under the name Valdo, which pays homeage to the region in which the wine is made, Valdobeadenne. What’s special about Valdo Numero 10? It’s made in the same style as Champagne. That’s unusual for processeco.

In my interview with Matteo, you’ll hear about the Bolla family, and what makes Valdo 10 so special.

Click on the photo to see a larger image of the incredible menu Sens Restuarant prepared for the luncheon to accompany the Valdo vertical tasting.

Events, Wineries

Healdsburg Crush Event – Winemaker Bob Cabral

On this podcast from Saturday’s radio show, I touch upon one of October’s greatest wine events, the Healdsburg Crush event. It’s a fundraiser for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Sonoma-Marin. Winemaker Bob Cabrall (Bob Cabral Wines) joins me to share the details. The the organization is close to Bob’s heart, as is joining 60+ other wineries to pour Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and sparkling wine from Sonoma Co. The event is October 16th. During the interview I’ll share a promo code will save you $15 on admission! Hit the play button to pop the cork on this interview!

Alexander Valley, Wineries

Shooting Star Alicia Sylvester of Banshee Wines

I think of Alicia Sylvester as a shooting star because, to me, she appears to be speeding through life…even when she’s standing still; when she can stand still. Her passion is invigorating. Her energy is inspiring. And at times you could even say she glows.

This podcast can serve as a sort of Master Class on how to rise through the ranks. You’ll get a kick out of how this small town central Cali girl ended up working harvests across the globe, playing a role in winemaking with respected brands, then landing her current gig at Banshee Wines. Alicia Sylvester crafts small vineyard designate wines for their club, and up to 70,000 cases wholesale. Any aspiring young winemaker should take notes!

Wineries

Korbel Champagne Cellars’ Gary Heck

It’s that time of year to pop some bubbly, and a good time to find out how the Korbel brothers eventually created California “champagne” 139 years ago. In this podcast, owner, president and chairman Gary Heck shares the story of Korbel Champagne Cellars. It’s a multi-layered history full of drama and perseverance. The Hecks are only the second family to run the business, and as a result of their decades of determination the brand can be found across the U.S. and internationally. Click here to visit Korbel Champagne Cellars.

Cheers, and Happy Holidays!

The Korbel brothers

The original Korbel building with the Brandy Tower in the background

Wineries

Return to Paradise & Faire La Fête!

Return to Paradise

It was two years and two months after the wine country wildfires when I returned to Paradise Ridge Winery to see how the rebuild was coming along. I had no idea it was the first day of their soft opening.

In October of 2017 their hospitality center and production facility burned to the ground. I’ve come to know the Byck family fairly well over the years and I’m thrilled to see the return of Paradise. Owner and family member Rene and I sat down in January so he could catch us up on the challenges his family faced the past two years, the new building and some changes they have in mind. See an artist’s rendering of the new building and more at PRWinery.com.

To hear Rene talk about the loss of the winery just 4 months after the fire and see photos of the devastation click here.

Faire La Fête

In this interview I talk with Master of Wine Peter Neptune about the rich and centuries long tradition of Mardi Gras. You won’t believe how many centuries! You’ll also hear about the sparkling wine that was developed in southeastern France that ties into the historical roots of the celebration, Faire La Fête Brut. As you’ll hear, sparkling wine was developed in the Limoux region, (no, not Champagne) making Faire La Fête the ideal sparkling for Mardi Gras celebrations. You gotta love a history lesson with a party theme!

The week of the soft opening during a foggy winter’s day.

A small part of the new tasting room featuring the new art work referenced in the interview.

The Paradise Ridge Blanc De Blanc sparkling wine and Vineyard Select Russian River Valley Pinot Noir.

Napa Valley, Wineries

Artesa Estate Vineyards and Winery

It’s not intentional that this podcast was uploaded just a couple weeks after the movie Wine Country was released. Artesa Estate Vineyards and Winery is one of the wineries the ladies visited.

The fact is, their winemaker Ana Diogo-Draper was on my radio show in April, so she was next in line for my podcast. As you’ll hear, Artesa is influenced by Spain, Napa Valley and Portugal. You can taste those influences in the many wines Ana crafts. Varieties include Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Alberino, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, and a sparkling.

Join us in the tasting room to learn about Artesa Estate Vineyards and Winery, the rich history, and their delightful winemaker.

Learn more about the winery here.

My guest, winemaker Ana Diogo-Draper

A portion of their tasting room

The gift shop

Additional tasting bar for events and overflow

One of several beautiful period paintings that hang in various tasting spaces

You can click on these photos to see a larger image

The Galatea we discuss. It’s 53% Tempranillo, 47% Cabernet Sauvignon and 100% delicious!

Wine Uncorked

Vintage and Non-Vintage Wine

What is a vintage wine? It’s the wine made out of the single year’s harvest, the date on the label is the vintage. It does not indicate the year the wine was bottled.

Non-vintage wines are those produced by mixing harvests of two years or more. On occasion you’ll see NV on the label marking the distinction. This is a common practice with Champagne and sparkling wine producers as winemakers provide a continuous house style through the blending of various vintages, to create the yearly non-vintage Champagne.

It’s not uncommon to see vintage year sparkling wines in California. However, in the Champagne region of France, vintages are generally produced three or four times a decade. This represents less than 5% of total Champagne production.

As you see, the vintage of this Lanson Champagne is 1998

This label does not indicate a year which would suggest a non-vintage Champagne

I should note, often a vintage date may appear on the foil of the bottle or on an attached tag,
especially these days with screen printed wine labels.

As you see here, Lanson does put their vintage dates on the label so it is likely the Black Label is a
non-vintage Champagne. As it turns out, Black Label was chosen to indicate a specific non-vintage Champagne they bottle to honor the long relationship it has with the British Court.

Wine Uncorked

Who Really Put The Fizz in Sparkling Wine?

For centuries the French monk Dom Perignon was thought to have invented champagne in the late 1600s. However, the facts are as grounded as the bubbles in the wine itself. Dom Perignon he was cellar master at the Abbey of Hautvilliers but there is no evidence that he was the first person to taste sparkling wine. Additionally, his famous quote, “I am drinking the stars!” also is false, with the first documented mention of that line appearing in an advertisement in the late 19th century. But to give credit where credit is due, it is said he was the first to use cork as a bottle closure.

Interestingly, the first sparkling wine is considered by some wine historians to have been invented by Benedictine Monks in the Abbey of Saint-Hilaire, near Limoux, in Languedoc in 1531, almost a hundred years before Dom Perignon was born. Research has been unable to unearth any exact date of the creation of sparkling wine using, what is referred to today as méthode Champenoise…with one exception.

An English scientist, physician, naturalist and metallurgist is said to be the first to document “How to put the fizz into sparkling wine” in 1662. The scientist, Christopher Merrett of Winchcombe was the first person to describe the second fermentation process and use the word “sparkling” when referring to the end product, says Winchcombe historian Jean Bray. The fine English residents of Winchcombe in the Cotswolds, U.K. are so convinced Dr. Merrett was the first to create sparkling wine they have installed a plaque in his honour. (Yes, that’s honor with a “u” out of respect for the locals)

Tag Archive for: sparkling wine

Return to Paradise

Faire La Fête