If New Year’s Eve isn’t a time to bust out the bubbly, then what is? Check out these amazing California sparkling wines to pop open this holiday season.
Jordan Vineyard & Winery Cuveé by Champagne AR Lenoble
Orange blossom drifts from the bottle to the nose upon uncorking this beauty, which also boasts hints of white peach. On the palate, enjoy a burst of pear with a creamy brioche for balance as well as a dreamy, elegant finish. $50
This vintage is neither Pinot Noir nor Chardonnay; it is both, made using an equal blend of the grape varietals following the traditional méthode champenoise. $75
Carter Estate Blanc de Blanc, Temecula Valley
Fantastically fizzy, this sparkler shines with a trio of concentrated citrus, crispy green apple and toasty baked bread in every sip. $43.99
Made from the finest two percent of Schramsberg’s iconic vines, this Pinot Noir-based bubbly dazzles with vanilla, sourdough, tart lemon curd. $140
A sexy, chic take on Jolly Rancher, there are clear hints of sour cherry candy and even a bit of watermelon when the bottle pops open. They give way to a symphony of citrus and minerality before that cherry, this time softer, roars back for the finish. $55
The Duke, a Sparkling Blanc de Noirs Reserve
When John Wayne’s youngest son Ethan became manager of his father’s estate, he discovered about 30 wooden vaults that had been sealed by executors after his father’s 1979 passing. In one was a collection of wines the Oscar-winning actor had collected. That collection has inspired a line of Napa reserve wine, including this dreamy bubbler, with a portion of proceeds from each bottle benefiting the John Wayne Cancer Foundation. $85
Wente 140th Harvest Sparkling Brut
A burst of bubbles worth this monumental milestone. Enjoy a bouquet of pear and apple complemented by crème brûlée as the glass draws closer to the nose. Upon tasting, notes of vanilla cream create a party on the palate. $55
While most sparkling wines are made from Pinot Noir or Chardonnay grapes, this one is made from Muscat Blanc, resulting in a sweet flavor kissed by orange and peach. $30
Robert Hall 2021 Cavern Select Sparkling Grenache Blanc
A truly different take on bubbles, expect notes of lemon peel, apple blossom and crushed stone at first, but they give way to the effervescence along with kisses of apricot and papaya to the taste. $40
Harvest Moon 2021 Sparkling Gewürztraminer
Drier than one may think given the source grape, this bottle is a celebration of lychee fruit, sweet-yet-floral rosebuds, and a touch of citrus that gives perfect balance and acid. $48
J Vineyards Extra Late Disgorged Brut
There are only 80 cases of this California sparkling wine, each on a 13-year journey to attain the perfect balance of bubbles and notes of baked apple, honeycomb and toasted almond. $200
Domaine Carneros Vermeil Demi Sec
Vermeil is an ever-so-slightly sweet sparkling wine, and this is a stunner with nectarine, ginger, honey and pear on the nose and palate. $39
Cougar Dolce Bubbly NV, Temecula Valley
Surprise! This California sparkling wine is made with Malvasia Bianca, an iconic Italian grape with deep roots in Greece. Expect a little honey here, paired beautifully with spiced pear and a touch of vanilla. $25
Hanna Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc
What in the what? A sparkling Sauvignon Blanc? Perhaps the only one in the market in California, there is such a wild flavor combination here. Think matcha, apple, pear, but with a kiss of ginger, tea and a bit of jammy stone fruit. $56
2018 Ovation Joseph Phelps Vineyards
A Sonoma vintage that has all who sip it stand up and cheer, there is noticeable stone fruit – apricot, in particular, and perhaps some nectarine – on the nose, followed by a parade of tart apple and ever-so-slight-floral notes. To the taste, expect ultra-creamy lemon meringue pie. $135
2017 Moshin Vineyards Blanc de Noir Sparkling Wine
Made from 100 percent estate-grown fruit, while made in California, there is a distinct French feel to this wine. It leaps from the bottle with cherry, flower blossoms and apples, tempered by just enough brioche for balance without being overpowering. $65
Emeritus Hallberg Sparkling Brut
Every sip of this sparkler is equal parts rich and tart with exuberant waves of lemon meringue pie and dried stone fruit. There is also a healthy dose of stone and zippy freshness that makes it very easy to drink. $80
Meeker 2022 Pop Punk Viognier Pét-Nat #08: “Big Waves of Light”
Like all of its varietals, this California sparking wine stays true to the brand’s mission to make traditional wines with experimental minds. Named for one of the winemaker’s favorite genres of music – punk – combined with the word “pop” to denote it is bubbly, there is effervescence, of course, and a wild combination of lovely tropical fruit. $34