Organic + Sparkling = A Perfect Match

Are you planning on celebrating the holidays with some sparkling wines?

Consider making yours the greener ones...

Your choices could easily include organically grown bubbly! All below are traditional method (i.e. fermented on yeast, lees).

Traditional Grapes (Pinot Noir, Chardonnay)

--Organic 

Chalone / Monterey County

• Under the Wire Brosseau Vineyard  (and Flatiron SF) ($54)

Mendocino | Anderson Valley

• Handley Cellars 2019 Blanc de Blanc ($60)

• Long Meadow Ranch 2019 Blanc de Noirs ($85) and 2020 Brut Rosé ($125)

• Neal Family Vineyards sparkling wine 2021 One & Only Blanc de Blanc ($50)

Mendocino / Potter Valley

A TOP PICK • McFadden Vineyards Brut Rosé ($35) and Brut ($35) ***** My personal fave for price and quality 

Napa

• Matthiasson's first Sparkling Wine (Linda Vista Chardonnay) ($85)

Sonoma

• Canihan Wines Brut Nature 2019 ($48)

• Gloria Ferrer Sencilla 2021 (100 cases; $85) In Spanish, Sencilla means “simple." As a zero dosage 100 percent Chardonnay sparkling wine, it showcases the power and finesse of organically farmed Chardonnay without any added sugar. (Ferrer has now converted 338 acres of their vineyards to organics! But it will be a few years before those wines become available.)

--Biodynamic

Oregon | Willamette Valley

• King Estate's 2019 Brut Cuvee ($40)

• Soter Vineyards 2021 Mineral Springs Brut Rosé ($80) and a full spectrum of sparkling wines

Oregon / Gorge

• Analemma 2018 Atavus Blanc de Noirs Sparkling ($76)

Other Sparkling Wines (Non Traditional Grapes)

California

• Amista Vineyards (Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma County) 4+ wines: Chardonnay, Grenache, Mourvedre and Syrah ($50+) 

• Bokisch Vineyards (Lodi) Cava Inspired 2023 Lo Xalet Sparkling Wine ($60) (Spanish Indigenous Variety Grapes) and a 2024 Sparkling Albarino and a 2023 Sparkling Rosé 

• Neal Family Vineyards (Napa) Spokes Sparkling Wine ($40) (Vermentino)

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BONUS SECTION | Charmat Method Wines

• Cricket Farms Brut Sparkling Wine (Lake County) 3 wine: Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and Viognier 

• Robert Hall (Paso Robles) Cavern Select 2022 Grenache Blanc ($45)

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ANOTHER BONUS SECTION | Imported Organic Sparklings

• Avaline Sparkling (Raventos) $35 (not available at Target; only the Prosecco is at Target which is not traditional method) Order Online

Argentina

• Domaine Bousquet 

Spain

• Any Cava Guarda Superior from 2025 onward

• Raventos Blanc

• Vins el Cep (via Wine.com)

https://www.vilarnau.es/en/els-nostres-vilarnau/vilarnau-cavas/vilarnau-brut-reserva-rose-delicat-organic

TOP PICK • Vilarnau Brut Reserva Rose $18 at Total Wine 

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ACTUAL CHAMPAGNE PRODUCERS

I love the grower champagnes who are organic or biodynamic. 

There is an association of all the organic and biodynamic grower champagne producers – find a list of them here. Or check out their instagram https://www.instagram.com/champagnesbiologiques/?hl=en

I am currently partial to Champagne de Sousa (biodynamic) which is available in the USA - $46-67 (3 wines) at Bottle Barn and at other retailers, and of course Champagne Fleury (also biodynamic). It is not easy to be organic in wet, damp Champagne but there are skilled producers who accomplish this task. Some say it's easier when you are biodynamic. Fleury also has a cool wine bar in Paris.

To keep up with organic and biodynamic developments in Champagne, have a look at Caroline Henry's awesome substack newsletter (and book).

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LAST YEAR'S SPARKLING ROUNDUP Blog Post