December 30, 2005

Back to the Table of Contents Page

Back to the Weekly Home Page

Classifieds

Publication Date: Friday, December 30, 2005

Toasting the New Year, local style

Tomorrow is New Year's Eve and people everywhere will celebrate the start of 2006--and most of these celebrations will involve champagne. With our own wine country just next door, Pleasanton residents should have no problem raising a glass filled with local champagne, or rather, "sparkling wine," during the countdown to the New Year. Of course, champagne only comes from the Champagne region of France, but that doesn't keep growers from all over the world, including California, from making their own sparkling wines.

"I think the California sparkling wines tend to be more fruit forward and fuller bodied," said Christine Wente, fifth generation wine owner of Wente Vineyards. Wente Vineyards bottles a brut sparkling, blending pinot noir and pinot blanche, which creates a "well balanced" flavor, Christine said. The grapes are grown in the Wente vineyards in Monterey, but the wine is produced at its Livermore winery.

Little Valley Winery makes three California champagnes at its vineyard in Lodi, but all three are big sellers here in the Tri-Valley, said Sandy Bohner, owner of Little Valley Winery. One is a regular champagne and the other two are raspberry and almond flavored.

"People always think of champagne as a toasting drink, but it does well paired with Asian food," Sandy said. "And the almond-flavored champagne makes a good mimosa and is also good for sipping. People should try the raspberry champagne with frozen raspberries in it and then serve it as an aperitif. It goes well with desserts, cheeses or chocolate."

While Sandy admits there is a noticeable difference between actual champagne from France and California champagne, she still believes California champagnes are very good in their own right.

Mitchell Katz, owner of Mitchell Katz Winery in Pleasanton, said the difference between California champagne and French champagne can be attributed to each culture's differing tastes.

"On this side of the water, people like their wines and champagnes on the sweeter side and the French like theirs a little drier," he said. Mitchell Katz Winery sells a champagne that it grows and makes at its vineyard in Lodi. Its champagne is a brut blend of chardonnay and pinot noir grapes, Mitchell said.

"Champagne is a hard one because a lot of people don't like it," said Jill Guiomar, an event planner at Elliston Vineyards. "It needs to have a good mix of dry and sweet. You don't want it to be too tough to drink." Elliston Vineyards produces a sparkling wine at its cellar in Woodbridge.

"It's definitely a little sweeter, a little less dry," Jill said.

The other big difference between California and French champagnes is the price. Whereas French champagne can cost hundreds and hundreds of dollars, sparkling wines from the Valley usually run between $12-$15.

"On a really special occasion, someone might buy a high end champagne and for everyday pick ours because we're in a good price range," Sandy said.

But just because it's less expensive doesn't mean the California wines are any less festive.

"I love California sparkling wines," Christine said. "It's perfect to be in California drinking California sparkling."
Where to get sparkling wines in the Livermore Valley

Elliston Vineyards

Chouinard Vineyards

Little Valley Winery

Mitchell Katz Winery

Rios-Lovell Estate Winery

Stony Ridge Winery

Tam‡s Estates

Wente Vineyards

E-mail a friend a link to this story.