T.G.I.F. Champagne and the like…2005 Iron Horse Vineyard Russian Cuvée

This week it’s another  sparkler is from Iron Horse Vineyards in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma.  It’s one of four Sonoma sparkling wine houses (the others being J, Korbel and Gloria Ferrer) in Sonoma County. They are a family owned winery founded by Audrey and Barry Sterling.  Iron Horse produces a variety of vintage sparkling wines along with still wines (Pinot…

Along The Napa Sparkling Wine Trail – Domaine Carneros

We recently took to an overnight trip up to Napa. On our agenda? Make our last stop along the Napa Sparkling Wine Trail – in our case Domaine Carneros. If you’re not familiar with the “Napa Sparkling Wine Trail“, it’s composed of five sparkling wine houses in the Carneros and Napa Valley areas. They are…

T.G.I.F. Champagne and the like…NV Roederer Estate Brut

This week’s sparkler is produced by Roederer Estate, owned by Louis Roederer Champagne, which is renowned for producing the luxury Champagne Cristal.  The California operation is located in Anderson Valley, north of the Napa Valley.  My last visit to Anderson Valley was a few years ago.  I really enjoyed it.  It doesn’t have cachet of Napa, or…

T.G.I.F. Champagne and the like…NV Mumm Napa Cuvee M

Mumm Napa is a joint venture between G.H. Mumm & Cie, of France, and Joseph E Seagram & Sons.  G.H. Mumm & Cie was founded in 1827, ironically by the von Mumms, German winemakers who trace their ancestry back to medieval times. The Napa location was founded by in 1979 by Guy Deveaux, who passed away in 1995….

T.G.I.F. Champagne and the like…NV Mumm Napa Brut Rosé

Looking for very nice Sparkling Rosé to try? Try this one! It’s very good and frequently on sale at a price that make it very good value…

T.G.I.F. Champagne and the like – 2008 Antech “Cuvée Eugénie” Crémant de Limoux

This week’s virtual trip around the world of sparklers takes me back to France, specifically the Languedoc-Roussillon region that is renowned for great quality-price ration (“QPR”) wines.  I must confess that, so far, I’ve only enjoyed Crémants (as sparkling wines produced in France, but outside of Champagne are known) from the region. The Crémant de…

T.G.I.F. Champagne and the like – Great QPR Sparkling Rosé from S. Africa!

My virtual trip around the wide world of sparklers continues this week with a sparkler from Graham Beck of South Africa, which has over a three-hundred year history of grape growing.  Although, until relatively recently, most of the grapes were used to make cheap distilled spirits, or grape juice concentrate of which South Africa is…