Carboniste Carbonation NV

Vinification

The wine was fermented and aged in barrel for twelve months in order to develope texture and depth of flavor. The blend was assembled from Albarino and Pinot grigio. Similar to a traditional sparkling wine, fresh yeast and sugar were added prior to bottling. The quantity of yeast in this case was consideriably less than typical, so the light sediment could be left in the bottle prior to enjoying it. The wine fermented in bottle and continues to age on sediment, an asset that continues to protect and flavor the wine. Since the sugar ferments completely, the wine has no residual sugar.

Dosage: None
Residual Sugar: None

Tasting notes

Albarino brings acidity and juiciness, while Pinot grigio lends the wine body and depth with age. The result was a hugely textural wine with citrus, confectionary, as well as yeast and cooked fruits.

Winery Description

After meeting at UC Davis, Dan and Jacqueline Person worked around the world, then around California. These experiences informed their perspectives on winemaking. Dan worked for Schramsberg Vineyards for 3 years, making traditional sparkling wines from California grapes. Based on that experience, Dan decided there was a need for a new interpretation of California sparkling wine. Jacqueline was concurrently making still wines from a variety of terroirs across the Golden State, terroirs that have inspired the vineyard selections for CARBONISTE.

From Dan...
“In my mind, you don’t try to make Bordeaux in Burgundy, that would be silly … So why are we, in California, trying to make Champagne? The climate is very different, the soil is different, and fundamentally we have a different terroir … So I launched this company as an experiment to figure out what we could be doing in California that’s not simply an emulation of Champagne. Imagine you take a piece of fruit from the outside of a tree, sitting in the sun and it's really ripe and warm, it has a very strong fruit expression. If you get fruit from the shady part of the tree, it's still hard and not ripe. Fundamentally what happens in California is that we have all the sunshine, all the sweetness, and you can taste it … In a blind tasting, you would never be confused once you learn the difference.”

From Jacqueline...
“I love wines of distinction. Winemakers around the world are working to produce unique wines from their cellars, using their fruit. Wines of place and style. Making these wines is a noble pursuit, which we hope to accomplish at CARBONISTE.”

Together Dan and Jaquiline are dedicated to making sparkling wines that are modern and reflective of the grape and the place.

The wines are always made with food in mind, so the gas pressure is a bit lower than champagne, and the etiquettes are designed with fresh seafood pairings in mind. Making their own unique, California sparkling wine is a noble pursuit.