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 Schramsberg Winery: Rooted in tradition and history
schramsberg.com
Known as “America’s first house of sparkling wine,” this Napa Valley winery was launched in 1862, when Jacob Schram, a German immigrant, made his way to California. He was a barber by trade but came from a winemaking family. He decided to start his own winery, offering something that no one else was making at the time: sparkling wine.
Today the original property and estate is owned by the Davies family, who still cherishes and honors the history and tradition established by Schram. Produced by the classic méthode champenoise, the Schramsberg label produces 9 distinct types of sparkling wine, all made from chardonnay and pinot noir grapes grown along the California coast.
“The vineyards for our sparkling wine are close to the coast, because the cool ocean air temperatures work better for chardonnay and pinot noir grapes,” says Schramsberg CEO and president Hugh Davies. “That’s something we didn’t know 40 years ago.”
The original Diamond Mountain property where the Schramsberg winery is located now grows the grapes used to produce the first and only non-sparkling wine made at the estate: a cabernet sauvignon under the label J. Davies.
Davies describes the Schramsberg style as very rich and flavorful yet very crisp and dry at the same time.
“Sparkling wine is fun,” says Davies. “It’s a fantastic opportunity to build upon what my family started. We’re trying to make truly world-class sparkling wines. We’re after the ultimate level of quality.”
One sip of Schramsberg sparkling wine will tell you that they have indeed achieved their goal.
Thornton Winery: Bubbles close to home
thorntonwine.com
Thornton Winery in the Temecula Valley Wine Country is the largest producer of sparkling wine in Southern California. The winery makes 7 different and distinct styles, all in the classic méthode champenoise.
Open since 1988 (making it one of Temecula’s pioneering wineries), Thornton combines Old World style with New World taste to create award-winning and premium varietal wines.
Visitors can tour the property and get a glimpse of the process used to make sparkling wine. Follow the tour with a flight tasting of premium Thornton sparkling wines in the aptly named Champagne Lounge. You can also dine in the award-winning Café Champagne restaurant, which offers special holiday brunches. Thornton is also well known for the popular Champagne Jazz Concert Series, featuring top-name smooth-jazz artists.
And if your taste buds tire of bubbles, Thornton also offers an assortment of white and red wine varietals, making Thornton the place with something for everyone. t
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