Carboniste Gomes Vineyard Sparkling Albariño Extra Brut California 2021

Carboniste is a new sparkling brand from two adored Napa locals, Jacqueline and Dan Person. Both have made great careers for themselves here in the Valley – Jacqueline as a consultant for Naked Wines and Dan as, up until very recently, the assistant winemaker at Larkmead. In 2017 they released their first sparkling Albariño, the only one of its kind in the California wine market! Needless to say, we had to get our hands on this wine. 

Albariño is a grape that has only just begun to garner attention here in California. The first cuttings didn’t make their way to the golden state until 1992, and today it makes up less than 2% of California’s vineyards. It is indigenous to both Spain and Portugal where it is loved for its high acidity, refreshing citrus flavors, and subtle saltiness. Today, both countries are seeing a growing trend for sparkling Albariño – bright, fresh, easy-drinking bubbles. Because Albariño is an aromatic variety, it needs to be made in a different way from champagne. Instead, it's all about preserving the fruity, floral aromas of the grape without letting the lees play too much of a part in the overall palate and texture of the wine. This is the method that Dan and Jacqueline have adopted. This wine is 100% Albariño from the Gomes Vineyard located in the Sacramento Delta. Their Albariño receives just four months of lees aging as opposed to champagne which is required to age for at least one year on the lees and often sees more time than that. What results is a sparkling wine that is light and fresh with notes of kumquat, stone fruit, and green apple. It is the perfect apéritif wine but would pair beautifully with just about anything from the sea.