Wine Talk by Robert Whitley

'Tis the season to contemplate the meaning of Champagne, the beverage. Champagne, as the French are quick to point out, comes only from the designated boundaries of the Champagne district, located in northern France about an hour's drive from Paris.

Champagne is the mother's milk of sparkling wine. It is very good — perhaps even profound — and very expensive, too. More than half of all Champagne sold in the United States is purchased between Thanksgiving and New Year's, because special occasions call for something, well, special.

The alternatives are, well, not so special. At least that's been the conventional wisdom lo these many years. Not so fast, though. While sparkling wines are produced in just about every winegrowing corner of the world, and few of them would be flattered by comparisons to Champagne, there are the exceptions.

California bubbly, for example. All snickering aside, California probably comes closest to Champagne when the issue is quality. When the issue is price, California wins in a landslide. As wine consumers continue to guard their wallets, the value aspect should make California sparkling wines the bubbly of choice this holiday season.

Ardent Francophiles might be surprised at what they find.

California sparkling wines have grown their own identity over the more than four decades since Jack and Jamie Davies founded Schramsberg in 1965, scrounging up enough of the then-rare chardonnay grape to make a blanc de blancs in an abandoned winery at the northern end of the Napa Valley.

The pioneering Davies won early acclaim for their California "Champagne" and piqued the curiosity of the Champenoise, who flocked to California to establish a foothold in the emerging wine industry there.

Moet & Chandon opened Domaine Chandon, soon to be followed by Champagne Mumm with Mumm Napa Valley, Champagne Roederer with Roederer Estate (Mendocino County), Taittinger with Domaine Carneros (Napa Valley) and Champagne Deutz with Maison Deutz (San Luis Obispo County).

All but Maison Deutz has survived, and they comprise the core of the small but outstanding California sparkling wine industry. For the record, the top producers all use what has been called the "methode champenoise" technique, which involves a second fermentation in the bottle.

California sparkling wine is generally softer in the mouth than Champagne, and fruitier to the taste because most don't receive the extended aging on the yeast lees of even non-vintage brut Champagnes. Yet the best deliver exquisite complexities, with just as much finesse and elegance as most Champagne.

There are ten major producers of "methode champenoise" California bubbly, ranging in quality from the value-oriented Korbel and Barefoot Bubbly brands to the chic prestige cuvees of Schramsberg, Domaine Carneros and J Wine Company. The following are my impressions on those California sparkling wine houses that I've sampled recently.

THE RUNDOWN

Domaine Carneros — Owned by the Champagne region's great house of Taittinger, Domaine Carneros exemplifies many of the qualities that have made Taittinger one of the most revered names in Champagne. The attention to detail in both the vineyards and the wine cellar have set Domaine Carneros apart. The 2005 Brut ($26) and non-vintage Cuvee de la Pompadour Brut Rose ($36) are stunningly good for the price, and the 2003 Le Reve Blanc de Blancs ($85) is easily among California's top three prestige cuvees.

Gloria Ferrer — In the heart of the Carneros district, this massive Sonoma County property is owned by the Ferrer family of northeastern Spain, where the Ferrer's have a long history in the cava business. They are no less successful here. Their Carneros Brut ($20) is as reliable as any non-vintage brut around, but it's their prestige cuvees that are really eye-catching. The 2002 Royal Cuvee ($35) and 1998 Carneros Cuvee ($50) offer the complexity and elegance Champagne connoisseurs so often find missing in California bubbly. Rating: 88-93.

Iron Horse — Tucked into the far corner of Sonoma County, in the uber-cool Green Valley, Iron Horse has a long and distinguished track record. The sparkling wines of Iron Horse possess that rare combination of power and elegance, with a remarkable ability to age. Once considered expensive compared to other California bubblies, the 2004 Russian Cuvee ($33) and 2004 Blanc de Blancs ($38) are very reasonable given the quality. Iron Horse was the first California sparkling producer to offer a "late disgorged" bubbly, and those releases have been exceptional. The 2002 LD is a smart bottle of bubbly and retails for $85. The very limited production Joy ($147 per magnum) is aged more than 10 years on the yeast lees and is a very special treat as well. Rating: 91-96.

J Wine Company — Ideally situated in Sonoma County's Russian River district, J sources exceptional chardonnay and pinot noir for its elegant and riveting bubblies. The winery found another gear when winemaker George Bursick (formerly of Ferrari-Carano) came on board a couple of years ago and buttoned down the sparkling program. The non-vintage Cuvee 20 ($20) and Brut Rose ($35) are among the finest of their type, but the late-disgorged wines (the 1997 and 1998 are both $95) are exceptional and rare. The 2001 extended tirage brut is a steal at $50. Rating: 90-95.

Korbel — This winery's non-vintage brut and non-vintage natural are classics, but the brut rose is the bargain of the bunch. Korbel Brut Rose ($14) is fruity, elegant and downright quaffable, at a price that's easy on everyone. Careful shoppers might spy any of the three for around $10 a bottle when on sale. The Korbel bubblies are well-made, though they lack the complexity and long-term aging potential of their more expensive competitors. Rating: 87-90.

Mumm Napa Valley — Though no longer affiliated with Champagne Mumm, Mumm Napa Valley has maintained quality, and for my money is better than ever. The most reliable domestic sparkling wine for less than $20 is its non-vintage Brut Prestige. Complex and refreshing, with lovely notes of toasted brioche and citrus, this wine never disappoints. The top-of-the line 2001 DVX ($55) is a creamy, supple, mouth-watering California sparkler that's easy on the wallet as prestige cuvees go. Rating: 90-94.

Roederer Estate — Situated in Mendocino County's Anderson Valley, Roederer's estate vineyards benefit from cool ocean breezes from the nearby Pacific. Across the board, the Roederer sparkling wines are not only top-notch, but also often fool experts in blind tastings comparing California sparklers with Champagne. The non-vintage brut ($23) and non-vintage brut rose ($27) are exceptional wines, though they pale in comparison to the L'Ermitage ($45), which is one of the finest sparkling wines produced outside of Champagne. The current L'Ermitage is from the 2002 vintage. Rating: 93-97.

Schramsberg — The granddaddy of California bubbly is still going strong in its fifth decade. The 2006 Blanc de Blancs ($32) was the top sparkling wine at the 2009 Sommelier Challenge International Wine Competition, and the Schramsberg 2002 Brut Reserve and 2002 J. Schram, both $100 per bottle, are among the finest sparkling wines ever made in California. Rating: 93-97.

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