PRODUCER: Carboniste
REGION: California
FOUNDER/WINEMAKER: Dan and Jacqueline Person
Carboniste are redefining American fizz. Founded in 2017 by husband-wife duo Dan and Jacqueline Person, this California-based producer is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of sparkling winemaking. With a focus on innovation and a fresh perspective, these exceptional sparkling wines showcase the true potential of the region.
WINERY HISTORY
Carboniste was founded in 2017, when husband-and-wife team Dan and Jacqueline began crafting fizz in a shared winery space just south of Napa. After travelling and gaining experience through stages with the likes of DRC, Dan spent several years as associate winemaker at Schramsberg, one of California’s premier sparkling wine producers. It was after these stints that he and Jacqueline - Naked Wines consultant and winemaker extraordinaire - decided to redefine California sparkling wine. Having recently relocating to Sonoma for a newer, larger facility, this endeavour is a serious effort to change the landscape of bubbles.
VITICULTURE & WINEMAKING
Rather than trying to make Champagne-style wine, they decided to embrace the radically different climate and terroir of California. Their focus is not on the rich, autolytic characteristics of Champagne, but the ripe flavours and concentration of California. Through the use of techniques such as bottling under crown cap, limited dosage, and lower pressure, the Carboniste team create a wine pervaded by California sunshine. Fruity and mouth-wateringly acidic, these wines prove the viability of a distinctly New World sparkling style. Carboniste cultivate an exciting range of grape varieties that thrive in California’s diverse climate and terroir. From renowned classics like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir to intriguing, lesser-known varietals for sparkling wine like Pinot Grigio and Albariño, each grape is carefully selected to showcase the unique characteristics of the region. Abundant sunshine, warmth, and minimal rainfall shape the fruit flavours and silky textures.
The sparkling Albariño is light and fresh, the perfect aperitif wine. It delights with notes of tart berries and stone fruit, reminiscent of gooseberry, kumquat, and blossom. The Pinot Grigio pét nat is picked early to ensure low alcohol and an abundance of energy. Bottled with primary yeast sediment before initial fermentation was complete, the wine shows lovely yeast characteristics akin to bottle ageing. The sparkling Pinot Noir is a young and fresh rosé fizz. Peachy pink, this wine is like a cool spring morning under a cherry tree, with clean acidity and a bit more structure than a typical bubbles. The Corralitos is an extremely limited bottling, made of 83% Pinot Noir and 17% Chardonnay. This bottling is blended with a small reserve of past vintages, amazing with loads of orange, apricot, almond, and toffee.
GRAPE VARIETIES
Albariño, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio
