Retail $50. 100% Pinot Noir. Fairly dark salmon color in the glass with aromas of strawberry, rhubarb, and a distinct minerality. A fine sparkle and quite refined on the palate, sure, there is some nice red berry fruit, but it is intermingled with a yeastiness which I find to be fairly rare in American Sparkling Rosé, sadly. Fuller bodied and certainly “muscular” this would be great with grilled salmon. Quite nice.

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Retail $25. 90% Pinot Noir & 10% Chardonnay. Really, really light in color. So light, in fact, that I would not call this a rosé, just the slightest hint of salmon. Quite fruity on the nose, even really fruity with red berry fruit, a bit of apricot, a dash of vanilla, and oodles of baked bread. Lovely. The palate is well-balanced between the fruit and the tartness with just the slightest hint of sweetness (but it works with all that acidity). Very nice.

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Retail $65. 84% Pinot Noir, 16% Chardonnay. Delicate salmon in the glass, almost a Provence style hue. Quite shy initially on the nose but as it warmed slightly, intense strawberry rushed in. Extremely dry on the palate, really, really dry—I would think the dosage has to be next to nil. But the fruit really shines, lasting all the way through the mid-palate and onto the lengthy finish. Whoa.

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Retail $15. Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Gamay, Zinfandel, Chenin Blanc. Medium pink, on the verge of bubblegum, with oodles of fruit (strawberry and cherry) and a bit of minerality. On the palate, it comes off as a bit sweet but I think it is just that intense fruit witnessed on the nose. Really rich and a fun quaff.

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Retail $45. 59% Pinot Noir, 41% Chardonnay. Pale salmon color, quite brilliant in the glass with rich red berry fruit, but not over the top, also some peach and red delicious apple, a bit flinty, a fantastic nose. The palate is certainly on the dry side with just a hint of sweetness coming in right before the lengthy finish. Great fruit, plenty of acidity, solid top to bottom.

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Retail $29. 55% Chardonnay, 45% Pinot Noir. Another pale salmon, quite similar to the rosés from the South of France. Sweet ripe strawberry on the nose with a bit of yeastiness. A fine sparkle leads to a wine that is both quite tart and a tad sweet, it works, though, as the finish is both tart and surprisingly dry. An interesting wine.

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Bubblegum pink with a strawberry-rhubarb going on in the glass. Very fruity and a bit on the sweet side, but the tartness is able to keep up. Plenty of fruit and a vibrant sparkle, I could see how this would be a crowd-pleaser.

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Retail $16. 100% Pinot Noir. Dark in the glass, really dark, so I am 99% sure which wine this is. Dark red fruit, quite rich, with dark cherry and even some red plum on the nose. The palate follows the nose as there is a ton of dark red fruit here, even some red and black currant. It is close to dry, but given the fruit and the richness, it would be fairly easy to convince me that this was a Kir Royale if it were even slightly sweet. Not sure how to rate this.

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A bit darker salmon than those that I compared to Provençal rosés but only slightly. While there is some red berry fruit here, the nose seems more tree fruit driven with peach and pear evident. The palate is quite dry, even extremely so which really puts the red fruit and zingy tartness at the forefront. For casual drinkers of bubbles, this might be a bit too austere, but I really like it and think it will only be enhanced with food.

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Retail $55. Another light salmon, on the verge of orange, even with a very floral nose (rose, acacia flower) along with rhubarb and strawberry. The palate is quite tart, and close to completely dry, this wine is compelling. The red berry fruit comes through, but the story here is the acidity, which is screaming for food. Very Nice.

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Retail $54. 90% Pinot Noir & 10% Chardonnay. Light to medium color, perhaps a mix of salmon and bubblegum with plenty of strawberry and a bit perfumed. A delicate bubble and great fruit on the palate, the tartness is also fantastic and balances the fruit nicely. Dry with mineral notes and a lengthy finish, this is one of the top wines thus far.

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Retail $16. Darker than most of the others in this group with an orangish pink, I guess it is a salmon (more Alaskan than Atlantic). The strawberry dominant wine is flanked by flintiness and minerality, both of which I find compelling. There is also a hint of matchstick, which is a concern that the fermentation was a bit too warm. The palate has good fruit and tartness, but the sparkle is a bit too aggressive. A nice wine, but pales in comparison to some of the others here.

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Retail $39. 65% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir. Medium color, at least in this group, tending more to a light brilliant salmon than anything else. A shot of sulfer initially on the nose, which is never a plus, after several swirls and a bit of time, that burnt match was still there (another case of a too hot fermentation?). The palate is much more approachable and pretty close to fantastic with plenty of red berry fruit, the requisite acidity, and just the right amount of dosage. But that nose.

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Retail $36. 56% Pinot Noir, 44% Chardonnay. Right down the middle of the road when it comes to color, a light pink with salmon accents. An inviting nose of rose petals and cherry fruit with a subtle nuttiness, maybe macadamia (?), which I find interesting and compelling. The palate is a magnificent blend of tart red fruit and a zingy, unifying acidity. Yowza, this is really good.

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Retail $32. "A proprietary assemblage of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, Müller- Thurgau, Muscat." 100% Willamette Valley. A particularly vibrant sparkle with aromas of golden delicious apple, macadamia nut, and honey blossom. On the palate, not quite as effervescent as it seemed upon pouring, but fantastic fruit, some minerality, and a touch of verve. Very nice.

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Retail $30. 60% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir. A pale to medium straw with an above average effervescence, the nose exudes green apple, cashew, and wet rock. The palate is quite fruity, but also tart--in fact on the verge of "of the charts" tart. Granny Smith apple abounds and the wine is certainly on the dry side (although there is a hint of sweetness just before the finish). Nice.

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Retail $35. "92% Orange Muscat from Muska Vineyard and 8% Early Muscat from Eola Springs Vineyard, both in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA." Whoa. While I have had quite a few sparkling wines in my life, this one was unique. The muscat is clear on the nose with Meyer lemon, candied peach, orange blossom, an almond-like nuttiness, and a distinct sweetness. The palate is completely dry, but laden with fruit (which comes off as some sweetness) and bursting with tartness. Yeah, whoa. This is an intensely compelling wine with boatloads of flavor and miles of complexity. Yowza.

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Retail $16. 75% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay. I was not surprised when the reveal indicated that this was a Gruet, which has been one of my go-to domestic sparklers for some time. Loads of fruit on the nose with red delicious apple, ripe peach, and some red berry fruit. The palate is wonderfully balanced between that fruitiness, a near-searing tartness, and just a dab of sweetness. Fantastic.

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Retail $40. 79% Pinot Noir, 13% Chardonnay, 8% Pinot Meunier. This is the first bottling of this wine, with only 350 cases produced (which is tiny for most, but *really* small for Stoller). Fairly light in color, but not in aromas with plenty of golden delicious apple, ripe Bosc pear, and even some strawberry and cherry. The defining characteristic of the nose, though, might be the yeastiness which I find is rare outside of Champagne. The palate is quite tart, even on the verge of austere, with plenty of citrus and a hint of apple, but very little of that autolytic quality that the nose seemed to promise. My advice? Put this away for a few years.

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Retail $55. Golden in the glass with a resistant sparkle upon pouring, the nose gives it away--it's a Riesling and therefore Brooks. I immediately try to put aside my intense affinity for all wines Brooks to maintain a sense of impartiality. I can't. I *love* these guys, and their wines. Intense Meyer lemon, quince, golden berry, and that distinct petrol nature that screams "Riesling." Whoa. The palate is quite tart, but even more expressive with layers of fruit, balancing acidity, and a verve that is frankly lacking in many a domestic sparkler. Whoa.

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Retail $28. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Blanc. Pale straw in the glass with a yeasty goodness mélange of lemon curd, vanilla, and fresh brioche. The nose itself is close to a Whoa. The palate is equally delightful with an initial tanginess that succumbs almost immediately to the fruit and biscuity goodness. I have been a fan of the brand for a while now, but this might be their best effort.

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Retail $28. 60% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir. Light straw in the glass with a subtle, mineral-driven nose of peach, Rainier cherry, and vanilla. The palate is quite harmonious with plenty of fruit, tartness, richness, and verve. Yowza, this is really fantastic.

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Retail $82. 55% Pinot Noir & 45% Chardonnay. 8 years on lees. Whoa. Light to golden straw in the glass with a near-magical nose of tart satin, dried apricot, crushed rock, and vanilla. Holy smokes. The palate is quite tense and closed, but it is clear that there is plenty of power here. Yowza. As it warmed slightly, the complexity increased exponentially with layers of depth and increased yeastiness. Whoa. Yeah, this wine could compete with the best from France or anywhere, for that matter.

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Retail $17. 100% Chardonnay. Quite light in the glass, barely qualifying as "straw" with bright notes of lemon, yeast, and tree fruit (peach, pear). The palate is delightful with an active sparkle, plenty of fruit, and a surprising level of yeastiness. Yum.

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Retail $20. 100% Chardonnay. Quite pale in the glass with a decided yeastiness to the nose, with ripe pear and acacia flower predominant. A fine, intense sparkle leads to an initially fruity palate with an immediately intense minerality. All this is coupled with a fervent acidity that strives to keep all the other elements in check. Nice.

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Retail $16. French Colombard, Sangiovese, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir. Korbel claims this is the first American sparkler to be made with organically grown grapes--who am I to argue? The nose comes off as yeasty, fruity, and quite sweet (candied tree fruit). The palate comes off as only a touch sweet, but really just a smidge, with the fruit really the story. Creamy, fruity, good acidity, yeah, this is pretty darned good.

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Retail $56. 67% Pinot Noir, 33% Chardonnay. Quite pale in the glass, with just a hint of straw; quite fruity, with green apple, ripe pear, dried apricot, and just a hint of yeast. The palate is accentuated by an active, fervent sparkle, an incredible tartness, and loads of citrus fruit. Close to a whoa. Really well balanced and screaming for food, this is particularly compelling. OK, Whoa.

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Retail $36. 53% Chardonnay, 47% Pinot Noir. Pale to light straw in the glass with, quite frankly, an amazing nose--I really had to do a double-take. Bright, fruity, yeasty, just oodles of sparkling wine goodness here. Yowza. Mostly ripe red delicious (or is it Fuji?) apple, a distinct minerality, and a whole bakery's worth of yeastiness. Whoa. The palate is also "whoa-worthy" with a beautifully balanced wine: fruit (baked apple), tartness, and all that yeastiness. Yeah. Giddy-up.

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Retail $55. 100% Riesling. "Extended Tirage 44 Months." Yeah. I know what this is. The purpose behind a blind tasting is just that--to be "blind" as to what is in the glass. But. When you know there are exactly *two* Rieslings in the lineup and you come across one with that distinct petrol aspect, well.... Holy crap. That nose. Rich, fruity (Meyer lemon, kumquat), mineral, layered. Holy crap. Bright, fruity, but also a bit austere on the palate (OK, I was searching for a negative). My god, this is killer stuff.

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Retail $13. Pinot Noir, Gamay, Zinfandel, Sangiovese. More of a rosé in the glass than a "white" with rich, ripe, sweet, red berry fruit notes in the glass. The palate is also quite fruity (those red berries), but also tart, a bit sweet, and nicely balanced. While short of a Whoa, this is really close to a Yowza; a wonderful wine.

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Retail $58. 67% Pinot Noir & 33% Chardonnay. Based on these blind tastings, Gloria Ferrer is really an under-valued brand in the U.S. as all of these wines have been *killer* (California term). This wine is no exception: pale straw in the glass with wonderfully fruity aromas (golden apple, nectarine, Bing cherry, strawberry). Yowza. The palate is simply brilliant with the requisite amounts of fruit (that red berry), acidity (tartness off the charts), yeastiness (baked bread a-go-go), and sweetness (actually, I would I have preferred a slightly lower dosage here). It all come together in a Whoa-worthy blend of bubbly bodacious-ness.

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Retai $16. 65% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay. Pale to golden straw in the glass with golden delicious apple, hints of honey blossom, and a flinty minerality. The palate is quite tart with plenty of fruit, some yeastiness and a hint of sweetness. Again, this wine has all the requisites: fruit, tartness, yeastiness, and even a bit of verve. Very Nice.

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Retail $25. 100% Chardonnay. Quite light in the glass, with aromas of green apple, ripe peach, and just a touch of baked bread. A delicate sparkle leads to a lovely palate of tree fruit (peach, pear), ample tartness, and just a hint of verve. While this might not be a world-beater, it certainly trumps Tuesday, Wednesday, and maybe even Friday. Nice.

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Retail $65. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir. While neither one of us would describe us as "close" I would like to think that Rollin Soles would consider us "friends." That said, I do not hesitate to give the native Texan an honest assessment of his wines. And, well, while I would love to pan this Aggie wine, Rollin clearly knows what he is doing. A rich, honeyed nose with hints of citrus, apple, and just a touch of smokiness. The palate is tart, fruity, harmonious, yeah, this is the "real deal" with a biscuity goodness to accompany all of that fruit. Bravo Rollin, bravo.

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Retail $15. 75% Chardonnay, 25% Pinot Noir. Fresh green apple, peach, pear, on the nose with bits of minerality and yeastiness. Yum. The palate is a tad sweet initially, but that is quickly washed away by the rather intense acidity. The palate also exhibits fantastic fruit, a vibrant bubble, and a lengthy finish. All the elements are here, Yum (again).

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Retail $23. 60% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir. Close to a golden straw in the glass with plenty of pear fruit and an intense yeastiness on the nose. The palate is fruity and a touch (maybe more) sweet. Sure, there is fruit (citrus and pear) and a vibrant sparkle, but the high dosage pushes me a bit in the wrong direction. Still? This is a fantastic sparkler.

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Retail $40. 83% Pinot Noir and 17% Chardonnay. Quite light in the glass, barely a light straw with a delicious nose of yeasty goodness, ripe pear, and green apple. Yum. A lovely sparkle with really good fruit, that yeastiness, and just a touch of sweetness (I would prefer a lighter dosage, actually). This is really close to a whoa, and particularly fantastic.

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Retail $58. Blend? 68% Pinot Noir, 38% Chardonnay. Light straw color with a tart yet yeasty nose with tree fruit and some minerality. The palate is, well, quite harmonious with plenty of tree fruit, that yeastiness, an active sparkle, and plenty of tartness to hold it all together. Another wine that surprised me and came really close to a Whoa. Really close.

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Retail $15. Varietal composition? "Sweet Jolie." No idea and nothing offered on the inter webs. Pale straw in the glass with a tart nose of citrus and tree fruit with a dash of yeastiness. A bit sweet on the palate, but nowhere near unctuous, with great fruit and plenty of verve. Very nice. 88. (Once I learned that this was a demi-sec, I was shocked as this is far from "sweet.")

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Retail $25. 50% Chardonnay, 50% Pinot Noir. Brilliant straw in the glass with a freshly baked pear tart thingamajig (along with an intense crushed rock) on the nose. Mmmm. The palate is initially on the sweet side (which is not inherently bad), with great fruit, ample acidity, and that freshly baked croissant aspect. Ultimately, through the finish, the sweetness rules the roost here and the acidity never quite takes control (which I am longing for in a sparkling wine). Very Good.

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Retail $48. 58% Pinot Noir, 42% Chardonnay. Brilliant straw in the glass with a gorgeous nose, a quintessential sparkling wine nose of baked pear, almond, freshly baked brioche, holy cow. The palate is, well, even better. Yowza. Rich, yeasty, fruity, with plenty of acidity, this wine really shines in this flight and is frankly, Outstanding. Whoa. Yeah, this is Outstanding.

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Retai $20. 85% Pinot Noir, 15% Chardonnay. Quite light in color, barely a pale straw in the glass with aromas of golden delicious apple, baked pear, and a hint of crushed rock. Nice. The vibrant sparkle is at the forefront of the palate, followed immediately by a wave of fruit and yeasty goodness. It comes off as a tad sweet, but clearly in the Brut category, this certainly falls into the "crowd pleaser" realm but only in the best sense of the term.

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Retail $120. 100% Chardonnay. Pale yet brilliant straw in the glass with an amazing nose, really. Freshly baked pear tart, macadamia nut, crushed rock, holy cow. This wine is so lovely on the nose that I hesitate to even take a sip as I fear it could only go downhill from this heavenly aroma. Nope. Yowza, whoa, holy cow, and WTF? This is simply gangbusters with intense fruit, a gripping but also balancing acidity, and a French bakery incredibleness that few domestic sparklers could match. Whoa. Above all of that, impossibly? The finish lasts for days, maybe weeks.

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Retail $30. 63% Chardonnay, 37% Pinot Noir. A lower dosage than the "traditional" Brut Excellence. Pale to light straw in the glass with a sweet nose of ripe golden delicious apple, mandarin orange, and a fresh-baked bakery aspect that is compelling. A fervent sparkle leads to a gorgeous palate, really remarkable. Sure, there is fruit (that pear, baked apple), but the balance is remarkable--between the fruit, the tartness, the autolytic goodness, and the lengthy finish? What to choose as a standout? Well, when none does? A fantastic wine.

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Retail $68. "52% Chardonnay, 48% Pinot Noir – 4.9% aged reserve wine from 2014, 2012 and 2010." Oh my goodness. There are maybe a couple of times a year that I come across a wine that I would rather sniff (for hours) than actually taste. This is one of those. Yeasty, fruity, mineral, Whoa-worthy. It is difficult to describe this wine in the glass. But for your sake, I will sacrifice and taste. Fruit, initially, followed by a hint (just a hint) of sweetness, then a wave of tartness, followed by minerality, and, well, deliciousness. Whoa. Whoa. Whoa.

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