Celebrate festively, drink locally with these Sacramento-area sparkling wines
New Year’s Eve is just around the corner, and it’s time to stock up on the bubbly.
Champagne is the holiday go-to but between trade wars, tariffs and a weakening dollar, it’s getting expensive. By some reports, Champagne is effectively 30% more expensive than it was last year.
Lucky for us, we are surrounded by some of California’s most underrated wine regions, and a handful of producers make sparkling wine that rivals what comes from Europe.
True Champagne, a protected designation of sparkling wines that come from that eponymous French region, are made with chardonnay (blanc de blancs), pinot noir (blanc de noirs) or both. Although pinot noir is bottled from red grapes, the juice is pale as long as there’s minimal skin contact.
In the traditional method, the wine undergoes a secondary fermentation in the bottle, which creates its effervescence and pressure, as well as that trademark cork pop.
Teneral Cellars, which recently opened its tasting room in midtown, produces a traditional-style blanc de noirs ($52) with pinot noir from Napa Valley. They work in partnership with Rack and Riddle, a Napa-based custom sparkling wine producer.
“They do a phenomenal job. We literally tasted every possible sparkling option and this blanc de noirs is just so beautiful and elegant and perfect for New Year’s celebration,” said Teneral founder and CEO Jill Osur.
El Dorado County-based Sentivo Vineyards was founded in 2011, but was purchased by the Pierson family three years ago.
Sentivo also works with Rack & Riddle, using grapes from Carneros, a region spanning the southern edge of Sonoma and Napa counties, and which is famed for its chardonnays and pinot noirs.
They use a blend of chardonnays for their Brut ($36), the driest category of sparkling wine. Their blanc de noirs ($36) has a pale pink hue. For their sparkling rosé ($36), they use a combination of chardonnay and pinot noir. More extended skin contact results in a coral tint.
While Sentivo has been based in Fairplay since its inception, they just opened a second tasting room in Fairfield’s Rockville Corners in Suisun Valley. The region was recently named the top wine region by USA Today readers.
Clarksburg-based Silt Winery produces a variety of sparklers in multiple styles. The big twist is that they use chenin blanc, which is uniquely suited to the warm days and cool Delta breezes of the area.
They produce a prosecco-style sparkling chenin blanc charmat ($36), using grapes from one of their oldest blocks.
“It’s got just this great intense flavor. Peach and stone fruit come out really a lot. We harvest it early, so it’s got great acidity,” said owner and CEO David Ogilvie.
In the charmat method, secondary fermentation occurs in the tank, and the wine is bottled under pressure.
“Not unlike brewing beer, to be honest,” Ogilvie said.
They do produce a sparkling chenin blanc Methode Traditionelle ($49), but it is out of stock until January.
What I’m Eating
In my story on Peruvian restaurants, I said there were three in the grid. However, there is one lagniappe.
La Costa Cafe in Boulevard Park serves an eclectic mix of ceviches, tostadas and aguachiles, reflecting its pan-Latino roots. One of them is a Peruvian-style ceviche ($16).
This one is as good as any of the full-on Peruvian spots. It’s a hearty portion of shrimp and whitefish lightly marinated in leche de tigre, the herby, citrusy marinade in Peruvian ceviches. It’s served alongside a slab of cold sweet potato and garnished with hefty kernels of the dent corn called choclo.
The tostada on the side is the only giveaway that this is not, in fact, from a Peruvian place.
As with all their ceviches, it also has a bit of a spicy kick, which suits me fine.
La Costa is a charming spot, and all the food I’ve had there has been excellent. My only quibble is that it has an identity crisis: It doesn’t know if it’s a cafe or a restaurant.
Since many people treat it as the former, it can be difficult to find a seat, with customers lingering to work or socialize over coffee. The cafe might benefit from dividing the small space during peak dining hours.
La Costa Cafe
Address: 701 19th St., Boulevard Park
Hours: 7 a.m.-4 p.m. daily
Website: lacostacafesac.com
Vegetarian options: The ceviches are predictably fish-forward, but the rest of the menu is largely veggie-friendly.
Noise level: Loud
Openings & Closings
- Gluten-free and vegan-friendly midtown restaurant Sibling by Pushkin’s announced via social media their closure on Jan. 4, after more than nine years in business. The post states that the restaurant was a success, and the closure is “just part of doing business.” Pushkin’s will continue to operate its flagship Poverty Ridge bakery, its cafes in Arden Arcade and Roseville, as well as sister concept Babes Ice Cream & Donuts in midtown.
- El Dorado Hills brewery Mraz Brewing Co. also took to social media to announce its closure as of the end of the year. In the remaining days, the operators say they will have live music; Cousins Maine Lobster food truck will be on site Dec. 28. The brewery will be putting its remaining beer, kegs, brewery equipment and taproom artwork up for sale.
- Joneck’s Wine Lounge & Bottle Shop has reopened, relocating from its former East Sacramento spot to 2231 J St. in midtown. The new location opened over the weekend. Joneck’s curates wines from around the world, as well as offering a selection of beers and non-alcoholic drinks, plus “pub-inspired bites, Thai-style appetizers and meat/cheese plates.”
