Artesa Sparkling Grand Reserve Baricca Brut Carneros Napa Valley 2016

The Spanish house, Raventos Codorniu, was established in the mid-1500s as a Cava-producing stalwart in the north of Spain and are practically Spanish royalty in the wine world. In 1991, they decided to invest in Napa Valley and establish a leading sparkling house in California, and thus, Artesa was born. The name comes from the Catalan word for “handcrafted,” and the estate is located only three miles from the San Pablo Bay, benefiting from the cool climate to keep the grapes acid-driven. It sits on 150 acres across five ridgelines that present a wide arrangement of soils and slopes.

This wine is made using the traditional method of Champagne, undergoing primary fermentation in 10-year-old French oak “barricas.” After blending, the wine is bottled before experiencing secondary fermentation and aging on the lees for three years, prior to disgorgement in November 2020. It is a blend of estate-sourced Pinot Noir (75%) and Chardonnay (25%), grown on gravelly soils and 25-year-old vines that develop highly concentrated, distinctly mineral grapes.

The wine presents cheery and elegant aromatics of nectarine, strawberry bonbons, and flinty minerality, as the palate expands on those preliminary notes with lemon zinger tea, cedar, rose water, and fresh raspberry. It’s all enveloped in this tingly, bright acidity, with a luscious and creamy mouthfeel that remains lively throughout the expansive finish. Every bit as luxurious as its history would demand… and drinks well beyond its sub-$40 price point. These folks are masters of sparkling wine around the world, after all! Get yourself a few bottles, as this is built to age beautifully for at least the next 5-10 years.