Best Sonoma Spots for Sparkling Wine

Sonoma Sparkling Wine

If an excuse is needed to enjoy a glass of bubbly, then Valentine’s Day and the cozy winter season is a perfect one. Whether it be with a group of friends, or the one you love, discover the best in Sonoma sparkling wines. Peruse our list of local wineries and tasting rooms from our expert Concierge team, then stop in for a glass or bring a bottle home for an upcoming celebration. (Thursday take-out night counts!) As Coco Chanel famously stated “I only drink Champagne on two occasions, when I am in love, and when I am not”. Cheers!

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Wineries

Gloria Ferrer

José Ferrer championed his family’s dream of producing exceptional traditional method sparkling wine in the New World. In the 1980s, he ventured from Barcelona, Spain to Sonoma, California with his wife Gloria in search of the ultimate region to make sparkling wine. As the first sparkling winery in Carneros and the creme de la creme of sparkling producers in Sonoma Valley, your palate is in for a treat with any bubbly selected. Your tasting desires can be met with a little help from the sommelier’s suggestions.

Domaine Carneros

Founded by the noble family behind Champagne Taittinger, Domaine Carneros was established in 1987 when Claude Taittinger selected a 138-acre parcel in the heart of Carneros, Napa Valley (close to the Sonoma border!) The celebration begins once you have opened a bottle of their legendary sparkling wines. Experience a sparkling tasting when you visit their vineyard and you’ll be amazed by the difference in textures and tastes as you learn more about how their history has sustained their future in sparkling wines.

Buena Vista Winery

The historic Buena Vista tasting room, which dates back to 1857, is located one mile from the Sonoma Plaza. Tour the original winery and taste the wines of Buena Vista in the Press House built in 1862 or relax in the aptly named Bubble Lounge or stunning courtyard. Discover the heritage collection, with a notable bubbly inclusion, a tribute to some of the iconic wine styles from around the world that founder Agoston Haraszthy himself assisted in propagating in California.

Patz & Hall Winery

For more than 30 years, Patz & Hall have remained committed to handcrafting small-lot and single-vineyard wines, with an exclusive focus on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Produced using grapes from storied vineyards in the Napa Valley, Russian River Valley, Mendocino County, Sonoma Coast and Santa Lucia Highlands. Their passion has always been great Champagnes and sparklers, and as a winery that has long focused exclusively on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, bubbles just make sense.

Ram’s Gate

Perched upon a hill, where the San Francisco Bay meets the edges of Napa and Sonoma counties, lies Ram’s Gate Winery. The beautifully designed winery and tasting room overlooks the organically farmed estate vineyard uniquely positioned between three AVAs – the Sonoma Valley on the south side, the Sonoma Coast on the east, and Carneros on the west. Ram’s Gate pledges that they create wines with character and poise, the sparkle within the 2015 Brut Rosé and 2015 Blanc de Noirs are a testament to that pledge and make it well worth the journey to visit.

Chateau St. Jean

Tucked in the northern end of the stunning Sonoma Valley, the Chateau St. Jean estate offers wine lovers an idyllic oasis to getaway from daily life and soak in the Sonoma wine lifestyle. Take a short drive north to discover Chateau St. Jean and their 2017 Chateau St. Jean Blanc de Noir, Carneros. This sparkler displays classic notes of pear, honeysuckle, and brioche. Crisp and clean, this wine is pleasantly full on the palate leading to a refreshing and elegant finish.

Tasting Rooms:

La Prenda Marketplace

With a dedicated sparkling wine section, La Prenda offers a wide range of fresh bubbly flavors. Their tasting room is located in the Sonoma Plaza, a short stroll or ride on a Blix bike away from MacArthur Place. Discuss your desires with the sommelier and find the bottle that’s best for your celebration or and afternoon picnic in the plaza park.

Pangloss Cellars

Located in a carefully restored 119-year-old historic building in the Sonoma Plaza, Pangloss Cellars is a celebration of Sonoma and the diversity of grape varieties for which the area is known. Their inaugural Brut Rosé, crafted in the classic Méthode Traditionnelle style of French Champagne, is a crisp, refreshing summer sipper that’s already a Pangloss team favorite.

Bennett Valley Cellars

Experience the Bennet Valley Cuvée Marina Sparkling Wine which is a delicate balance of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier with aromas of brioche, pear, and green apple. This very selection won a gold medal from the 2021 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition and deserves a victory lap. Located in the heart of Sonoma, their tasting room is located just steps away from the main square.

Sosie Wines

If you want to learn about the wine making process beyond the boilerplates of many wineries, scroll through the Sosie Wines website, then stop by their tasting room, off of Sonoma Plaza, for a hands on lesson in a glass. “Sparkling wine has the unique ability to convey its own effervescence to those who drink it. There’s a reason why they call it “bubbly” after all; that’s how it makes you feel. It’s as true of Dom Perignon as it is of Sosie.”

Hamilton Family Wines

Beginner and advanced tasters welcome! Throughout a tasting with Hamilton Family Wines they’ll walk you through the AVAs, the terroir that makes each unique, fermentation techniques, oak aging, and any other details to help you appreciate their wines at a deeper level. (And don’t worry if you’re unfamiliar with any of those terms, they’ll explain and welcome any and all questions.) Then when you taste their sparkling wine, you’ll discover that it is pure dessert in a bottle –  “Tart framboise and strawberry shortcake on the nose with a hint of almond biscotti. Lightly creamy mouthfeel accentuated by the mousse leads to a crisp and dry finish.”

We invite you to discover the many styles of sparkling wine throughout Sonoma, but if you’d rather toast together around a fire pit at MacArthur Place, several divine bottles of bubbly are featured on our wine list.


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