In the southern part of Paso Robles, you’ll find Tin City: a newer, funky community full of winemakers, plus a distillery, brewery, artisan ice cream shop and a Michelin star restaurant. Finding all the Sparklers in the Tin City area is very rewarding! The charming town of Templeton and the up-and-coming downtown Atascadero also boast a few Bubbly makers worth visting.
See more! There are over 80 sparkling wine producers in San Luis Obispo County.
Tin City Area
1. Broken Earth
Broken Earth makes three sparklers in the classic Champagne method: 2018 Limited Release Sparkling Albariño (made from 20+ year old vines), 2018 Limited Release Sparkling Grenache Rosé, and a 2018 Limited Release Sparkling Verdelho. All three are pressed in the Diemme Velvet 80 Press, which ensures that little to no oxygen comes in contact with the juice, resulting in brighter, fresher product.
Méthode Champenoise is how sparkling wine is made in the Champagne region of France, also called méthode traditionnelle or classique. This is the highest-quality and most labor-intensive way to make sparkling wine. It involves bottling the still wine with additions of sugar and yeast after a first fermentation, ensuring a second fermentation happens in the bottle, trapping the bubbles inside. It then goes through aging (and periodic turning of the bottles to force the lees to the neck of the bottle), until it’s ready for dégorgement (to get these lees out) and dosage (to finish the wine).
2. Desparada/Scarab
Scarab is a joint project of Desparada Wine and Ultima Tulie Wines dedicated entirely to sparkling wines made in méthode champenoise with New World vibrancy and dynamism. They recently released their Blanc de Blancs, which can be found online or in the Desparada tasting room in Tin City.
3. Ella’s Vineyard
Ella’s Vineyard has 2 excellent traditional method sparkling wines…info coming soon!
4. End of day
This new label from Caliza make a Sparkling Blanc de Blanc from Chardonnay…info coming soon!
5. Field Recordings
At any moment, there are at least a dozen Field Recording sparkling wines out in the market. In addition to Pét-Nats and classic bubblies, you’ll see piquettes (wine made by steeping leftover grape material to make a new, secondary wine) and other experiments. Right now at the winery: 2020 Escolle – New on the Pét-Nat lineup made of Sparkling Pinot Noir and 2021 Tang – Sparkling White Wine Piquette.
Pétillant Naturel, or Pét-Nat, is an even more ancient way to make sparkling wine than the widely-used méthode champenoise (also called méthode traditionelle) originated in Champagne, France. In the méthode ancestrale, the wine is bottled with a crown cap before it even finishes its first fermentation, so it develops carbon dioxide as it goes. It’s not disgorged, often unfiltered, and can be made from any grape variety.
Tip: You can also find various sparkling wines by Field Recordings at the local Whole Foods, like these Italian-style Acqua Pazza (“crazy water”) wines below. They are similar to the French-style Piquettes, which were traditionally made by winery workers for themselves, after all the wine was finished fermenting for the winery. They would reconstitute the matter other than grapes (like skins, stems, leftover fermentation bits, etc.) and add water to make a light wine they could drink for free.
6. La Perdignus
A newcomer to Tin City, La Perdignus focuses on vineyards on the Central Coast, and natural acidity to make fresh, vibrant wines. They make a Pét-Nat that is refreshing with notes of grapefruit, pear and melon.
7. Sans Liege
The 2020 Sparkling Clairette by Sans Liege comes from grapes grown in the El Pomar District of Paso Robles. This is a classic sparkling wine, and can be found here in Tin City as well as Pismo Beach.
Templeton Area
8. Clavo
Clavo Cellars are crafted through careful land management, sustainable vineyard practices, meticulous grape sorting and minimal winery interventions, Clavo Cellars wines are the epitome of high quality boutique production. While visiting their tasting room in Templeton, enjoy their Sparkling Grenache Blanc that has hints of citrus and lavender.
9. Escalar
Info coming soon!
Atascadero & Santa Margarita Bubbles
10. Ancient Peaks
Ancient Peaks invites guests to taste limited releases, enjoy a bite and kick back at their tasting room and café in the historic town of Santa Margarita. In past years, Ancient Peaks released their limited-edition Sparkling Rosé (made in classic Méthode Champenoise). Their Sparkling Rosé was a luscious sparkler with a brilliant rosé hue and a bright, refreshing elegance.
11. Kula Wines
Kula Vineyards & Winery is a small, family-owned winery in California that makes award-winning, small-production wines. Taste their beautiful Sparkling Rosé of Pinot Noir while visiting their tasting room in Atascadero. This sparkling wine is made in the traditional method in Sonoma County.
12. Marin’s Vineyard
This small boutique winery is opening soon in Atascadero, where you can enjoy their Sparkling Viognier (a double-gold winner at the 2023 Central Coast Wine Competition).
13. MEA Wines
MEA Wines is a small handmade producer located in Atascadero. While visiting their tasting room, enjoy a glass of their Sparkling Rosé Grenache called “Psyche.” This is a Pét-Nat, made completely in-house.
See more! There are over 80 sparkling wine producers in San Luis Obispo County.
Rusack Vineyards in Ballard Canyon
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