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Hello and welcome to this week’s dig through the pile of wine samples that show up asking to be tasted. I’m pleased to bring you the latest installment of Vinography Unboxed, where I highlight some of the better bottles that have crossed my doorstep recently.
This week included some of the best sparkling wines made in California, courtesy of Racines Wines, the collaboration between Étienne de Montille and Brian Sieve of Burgundy and Rodolphe Péters of Champagne. This small project is perhaps better known for the Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays they make, in part because those wines are made in larger quantities, but this small estate has been making tiny amounts of some positively fantastic sparkling wines. They sent along two single-vineyard vintage blanc-de-blancs, one from Bentrock, the other from Sanford & Benedict vineyard, as well as their multi-vintage bottling. All three are excellent, but the Bentrock has a citrusy electricity that is positively stunning.
I make it my habit to try pretty much every low- and non-alcoholic wine that I come across, hoping (usually in vain) to find something palatable. But I recently received some samples from Missing Thorn, a collaborative project between Napa winemaker Aaron Pott and Stephanie Honig of Napa’s Honig Vineyards. While I didn’t enjoy the still wines very much, their sparkling rosé was a wine I would happily drink more than one glass of. It’s got a silky mousse, a robust flavor profile, and just a hint of sweetness. If you’re looking for a no-alcohol alternative, this is definitely one to keep an eye on.
Jordan Kivelstadt has been creatively exploring the wine world for a while, from being an early pioneer of wine-on-tap to making interesting wines from his family’s vineyard in Sonoma as well as elsewhere around the state. His Kivelstadt Cellars tasting room in Sonoma is somewhere I often send people who want a nice afternoon of wine tasting. He recently got a new winemaker, Luke Nio, who has embraced Kivelstadt’s creative approach to wine. The two wines I’m recommending from them this week are a fairly straightforward Pinot Noir from Kivelstadt’s home vineyard as well as the more experimental “Sonomasuolo,” a carbonically macerated blend of Mourvèdre and Syrah.
Pride Mountain Vineyards sits atop the Mayacamas Mountains that divide Napa and Sonoma, and the estate’s vineyards cross the county line between the two, allowing them to make estate wines from both counties or, as the case may often be, as a blend of fruit between the two. That’s what they’re doing with their Reserve Claret, which has bright acidity and nicely integrated oak. Their Reserve Sonoma Cabernet is a little more brawny but will likely mellow beautifully with time. Also worth noting: in a world of increasingly insane prices in Napa, these wines are starting to feel like pretty good values.
Finally, I also recently received the latest Cabernet release from Far Niente, which keeps true to form with a sweet, ripe, round approach to Cabernet, helped by the addition of a little Malbec, Petite Sirah, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. Fans of riper, mellower Napa Cabernet will positively lap this up.
Notes on all these below.
Tasting Notes
2018 Racines Wine “Bentrock Vineyard” Sparkling Wine, Sta. Rita Hills, Santa Barbara, California
Pale gold in the glass with fine bubbles, this wine smells of white flowers, sea air, candied lemon peel, and a hint of toasted nuts. In the mouth, a velvety mousse delivers beautifully saline flavors of kelp, candied lemon, toasted sourdough bread, and white flowers across the palate. Gorgeous, mouthwatering acidity and resonant depth. A very impressive wine. 12.5% alcohol. 1100 bottles made. Score: around 9.5. Cost: $105.
2018 Racines Wine “S&B Vineyard” Sparkling Wine, Sta. Rita Hills, Santa Barbara, California
Pale yellow-gold in the glass with a hint of green and fine bubbles, this wine smells of lemon…
Source : https://www.vinography.com/2025/03/vinography-unboxed-week-of-3-2-25