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San Francisco Chronicle
6 days ago
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
A new California winery will change your mind about Chardonnay
It's become fashionable in recent years to praise lean, laser-focused California Chardonnay — some would say 'Chablis-style' Chardonnay — as a rebuke to the overblown butter-and-oak bombs that proliferated beginning in the 1990s. But that line of thinking neglects to account for the full-bodied California Chardonnays that are made well — expertly, even. When a winemaker gets it right, there's nothing like it. A rich Chardonnay can be as luscious as uni melting on the tongue, as decadent as a smear of soft-ripened cheese, as satisfying as biting into a juicy, runny peach. A new Sonoma County winery, Sphaerics, makes a convincing argument for this style. It produces Chardonnay exclusively, and all three of its single-vineyard wines are rich and complex, with a tense line of acidity that keeps them in balance. Now, three years in, Sphaerics will expand its small production thanks to the purchase of its own Sonoma Coast vineyard. Since meeting as students at U.C. Davis, Laura Jones and Brian Ball had always wanted to start their own winery, said Ball, 'but only if we can make something really unbelievable.' The couple have each had varied careers in the wine industry and now both work at Skipstone Ranch in Alexander Valley; he's the general manager, she's the winemaker. They set their sights on Chardonnay, not only because it's what they love to drink but also because Jones loves making it. Jones spent five years as the assistant winemaker at Aubert Wines in Calistoga, arguably the benchmark producer of rich, creamy, indulgent California Chardonnay. (Conveniently, Skipstone's only white wine is a Viognier, so there's no competition with their employer.) Their opportunity arrived in 2022, when the Jackson family offered to sell them Chardonnay grapes from the Upper Barn Vineyard, one of Skipstone's neighbors in Alexander Valley. Upper Barn has a notable legacy with some of the most prestigious names of the rich-Chardonnay camp: Helen Turley made Upper Barn Chardonnay when she was the winemaker for Peter Michael Winery, where it became a bottling known as Mon Plaisir, 'my pleasure.' She also used Upper Barn grapes for her own label, Marcassin. Turley's protégé Mark Aubert later made the Upper Barn Chardonnay when he worked for Peter Michael. Now Aubert's protégé, Jones, would be the next steward of these grapes. 'It was like this mentor-to-protégé winemaker family tree,' Ball said. They call the Upper Barn Chardonnay 'If and Only If,' a reference to their condition for starting the winery in the first place. The 2023 vintage is very expressive, reminding me of marzipan, ginger and apricot. As creamy and full as it is, it has a persistent, refreshing brightness. 'I love really long fermentations,' said Jones. She ferments her Chardonnays in barrels using indigenous yeast, and they typically don't complete their secondary malolactic fermentations until the following spring. (Most wineries would have this wrapped up within a matter of weeks following harvest.) She doesn't filter or fine the wines, nor does she practice battonage — the stirring of lees while a wine is aging in barrel, which can add oomph and body — meaning the wine gets its richness primarily from its raw materials. 'I pick on the riper side,' said Jones. 'The grapes should taste delicious. They should taste good. Like candy.' This sounds like an almost direct refutation of winemaker Raj Parr 's anti-ripeness maxim, now famous in industry circles: 'If you pick a grape off the vine and it tastes yummy, you've already missed it.' The Upper Barn Chardonnay is Sphaerics' flagship, and its most expensive at $140. The rest of the lineup consists of Overline ($65), a lighter expression from Carneros that's reminiscent of tangy yogurt, yellow peach and basil; and On Days and Nights ($80), from the Russian River Valley, which has flavors of fennel, toasted hazelnut and Meyer lemon. These are bold prices for Chardonnay, in line with high-end producers like Aubert, Peter Michael and Kistler. This year, Ball and Jones will add red wine to the mix after acquiring their estate vineyard. Located near the town of Occidental, the site has 13 acres of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. When the couple began scouting for properties, Ball pulled up Google Maps and asked Jones: 'Where in your dream would you want our vineyard to be?' She pointed to this particular area of the Sonoma Coast, where the fluffy Goldridge soils are known to be ideal for Burgundian grape varieties. Many of the wines that Jones had made at Aubert came from this area. When they saw a listing in that exact neighborhood that fit their budget, they felt that it was fate. They closed in May — and are legally prohibited from naming the vineyard's previous owner or which wineries bought its fruit. Coming up with a name for a winery that's not already trademarked is notoriously difficult, especially when 'your last names are not exciting,' said Jones. They chose Sphaerics, the title of the foundational text on the geometry of the sphere written by Theodosius of Bithynia in the 2nd or 1st century BC. It's partly a play on Ball's last name. It's also a nod to the shape of winemaking itself. 'Think of the most important objects that make wine,' Ball said: 'the shape of a grape, the shape of the earth, the shape of the moon.'
Forbes
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Top Champagnes And Sparkling Wines For Celebrating Mother's Day
Always bring the bubbly to Mother's Day Cue the bubbly this Mother's Day because all moms want to drink something fabulous and Champagnes and sparkling wines have a unique ability to make any occasion feel special. You can make things even more precious with a bubbly that matches mom's personality—whether she's best paired with a classically stylish French Champagne or an elegantly cool Tasmanian sparkling, this list has a selection for every mom. Patz & Hall North Coast Brut Sparkling, CA: A crisp and zesty expression of 100% Chardonnay from cool climate vineyards. The palate is juicy with peach and lemon zest notes and the finish is tempered with a fine thread of toast from 9 months of aging on the lees. A balanced elegant California classic. $45 Kernel Sparkling, Carneros, CA: Made with Pinot Blanc grapes grown in the cool climate Carneros region of Sonoma, this is an utterly delicious sparkling wine. It's juicy and mouthwatering but also possesses a complex richly textured mousse rife with notes of ripe apple, citrus zest, and a buttery-nutty top note. Treveri Cellars Blanc de Noirs, Washington: Made with 100% Pinot Noir grown in Washington's Yakima Valley AVA. Fine threads of bubbles yield to a palate of bright strawberry, spice and citrus cream. Elegant and fresh, a value-driven bubbly with classic style. $20 Domaine Serene 'Evenstad Reserve' Dundee Hills Brut Rosé M.V. 3: Made from premium fruit cultivated in select parcels that a most conducive to sparkling wine production. Bright ripe strawberry notes give way to a layered and rich palate with notes of spice and creamy citrus. $105 (note, this is only available to club members but it's worth joining for this bubbly alone). Stoller Estate Brut Sparkling, NV: The critics love this classic Oregon sparkling wine because it delivers deliciousness at a fair price. Ripe pear and apple notes on the palate, creamy texture and a refreshing zippy finish all wrapped in a balanced, polished bubbly package. $40 Skipstone 8th ed. Rose de Constance Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs: France meets California as the Sonoma winery Skipstone partners with this Champagne gem. It's a blend of fruit from Grand Cru vineyards and aged on the lees for two years. Vibrant peach and citrus notes on the palate and a lovely mousse texture round out the taste profile while notes of buttered biscuit and almond at the finish make this one complex and decadent to enjoy now or age for another decade. $135 Champagne Mandois Rose Grande Reserve: This harmonious Champagne is a polished expression of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Meunier. The nose shows strawberry and peach notes while the palate boasts a creamy texture and lingering finish. It's a stylish bubbly of beautiful pink hues in the glass and juicy deliciousness. $60 Dom Pérignon Vintage 2015 Special Edition – Tribute to Jean-Michel Basquiat: The artsy mother in your life will love this bottle. It's a world-class Champagne made with some the region's most prized grapes, and this bottle is even more special with its custom label adorned with artwork inspired by the legendary Jean-Michel Basquiat. It's a colorful, luxurious one-of-a-kind Champagnes. $305 Provocativo Premium Bubbles: A Spanish Cava crafted by a women-led team—backed by global music icon Bebe Rexha and crafted by second-generation winemaker Briana DiTommaso. A blend of Chardonnay and Macabeo grapes that delivers a juicy crisp apple palate that finishes with a mouthwatering citrus note. $29.99 Jansz Tasmania Premium Rose, NV: This is one of the cooler options to gift to mom—a method champenoise sparkling from Tasmania, which boasts a remarkable growing region for Champagne grapes such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. It's a fine price too—for $30 you'll get pretty blush rose petal hues in the glass, lifted notes of strawberry and lemon zest layered with a thread of buttery brioche. Just yummy. $30 Rouanne Brut Nature Millesime 2022: A groovy method champenoise expression of 100% Mourvedre and made without any additional dosage. It's crisp, bright, even a bit spicy—made from grapes grown on vines that are over 50 years old, so it has an almost intellectual, polished purity—something that you can't get from younger vines. $30 Babylonstoren Sprankel Cap Classique: South African sparkling wine is a lesser-known gem and this one is a great example. Made from premium chardonnay grapes cultivated at a variety of altitudes, this bubbly takes four years to make from harvest to aging. The palate is fresh with notes of cut apple, brioche and a bit of citrus. Textured, elegant and subtle—a classic gem for $66. French Bloom Le Blanc is a non-alcoholic sparkling wine made from organic Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines from Languedoc. It drinks and feels like a true bubbly with notes of pear, flowers and citrus. Founded in 2019, the brand leads in premium alcohol-free wines and has won top global awards. $39 French Bloom N/A Sparkling Wine
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Levi's GranFondo to Livestream Professional Road Race "The Growler" on YouTube
Renowned road cycling event Levi's GranFondo's livestream production will become the only long-distance live broadcast of a road bicycle race in North America. WINDSOR, Calif., Feb. 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Levi's GranFondo, the annual mass-participation road cycling event in Sonoma County, will livestream the last two hours of its professional road race, The Growler, and will be available to watch globally. The Levi's GranFondo Growler cycling race streams April 19, 2025, beginning at 11:00 a.m. PT on With support from Skipstone and other partners, Levi's GranFondo is bringing live, long-distance road racing back to the United States for the first time since the end of the Amgen Tour of California, USA Pro Cycling Challenge, Tour of Utah and other previous live broadcasts. Levi's GranFondo recently announced its partnership with Skipstone, a leader in Alexander Valley wines, to offer the largest prize payout of any one-day road race in the world, with a grand total prize of $156,000. Now organizers are doubling down on their commitment to the sport by investing in the live broadcast of America's toughest professional road race, which will feature men's and women's fields stacked with elite talent, Olympians, national and world champions and WorldTour athletes. The last two hours of the race will be broadcast live on the organizers' own YouTube channel as competitors reach the deciding leg of the 138-mile-long course with nearly 14,000 feet of climbing. Professional sports commentators Matt Stephens and Hannah Walker, with extensive backgrounds in road cycling at the WorldTour-level will announce the race. "Our objective is to restore the road racing scene in the United States with a brand new hybrid model that showcases the incredible terrain and beauty of Sonoma County while at the same time producing a professionally organized participatory Gran Fondo and elite level road race that is challenging, equitable and exciting to watch," said Levi's GranFondo Co-Founder Levi Leipheimer. "The thrill of watching a long-distance road race is unquestionable and has been sorely missing in the U.S. for too long. We believe this event will be a pivotal moment for domestic racing and inspire public interest in the sport. Providing athletes with the opportunity to compete and showcase their skills to a wider domestic audience will ultimately contribute to the development of talent on North American soil," said Levi's GranFondo co-founder and Bike Monkey Founder Carlos Perez. The race will showcase the beautiful Sonoma County landscape and wine region with its world-famous roads that attract cyclists from all over the world. To learn more about Levi's GranFondo, register to participate or become a sponsor, visit or reach us by email at info@ For press inquiries, please email emiliano@ About Levi's GranFondoLevi's GranFondo, founded in 2009 by cyclist Levi Leipheimer and Bike Monkey CEO Carlos Perez, takes place in Windsor, California of Sonoma County's wine region, and is one of America's premier cycling events with upwards of 2,000 cyclists in attendance. It offers seven routes of varying difficulty to satisfy cyclists of all levels. The event supports youth through its partner charity King Ridge Foundation and allows participants under the age of 23 to ride for free. Proceeds also support the King Ridge Foundation, with ten cents from every mile ridden going directly to that charity. For more information, visit Contact: Emiliano Garciaemiliano@ 446-7571 View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Levi's GranFondo Sign in to access your portfolio
