Lodi sparkling wines⏤dryer than most French Champagne⏤crafted from both classic grapes and Mediterranean or exotic varieties

Clements Hills-Lodi Sparkling Picpoul Blanc. Lorenza Wine.

Hooray, we're getting close to a New Year! 

This calls, of course, for a good champagne. It's that time of year when we want to hear that pop and fizz, and feel the icy taste of tart, bubbly, foamy wine to mark the end of a year and start of a brand new one... especially after 2024 (not the best of years for many of us).

So let's talk sparkers. Champagne style wines are, indeed, grown and produced in Lodi, despite the fact that the original Champagne region in France, located some 100 miles north of Paris, is associated with a climate that is much colder than Lodi's. 

Here's another thing: Lodi's best sparkling wines are not just fine and refreshing, they are just as dry (in most cases, dryer) than most French champagnes, and possess just as much naturally tart acidity as sparklers grown in Champagne. How can that be?

July harvest of Lodi Chardonnay grapes in Michael David Winery's Bare Ranch.

Simple explanation: Grapes going into sparkling wines in Lodi are always the first to be picked each harvest season⏤usually during the last two weeks of July, when grapes are still high in acidity and lower in sugar. 

Here is another open "secret" not often talked about: Lodi supplies tons and tons of grapes⏤particularly Chardonnay and Pinot noir, the classic grapes of Champagne in France⏤for numerous California sparkling wine brands based in coastal regions such as Napa Valley and Sonoma County, some of them owned by French Champagne houses. If Lodi grapes are good enough for them, they're certainly good enough for local wineries endeavoring to produce classic champagne style wines.

Grenache, a cultivar of Mediterranean origin that ripens with good acidity in warm climate regions such as Lodi's.

But because this is Lodi, perfectly good sparkling wines are also made from "other," or "nontraditional," grapes, such as Grenache, Albariño, Verdelho, and even (for some producers) Barbera, Carignan, Zinfandel and Graciano. Why not? This is Lodi, after all, where the reason why many of these grapes of Mediterranean origin are cultivated is because they are known to ripen in warmer climates with lots of fresh, natural acidity, and it's acidity that you need to make a good, crisp, well balanced sparkling wine.

The second reason why perfectly fine sparkling wines can be grown in Lodi is the famous "champagne method" itself. In the Champagne region of France, this style of winemaking is called méthode Champenoise, the "champagne method." Nowadays it's often called méthode traditionnelle ("traditional method") or méthode classique ("classic method"). Simply put, this is the process of producing tiny bubbles—the result of carbon dioxide trapped in bottles—through a second fermentation taking place in the exact same bottle in which the bubbling wine is eventually sold.

LVVR Sparkling Cellars owner/winemaker Eric Donaldson examining the lees sinking down into the neck of a bottling of sparkling wine crafted in the traditiional champagne method.

Finally, Lodi sparkling wines do see a little more sun than grapes in Frances's Champagne, and thus retain a little more natural fruit fragrance. This, more than anything, is why many if not most Lodi grown sparklers are finished either totally dry (i.e., "natural") or with fewer grams of balancing residual sugar than sparklers in Champagne.

That said, a current list of some of our favorite sparkling wines crafted in the traditiional champagne style, made entirely from grapes grown in Lodi:

2021 Markus Wine Co., Mokelumne River-Lodi Sparkling Bacchus ($36)

This is a stunningly unique and delicate, tiny lot champagne style wine made 100% from a grape called Bacchus, which originated in Germany. It is a crossing of (Silvaner x Riesling] and Müller-Thurgau (Riesling x Madeleine Royale) devised in 1933, and cultivated by Lodi's Mokelumne Glen Vineyards since the late 1990s.

Markus Wine Company's Sparkling Bacchus floats across the palate as lightly as a feather and is finished dry as a bone (zero residual sugar). Its fresh, perky acidity, entirely natural to the grape, absolutely sings with intricate mineral, oil of lemon peel, wet stone, nectarine and pear-like scents, underlined by the brioche-like yeasty nuances typical of wines made in the classic champagne style.

Mokelumne Glen Vineyards Bacchus grapes.

Acquiesce Winery & Vineyards

Acquiesce is justifiably acclaimed for its bevy of white wines made from estate-grown Southern French grapes. Their first champagne style sparkler was made from the classic Mediterranean cultivar, Grenache blanc. Most recently, Acquiesce has come out with three more sparklers, all absolutely delightful and, per house style, exceptionally dry (zero or barely any residual sugar).

First, made entirely from the Piquepoul grape, the 2021 Acquiesce Winery Mokelumne River-Lodi Sparkling Picpoul Blanc ($55) is ultra-light, steely dry, subtly yet wholly refreshing with its touches of green apple, lemon skin and rising bread dough (the latter quality, the yeasty manifestation of traditional champagne crafting).

Piquepoul (a.k.a., Picpoul blanc) harvest in Mokelumne River-Lodi's Acquiesce estate.

The 2021 Acquiesce Winery Mokelumne River-Lodi Sparkling Grenache Rosé $55) comes across a tad fuller because of its compelling scents of raspberry/cherry and what winemaker Christina Lopez describes as "watermelon agua fresca." Despite 3 grams of residual sugar added to accentuate the scented fruit, the finish is dry, airy, almost steely/minerally from the wine's edgy natural acidity.

Finally, I guarantee you will not find any sparkling wine in the world like the 2022 Acquiesce Winery Mokelumne River-Lodi Sparkling Clairette Blanche ($55), made from Clairette blanche, a Southern  French grape known for its combination of white flower, mineral and herbes de Provence-like sensations, stronger in its sharp/savory palate-feel than what is sensed in the nose. As a zero residual sugar sparkler, this unique profile is almost astounding⏤vibrant, vivacious, memorable.

Lorenza Wine's Michèle Ouellet Benson sampling fermenting Piquepoul from the tank.

2023 Lorenza Wine, Clements Hills-Lodi Sparkling Picpoul Blanc ($40)

It is natural to compare Lorenza Wine's Sparkling Picpoul Blanc with that of Acquiesce's. The similarities⏤lemon skin scent, rapier acidity and breezy lightness⏤are there because lemon, elevated acidity and lightness of body are typical of the grape, which is a Mediterranean cultivar naturally adapted to warm climate regions (the grape's native Picpoul de Pinet appellation is located right alongside the Mediterranean where France meets Spain). The difference is that Lorenza's iteration is made by Charmat method (contact with yeast cells taking place in a tank) as opposed to Acquiesce's traditional champagne style. If anything, Lorenza's method accentuates the natural varietal character of the grape, particularly its refreshingly acid driven (lemony tart and apple/pear crispness) profile, although the wine comes across as refined, delicate and, of course, suitably bubbly.

Bokisch Vineyards Sparkling Rosado crafted in the champagne style from Graciano grown in Clements Hills-Lodi's Terra Alta Vineyard. pleasethepalate.com.

Bokisch Vineyards

This grower/producer⏤California's leading proponent of Spanish grapes since the late 1990s⏤has smartly embraced the growing consumer interest in dry sparkling wines in almost inimitably Lodi fashion: Crafting sparklers from Albariño and, most recently, from the black skinned Graciano.

First, the nonvintaged Bokisch Vineyards Clements Hills-Lodi Sparkling Albariño ($38) possesses all the lightness, palate-bracing tartness and edgy, almost briny minerality that has made this grape the most popular varietal white among local wineries over the past ten years. The Albariño character pushes through in this sparkler's suggestions of citrus peel and apple skin, almost irresistible in the context of the tiny, foamy bubbles and rising brioche dough character of "champagne."

Second, the 2022 Bokisch Vineyards Terra Alta Vineyard Clements Hills-Lodi Sparkling Rosado ($38) is made entirely from Graciano, long considered a companion grape to Tempranillo, playing second fiddle in regions such as Rioja. Crafted as a steely dry sparkling rosé, the grape shines with scents the winery likens to "almond, vanilla blossom, strawberry and Santa Rosa plum." Our mouths are watering! 

Borden Ranch-Lodi Pinot noir picked early in the season for sparkling wine produers.

Peltier Winery

Over the past half-decade or so, this important Lodi grower/producer has garnered widespread accolades for its estate grown champagne style sparklers, all made predominantly from Chardonnay with nearly equal proportions of Pinot noir. While these are the exact same grapes distinguishing classic French Champagne, they are still very "Lodi " in terms of their sun kissed fragrances.

The 2019 Peltier Winery The Gala Lodi Brut Nature ($45) comes across as dryer than most French Champagnes⏤notwithstanding 2 grams of residual sugar in its finish⏤while retaining impeccable balance and silkiness through its long, citrus fresh finish.

The 2019 Peltier Winery The Gala Lodi Brut Rosé ($45) is a tad fuller⏤its citrusy flavors accentuated by just over 5 grams of residual sugar⏤while still finishing on the dry side, its zesty acid edge cushioned by the brightly scented, red berryish fruit.

Stairway to top of tanks in Klinker Brick Winery.

Klinker Brick, Sparkling Bricks & Roses Lodi Brut Rosé ($45)

The beauty of Lodi as an appellation is that black skinned cultivars such as Grenache and Carignan (going into this nonvintaged, traditional method wine) ripen with plenty of natural acidity, although the grapes were picked early enough for this bottling to finish at a light and easy 11.4% ABV. The nose and palate-feel blends suggestions of strawberry and pomegranate with a classic champagne yeastiness, finishing crisp and dry.

Nostra Vita Family owners Robert Indelicato and Leslie Bloudoff.

2019 Nostra Vita Family Winery, Serendipity Lodi Blanc de Blanc ($32)

Nostra Vita Family's signature traditional method sparkler⏤a 100% Chardonnay grown entirely in the Indelicato family's Clements Hills-Lodi vineyard⏤keenly captures just about everything sparkling wine aficionados love about "blanc de blancs" style (i.e., made entirely from white wine grapes) champagne: A creamy smooth, delicate, silky mouth feel, coming across as dry despite a smidgen of residual sugar (barely 1 gram). The lemony fresh scent of the grape is enhanced by the fresh rising bread scent resulting from over three years (considerably longer than the vast majority of California sparklers) of aging en tirage—that is, in contact with spent yeast cells while aging in the bottle. Exquisite by any standard of sparkling wine in the world.

Michael David Winery Lodi Brut. realtraveladventures.com.

2023 Michael David Winery, Lodi Brut ($35)

Lodi's largest and most successful family owned winery has only recently joined the ranks of méthode Champenoise style local producers, and it's a model of lightness, delicacy and freshness: Weighing in at barely 11% ABV and possessing a yeasty fruit fragrance as crisp as a Christmas apple, reflecting its impeccable provenance⏤100% Chardonnay grown in the Phillips family's Bare Ranch, in the heart of Lodi's west side.

2017 LVVR Sparkling Cellars

Going on 12 years of production, this local winery specializing exclusively in tradtional method sparklers continues to perfect its Lodi driven style, producing an assortment of different bottlings. First and foremost, perhaps, is the brand's signature nonvintaged LVVR Sparkling Cellars Lodi Brut ($26): Crafted from 75% Chardonnay and 25% Verdelho, coming across as dry despite .5% residual sugar, with a green apple/grapefruit crispness wrapped in yeasty nuances. 

While the nonvintaged LVVR Sparkling Cellars Lodi Blanc de Blancs ($26) is made from the same base wine of Chardonnay/Verdelho as LVVR's Brut, its profile comes across as fruitier, mobilized primarily by heightened residual sugar (1.5%), accentuating the wine's creamy smooth and buoyantly balanced palate feel.

Lodi grown Albariño, a native Spanish grape that retains enough acidity to produce crisp, finely balanced sparkling wines.

For something a little more uniquely "Lodi," look for the 2020 LVVR Sparkling Cellars Lodi Albariño Reserve ($34), a bone dry sparkler (0.0% residual sugar) that wraps the briny/floral varietal scent of Albariño in a yeasty complexity.

Pushing the envelope even further, 2019 LVVR Sparkling Cellars Lodi Barbera Reserve ($34) is made 100% from this black skinned grape native to Northern Italy. The idea makes perfect sense because Barbera is known for being higher in acidity than just about any other red wine grape in the world. LVVR's sparkling Barbera comes across as emphatically dry (despite 3 grams of residual sugar) belying the wine's come-hither, pale pink color. The yeast nuanced Barbera fruit manifests itself in a cranberry/rose petal fragrance, finishing light (just 10.6% ABV), silky and as finely beaded as any champagne style sparkler.

Finally, if you prefer a champagne style sparkler falling on a perceptively sweet, fruity side, there is the nonvintaged LVVR Sparkling Cellars Lodi Demi-Sec ($26): A Chardonnay/Verdelho blend enhanced by 3.2% residual sugar in addition to a touch of lush, flowery Muscat utilized in the slightly sweetened dosage.