Uncorked: Let’s make a sparkling toast to 2021

More work was needed to introduce a sparkling wine to the Sosie portfolio.

There’d be change in the vineyard; less ripeness is needed; and harvest for fruit used in a sparkling wine would happen earlier. There’s new equipment and a different routine in the cellar. While it is more laborious, Regina Bustamante loves sparkling wine, and the winemaker in Scott MacFiggen couldn’t help but make his wife and business partner happy.

“My wife was the biggest impetus because she loves sparkling wine,” MacFiggen said. “We did a little bit of research into it. We thought we’d need crazy equipment. But it’s gotten a lot easier in the last four to five years. Small custom crush facilities have popped up with the right equipment for triage and dispersion.”

The Sosie “First Things First” Sparkling White Wine 2018 ($30) is 100% Roussanne and from Bennett Valley in Sonoma Valley. The following sparkling wines can be the first beverage of 2021, enjoyed as an homage to the accomplishments of the past year or raised in a toast to hopefully say good riddance to the brutal year that was 2020.

Made in the traditional method, First Things First had tart green apple, brioche and yeast flavors, there were grapefruit and lemon rind on the finish. The mouthfeel and effervescence were spot on for a maiden voyage into the category.

“It was amazing to learn all the challenges involved,” MacFiggen said. “How experienced sparkling winemakers approach and think about them; there’s a fair amount of chemistry when you’re doing a second fermentation that’s under pressure. I’m glad we did it, and it’s something we are going to continue.”

Even though MacFiggen used the traditional method, there was a California twist he had to put on the wine.

“I’m not a big fan of the traditional pick early and make the wine all about yeastiness,” MacFiggen said. “I wanted to bring in something from California and insisted on a riper style. We still had an early pick, but to the point where there is phenolic flavor.”

It’s a low-dosage, brut-styled sparkling wine, there’s very little sugar, yet some fruit flavors carry through.

Another cool climate wine is the Bottega Gold Venetian Prosecco ($39) from the Valdobbiadene hills in northern Italy. Made from 100% glera, there’s vibrant acidity, white flowers on the nose and flavors of green apple and Bosc pear. The metallic gold bottle is a striking presence and, like the wine, is a definite conversation starter at any table.

Whether it’s prosecco or sparkling wine, northern Italy has offered great value – as they’ve over delivered for their price point. From Trentodoc, in the shadow of the Dolomites, is Monfort Rosé ($26).

It’s pink hue is almost orange in the glass it’s so lightly colored, but the streamlined, subtle flavors are awesome. There are impressions of strawberry, but it’s the soft, warm red apple that comes through with a creamy mouthfeel.

Also in the sparkling rosé category is Mumm Napa Brut Rosé ($24), the go-to sparkling rosé in my house. There’s parts of a case that was a birthday present to my wife, still waiting to be opened. There’s red fruit aromas and strawberry, raspberry and cherry flavors.

Whether it’s uncorked for the ball dropping at midnight as 2020 mercifully gets kicked into the history books or for a dinner earlier in the evening, there’s a celebration in every glass. This year, let’s take a moment to celebrate we’ve made it this far and hope the light at the end of the tunnel is finally an opening to a new start.

“With bubbles, there’s a little party going on when you open the bottle,” MacFiggen said. “It’s not the same experience as a still wine. There’s all this activity in the glass, and you get these beautiful bubbles There’s a little head on the glass and a pop with the cork, all those are special moments.”

Let’s toast to a healthy serving of special moments in 2021.

• James Nokes has been tasting, touring and collecting in the wine world for several years. Email him at jamesnokes25@yahoo.com.