Not that you need one, but the holidays are an excellent reason to bust out the bubbly. And why bring the 17th bottle of a certain yellow-labeled champagne when you could toast with a bottle of Santa Barbara fizz instead?
Considering that Santa Barbara boasts a cool climate and a reputation for outstanding pinot noir and chardonnay — the classic champagne building blocks — it shouldn’t be surprising that our homegrown sparkling wines are quite fantastic. More than 30 vintners currently bottle a bubbly, so it’s no longer hard to find one that suits your menu, palate, and budget. But expect to pay upward of $30 per bottle for decent stuff.
The majority are using the “Méthode Champenoise,” the time- and energy-consuming process used in France to yield complex wines. But there’s some unconventional grapes in play, as well: Blair Fox’s Foxy Bubbles is all grenache, and Solminer sells a sparkling syrah, too. Don’t fret, though, if traditional champagne is more your speed — you’ll happily discover that most winemakers here are making their bubbles with you in mind.