A couple of weeks ago, I conducted another Blind Tasting at our humble little abode here in Houston, to which I invited several other local writers to help me go through the 50 bottles of domestic sparkling wine.

All of the blind tastings (now nineteen in total–I also conduct blind tastings of American rosé in the Spring and American Pinot Noir in the Fall) have produced some surprises, which is, quite frankly, why tasting blind from time to time is healthy. It is often too easy to be influenced by price, producer, or PR firm when tasting non-blind, and it is also good to “re-center” one’s palate in a way—to focus only on what is in the glass.

This was the sixth tasting of American Sparkling Wine and while last year there were 49 corks to pop, this year it ballooned all the way up to 50 wines ranging from $12 to $125. There were 33 Bruts, 16 rosés, and one sparkling red, and all (except one) were produced using the “traditional method” (the same method used in Champagne where the secondary fermentation occurs in the bottle).

We first chilled all the bottles, then removed the corks and foil from the bottles, and then inserted them into bags. Then, after we had all left the room, my wife randomly numbered the bagged wines. This way, while I knew what wines were in the tasting, there was no way to identify the order in which we tasted the wines.

Here, in the order that they were tasted, are the next 12 of the Brut (i.e., non-rosé) wines. I will publish the remaining 26 tasting notes from the rest of the Bruts, the rosés, and the red along with my list of top wines from the tasting, tomorrow and Friday.

Hard at work.

NV Gruet Winery Brut Blanc de Noirs, New Mexico: Retail $17. 100%(?) Pinot Noir. Lovely nose from this wine of medium color, a lovely nose of marzipan and that oaky component. The palate is fantastic and balanced. Quite nice. Outstanding. 93 Points.

NV Mumm Napa Brut Prestige, Napa Valley, CA: Retail $24. 45% Chardonnay, 45% Pinot Noir, 10% Pinot Gris & Pinot Meunier. Almost golden and quite fruity on the nose with more of a red fruit vibe here. Quite fruity and pleasant with a touches of yeastiness and sweetness on the palate. Very Good. 89 Points.

NV Treana Blanc de Blancs – Methode Champenoise, Central Coast, CA: Retail $55. 100% Chardonnay. Another new brand to the tasting (and this is their first-ever sparkling wine), on the verge of golden with a slightly astringent nose, but the palate is entertaining with some tart apple and just a touch of sweetness. Excellent. 91 Points.

NV Piper Sonoma Chardonnay Blanc de Blancs, Sonoma County, CA: Retail $22. 75% Chardonnay, 25% Pinot Blanc. Incredible nose of yeastiness and subtle but ripe fruit. Whoa on the palate. Rich, yeasty, complex. Wonderful. Outstanding. 96 Points.

Bagged and ready.

NV Scotto Family Cellars Brut, California: Retail $18(?). Chardonnay, Pinot Noir. The first one in this flight is once again impressive with an autolytic nose with some baked apple and peach. Whoa. Quite fruity on the palate with a touch of sweetness. Fantastic. Outstanding. 93 Points.

2019 Domaine Carneros Brut, Carneros, CA: Retail $38. 60% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir. Tart apple here with a touch of yeast on the nose of this light-in-color sparkler. Lovely on the palate. Whoa. Another stellar wine. Subtle but impeccably balanced with a lengthy finish. Yowza. Outstanding. 95 Points.

NV Piper Sonoma Brut, Sonoma County, CA: Retail $22. 70% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Noir, 3% Pinot Blanc, 7% Aged Reserve Blend. Medium color with a bunch of tree fruit here. Lovely on the palate whoa. Another fantastic wine. Tart, balanced, lingering finish. Whoa. Outstanding. 94 Points.

2018 Brooks Sparkling Riesling, Willamette Valley, OR: Retail $60. 100% Riesling. Whoa. This is the Brooks Riesling (it can’t hide in a blind tasting). Whoa. Great Riesling characteristics and wonderful all the way through. This has to be considered among the best American sparkling wines. Outstanding. 96 Points.

NV Gloria Ferrer Brut, Sonoma County, CA: Retail $30. 88% Pinot Noir, 12% Chardonnay. Whoa again, another great start to a flight. Holy cow. Yeasty nose and a wonderful palate of fruit, active sparkle, and plenty of tartness, fantastic. Outstanding. 94 Points.

2016 Sanford Blanc de Blancs, Sta Rita Hills, CA: Retail $55. 100% Chardonnay. A lovely nose of tree fruit with some hints of yeast and a floral aspect. Great flavors of peach and pear on the palate with just a kiss of sweetness. Another lovely wine. Excellent. 92 Points.

2013 Gloria Ferrer Carneros Cuvée, Carneros, CA: Retail $96. 55% Pinot Noir, 45% Chardonnay. Nutty with reserved fruit and plenty of yeasty goodness on the nose. There is fruit on the palate but the fresh baked bread is the story here. This is yet another stellar wine with a finish that lasts for several minutes. Outstanding. 95 Points.