This past weekend, 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 38 bottles of domestic sparkling wine, but when all of them called in sick, I was on my own.

All of the blind tastings (now 25 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 eighth tasting of American Sparkling Wine and while last year there were 48 corks to pop, this year it dropped all the way down to 38 wines ranging from $12 to $125. There were 25 Bruts and 13 rosés, and all were produced using the “traditional method” (the same method used in Champagne where the secondary fermentation occurs in the bottle).

I first chilled all the wines, then removed the corks and foil from the bottles, and then inserted them into bags. Then, after I 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 I tasted the wines.

Here, in the order that they were tasted, are the next 10 wines. I will publish the remaining 18 tasting notes along with my list of top wines from the tasting, Monday and Tuesday.

Hard at work.

2020 Sanford Blanc de Blancs, Sta Rita Hills, CA: Retail $55. 100%(?) Chardonnay (no info is available online). Heavy marzipan on this near yellow wine with a medium sparkle. A bit of lime and baked pear. A little over yeasty, oaky, marzipany thing going on with the palate as the acidity is there, but it struggles to break through those strong flavors from the jump. I like it, but that autolytic aspect might be a bit aggressive for some. Very Good. 89 Points.

2021 Gloria Ferrer Royal Cuvée Rosé, Carneros, CA: Retail $68. 70% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay. Really, really pale pink in the glass with a fine, persistent sparkle. Difficult to find any fruit on the nose, but there is a bit of yeast. The palate is nice, even very nice, but in a subtle, sophisticated, even contemplative sense, with delicate fruit (cherry), minerality, wonderful balance, and a nice finish. Quite nice. Outstanding. 93 Points.

2016 Sanford Blanc de Blancs, Sta Rita Hills, CA: Retail $55. Ridiculously Heavy Bottle (907g; 32oz). 100% Chardonnay. Peachy, just peachy. With a color close to yellow, but just short. Tons of apple and peach with a decent sparkle on the nose. The palate is a bit sweet, but otherwise fruity and fun. Could use a bit more acidity, but I nitpick. Excellent. 90 Points.

2017 Left Coast Estate Pinot Meunier Estate Brut Rosé, Willamette Valley, OR: Retail $55. Extremely Heavy Bottle (836g; 29.5oz). Rosé. Pale salmon in the glass with lovely red berry fruit and just a hint of yeast. The palate is lovely if a bit lacking in fruit. It is there, but the acidity is certainly the headliner. Still? Excellent. 91 Points.

Bagged and ready.

NV Stoller Brut Sparkling Wine – Estate, Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, OR: Retail $40. 98.5% Pinot Noir, 1% Pinot Meunier, 0.5% Chardonnay. Disgorged Spring, 2022. Closer to yellow than straw with an average bubble-size and a yeasty, citrusy nose with a floral aspect that struggles, but works in the end. Classic sparkling palate—this is what people want (and expect) when they open a nice Brut. Good fruit, great balance, and a real yeasty biscuity component that, quite frankly, American Sparklers struggle to achieve. Bravo. Outstanding. 96+ Points.

NV Mumm Napa Brut Rosé, Napa Valley, CA: Retail $24. Extremely Heavy Bottle (851g; 30.0oz). 80% Pinot Noir, 20% Chardonnay. Slightly darker orangeish pink with a very subtle nose—barely anything perceptible. The palate is more expressive with good fruit (strawberry) with good balance and just a delightful quaff. Crushable (a slightly higher dosage?). Excellent. 92 Points.

2019 Benza Crémant of Oregon Brut, Chehalem Mountains, Willamette Valley, OR: Retail $60. Varietal Composition not clear, but I assume there is a ton of Pinot here. Pale straw with an average to large bubble, and a classic citrus nose with some marzipan thrown in. Really, really, really tart on the palate—enamel lifting tartness. Wow. If you like your sparklers bright with an acidity that might rip your face off? And I do. This is a starting point. Excellent. 90 Points.

2015 Gloria Ferrer Carneros Cuvée, Carneros, CA: Retail $85. 55% Pinot Noir, 45% Chardonnay. Not yet released. Pale straw with a fine sparkle, lemon and pear on the nose. Promising. Quite tart and fruity on the palate, really a classic representation of the genre. Salty and fruity with a powerful tartness. This is pretty darned tasty right now, but I feel like this could use some more time to calm down a bit. Maybe another 3-5 years in bottle? But again, Outstanding. 94 Points.

NV Roederer Estate Brut, Anderson Valley, CA: Retail $28. 60% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir. Pale straw with a fine bubble and an interesting meaty/smoky nose, which is not at all off-putting. Whoa. The palate is perhaps the most layered and sophisticated thus far with good fruit, yes, but a touch of campfire smoke, plenty of fresh-baked croissant, and a finish that lasted even after I tasted the following wine. Holy mother of goodness kinda good. Outstanding Plus. 97 Points.

2021 Domaine Carneros Brut, Carneros, CA: Retail $39. Ridiculously Heavy Bottle (903g; 31.7oz). 53% Estate Grown Chardonnay, 47% Estate Grown Pinot Noir. Really pale, with a fine sparkle and a classic citrus, yeasty nose. Yum. Whoa. Holy cow, another stunner. Really citrusy but this is another level. Rich, balanced, and subtly powerful, this is the kind of wine that you hide from your uncle Cletus. Outstanding. 96 Points.