Sinnet Extended Tirage Brut Nature North Coast 2018

Behind the wine is Weston Eidson, who took a really unusual road to the cellar. He trained originally in international law – law school in Chicago, then a master's in International Political Economy from Warwick – before traveling through the world's celebrated wine regions and falling hard for winemaking. With that same curiosity still in tow, he treats sparkling wine as the meeting point of technical discipline and creative instinct. He's since gone on to co-found WESTBORN alongside icons Russell Bevan and Nathan Reeves, and if you needed more proof he's one to watch, check out what Jeb Dunnuck had to say of that label: “You can put [WESTBORN] up with not only the finest sparkling wines in California but also the best from Champagne.” High praise, indeed!

The Sinnet label, however, was born in the foggy crevices of the Russian River Valley, where cool marine air threads through old redwoods, and vines settle into a slow-ripening rhythm. The philosophy here is vineyard-first – the belief that great sparkling wine starts in the soil. Everything is farmed with intention and made in the Méthode Traditionnelle, honoring the pioneering sparkling houses that first proved decades ago that Sonoma could stand alongside the world's great terroirs for elegance and precision.

This bottling is a Pinot Noir-driven blend – with 65% Pinot Noir and 35% Chardonnay – from the excellent 2018 vintage, a long and cool growing year that preserved beautiful natural acidity, and plucked from what may be the most elite mix of vineyard sites you can find in Northern California. Weston’s deep connections to vineyard managers has allowed him access to this stellar grouping of plots in order to create such a special sparkling wine. 

You’ll note roasted nuts and warm-from-the-oven pastries up front, with snappy green apple and pear next, and then a faint, earthy, truffle-like savoriness in the background. Despite having zero dosage, the texture is plush, almost velvety, while smooth, rain-washed creek pebble minerality brings focus. The finish runs on and on, salty and briny with a crushed oyster shell edge. The mouth waters to think of it paired alongside oysters, buttery roast chicken, or a bowl of salty potato chips. Just over 1,000 bottles ever made, and usually $100 at the winery. For only $59 a bottle with free shipping when you grab 2 or more – this is an extremely exciting value in California sparkling wine right now! Go get yourself as many as you can.