Medlock Ames Brut Russian River Valley 2020

College best friends Chris Medlock James and Ames Morison came together to form Medlock Ames in 1998 after sharing a few too many glasses of their beloved Bordeaux wine in their NYC apartment. Quickly – with some liquid courage to bolster their decision – they realized they’d like to make some wine of their own, but from California grapes instead of French. They set off to find the perfect property, and after viewing over 100 different possible locations, they chose the Bell Mountain Ranch property off of Chalk Hill Road in Sonoma County. They’ve been crafting upscale, organically farmed, and critically acclaimed wines ever since, with a singular focus on mindful quality, from the farm to the cellar.

Even though Medlock Ames owns the 342-acre Bell Mountain Ranch in Sonoma County – with 50 acres of vines – they have just one acre planted to Pinot Noir in the coolest and most southern part of their property. Several years back, they realized that their Pinot grapes were thriving, but there just wasn’t enough to make a still wine. They were coming up on their 20th anniversary at the time and had the idea to take some of the Chardonnay, planted right next to the Pinot, and blend them together using the traditional Champagne method to make a sparkling wine to celebrate two decades of business. We’re the lucky beneficiaries who get to reap the rewards of this choice, and their stunning 2020 vintage sparkler is one that I simply can’t get enough of, especially for the happy $29 price tag!

With the heat and wildfires of 2020 in California, the Medlock Ames team fortunately picked their grapes early to escape smoke damage – and although the yield was small, the grapes had wonderful concentration and depth. With a cepage of 65% Chardonnay and 35% Pinot Noir, eight months in barrel and another 33 on the lees leaves this brimming with decadent aromas of Ritz Crackers, toasted hazelnuts, and fresh-pressed apple juice, plus hints of chrysanthemum tea and Speculoos cookies. Its velvety texture brings with it bright and fresh flavors of green apple and salty preserved lemons. For a wine that isn’t Champagne, it drinks almost identically to the stuff, with ample complexity, minerality, and acidity that leave a lasting impression! A gorgeous, small-batch sparkling wine from a passionate team for a winning price – what more could you ask for?