There is a fabulous event held for the last few years called The San Diego Bay Wine + Food Festival . I was lucky enough to enjoy two of the events for the first time this year. First, I attended The Grand Decant which is held at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in San Diego, California. This evening event is entirely devoted to showcasing wine. An excellent opportunity to sample wines from over 200 domestic and international wineries representing over 500 wines. The second event was The Grand Tasting, which was held the following the day, outside, at the gorgeous Embarcadero Marina North Park in San Diego Bay (near Seaport Village). This daytime event combines culinary tastes along with wine tasting. The backdrop to this event is the stunning views of the San Diego Bay. I was thrilled to learn that both events offer a large selection of sparkling wines.

For more information about the San Diego Bay Wine + Food Festival and Tickets:

5StarTip🌟: Fabulous Wine Tasting Event! The San Diego Bay Wine + Food Festival 2018

I have a passion for sparkling wine and champagne. It was exciting to see all the wineries that offered bubbles. If you are as passionate about sparkling wine and champagne as I am, and would like to try tasting several wonderful varieties, this is the event for you.

Here is a picture journey of what I was able to enjoy at both events – I have included a little information (quoted from the website of each sparkling I tasted). I hope you will find some of your favorites in the following list and be inspired to try a few!

Cheers to being sparkly!

5StarTips🌟:

🌟 Ruffino – Sparkling Wine, Italy

“More than 140 years ago, our founders Leopoldo and llario Ruffino were among the first in Tuscany to recognize that the best wines come from the best vineyards. We honor that philosophy today as we meticulously choose top vineyard sites, carefully manage the vines and the yields, and use non-interventionist practices in both our vineyards and in winemaking.”

Ruffino Winery

🌟 Gloria Ferrer Caves and Vineyard – Sonoma County, California Sparkling Wine

“Back in the early 80’s there were only a handful of winegrowers planting Pinot Noir in Carneros. And yet, the Ferrer Family knew the key to a world-class méthode champenoise wine would be Pinot Noir.
The Gloria Ferrer winemaking team’s quest for perfection takes them to Champagne where they manage to acquire Pinot Noir and Chardonnay clones.
Gloria Ferrer is not only the first sparkling wine house in Sonoma Carneros, but also the first to plant Champagne clones and the first to plant in Carneros.
Almost thirty years later, with 335 acres under vine, the estate vineyards at Gloria Ferrer produce Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that rival some of the world’s finest.”

– Gloria Ferrer Winery

For more Always5Star information about Gloria Ferrer:

Always5Star Guide to Gloria Ferrer Winery & Their Sparkling Wine Brut Rosé

🌟 Meiomi Sparkling Wine – California North Coast

“Melissa Stackhouse is the winemaker at Meiomi Winery. With a passion for the artistry behind winemaking coupled with an appreciation of a balanced lifestyle, Melissa brings a unique vision and spirit to her role at Meiomi. Melissa aspires to create wines that are meant to be enjoyed while laughing and sharing a delicious meal with friends and family. While laidback and easygoing by nature, Melissa has an extensive and impressive background at some of California’s top wineries. Melissa approaches her role as Meiomi winemaker as an exercise in balancing the best fruit of Sonoma, Monterey and Santa Barbara Counties. In her blends of the cool-climate grapes, she creates wines of bold character and harmony – ripe and rich, with expressive depth and taste.”

Meiomi Sparkling Wine

🌟 Barth – Sektgut German Prädikat Sparkling Wine Estates

“SPARKLING WINE OUR MASTERPIECE”

“For our sparkling wine, only the best is good enough: we start with our sparkling wine production right at the beginning, in the vineyards. Only fully ripened grapes are harvested and gently pressed. Having taken meticulous care during fermentation we produce our sparkling wine in accordance with the most sophisticated and labor-intensive method: traditional bottle fermentation or méthode champenoise. After long maturation on the yeast, the sparkling wine approaches its completion with hand-riddling. BARTH sparkling wine bottles are handled Our sparkling wine bottles are handled up to 55 times until it finally reaches the customer.”

Barth Winery

🌟 Faccoli – Franciacorta Wine Region – Italy

“At the foot of Mount Orfano, on the most ancient and tenacious land of Franciacorta, a “family winery” that makes the personality its own mark.
The cellar is the home of 50.000 bottles that we produce every year; and it is the space where the work in the vineyard meets our experience to become wine, and then bubbles.
The company works with respect in the country, using the normal cycle of treatment. The manual care of the plants, allowed by the modest extension of vineyards, allows to collect healthy grapes when the growth is not yet complete, in order to preserve acidity, an essential component of a long-lived bubble.”

Faccoli Winery

🌟 Flying Goat Cellars – Sparkling Wine Santa Barbara County, California

“Norm Yost has been making wine for over 37 vintages and has a particular passion for Pinot Noir and sparkling wine. He launched Flying Goat Cellars specializing in vineyard designated Pinots from Santa Barbara County in 2000. Later Norm courted Kate Griffith with his first release of Goat Bubbles (2005 Rosé). We don’t know if it was the bubbles or the winemaker’s charm, but it culminated in a marriage and a family of wines.”

Flying Goat Cellars

🌟 Pommery Champagne – Reims – France

“After making a fortune in the wool industry, in 1856, Mr Pommery was in fragile health and decided to retire from business and enjoy a quiet life. His son Louis was no longer a child. Mr Pommery and his wife did not have any special plans. They simply wanted to enjoy a well-deserved retirement. But destiny had other things in store for them… Madame Pommery discovered she was expecting a child, at the age of 38. This miraculous pregnancy, more than 17 years after her first, would change their lives forever. To provide for his baby daughter, Mr Pommery decided to go back into business. But the wool industry was in crisis. However, the champagne trade was booming.
In the inventory on 31 December 1856, all of Pommery’s wines were grands crus. The company changed its name, but it gained great strengths and talents. Henry Vasnier, the 24-year-old financial and administrative director, and Adolphe Hubinet, the 23-year-old business director, joined the team. When Mr Pommery died on 18 February 1858, his wife looked at baby Louise, who was not even a year old, and mustered up the strength to set out on an incredible journey. With this same pride, passion, and emotion, we are trying to reproduce Madame Pommery’s miracle, which we have given the sweet name of Louise.”

Pommery Champagne

🌟 J Cellars – Sparkling Wine – Russian River Valley, California

“Since 1986, J Vineyards & Winery has developed a reputation as one of the top sparkling and varietal wine producers in California. J has come to be known for its celebrated estate vineyards, contemporary winery and world-class hospitality.
Winemaker Nicole Hitchcock showcases her expertise and the diversity of California winegrowing regions through a portfolio of high-quality varietal and sparkling wines of distinction. Visit the renowned hospitality center in the heart of the Russian River Valley to enjoy one of the many tasting experiences, including the vibrant Signature Bar, the sunny and serene Terrace, or the delicious pairings prepared by Executive Chef Carl Shelton in the Bubble Room.”

 Cellars Winery

🌟 Ca’ del Bosco – Franciacorta, Italy

“There are moments without words that only sensations can define, feelings that reach the heart and become the rapture, joy and beauty of a moment to be treasured deep inside. The art of wine is one such moment, a masterpiece created by the talent that few possess, in which dedication and ability blend in a magical, mystical marriage with nature. The infinite in a single drop, fruit of a slow, devoted and meticulous passion. People, like territories, have a vocation. And so it was that a fifteen-year-old boy had a lightning intuition of what life could be like pursuing it. The meeting between young Maurizio Zanella and gentle Franciacorta, when his mother moved to Erbusco and planted the first vineyard, was the initial contact with what would be the love of his life. But it was after a trip to Champagne, to the famous maisons whose wine had always fascinated and inspired him, that Maurizio returned with the unshakable idea of making something similar. What was once a house in a chestnut wood became one of the most trailblazing wineries in Italy. Since then a single principle has been defining the essence of Ca’ del Bosco: the quest for excellence.”

Ca’ del Bosco Winery

🌟 Anna Codorníu – Sparkling Wine – Cava, Spain

“Anna de Codorníu is a most emblematic cava and the first cava that incorporates the Chardonnay variety. Anna is a tribute to the last heir of the surname Codorníu.
A good cava is made from premium quality grapes. That’s why Codorníu carefully selects its grapes and manages its vineyards meticulously. For many years now, it has applied sustainable winegrowing practices, in other words, allowing nature to run its course and only intervening when there are imbalances. Thus, Codorníu combines tradition and innovation in the cava making process controlling each stage of the process until the product reaches final consumers.”

Anna Codorníu Winery

🌟 Peter Paul (Lallier) Grand Cru Champagne – France

“Grand Cru Champagne has long been a passion of vintner Peter Paul. In 2007, he selected a cuvée from the small, respected champagne house of Lallier that would become the first in what is now a series made in collaboration with Lallier. In the spring of 2016, Peter sent Chief Wine Officer Martin Reyes to meet Lallier and select the next generation of Peter Paul champagne.
The current selection, our fourth in collaboration with Lallier, was imported in the fall of 2017. It is a dry Brut style with striking notes of citrus, baked apple, and toast, with a clean luxurious polished finish.
Lallier owns 125 acres of vineyards (25 parcels), all of which are grand crud. The ancient winery caves are tucked in a charming village of Aÿ, while the winery’s new, modern winemaking facility is a nearby Epernay.”

Peter Paul (Lallier) Grand Cru Champagne

🌟 Danza Del Sol, Espumosa – Sparkling Wine, Temecula Valley, California

“Located on a beautiful 40-acre estate on the De Portola Wine Trail in Temecula, CA, Danza del Sol Winery produces a remarkable range of fine wines.
Danza del Sol Winery’s story is deeply rooted in Temecula Valley’s wine history. Founded in 1978 by Dr. William Filsinger, our 40-acre vineyard property located on the De Portola Wine Trail, was originally planted with Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc vines in 1972. In 1980 Filsinger Vineyard and Winery opened for tasting.
At Danza del Sol Winery we pride ourselves in producing wines in a Mediterranean style for you to share with friends and family on a lazy afternoon, dinner with friends or a special occasion.”

Danza Del Sol Winery

🌟 Santa Margherita Prosecco, Italy

“Santa Margherita has grown to encompass vineyards across Italy, from the Veneto to Tuscany, producing distinctive, authentic wines of deep tradition and regional character. Our wines are crafted for the evolving tastes of today’s fine wine lovers, and we invite you to pair the people and foods in your life with the Pinot Grigio we made famous, our brilliant Prosecco, our complex Chianti Classico Riserva or our delicate Sparkling Rosé.
We hold our entire organization to the highest levels of social responsibility and environmental sustainability while remaining committed to our Italian heritage. As we continue to thrive and expand, the truest measure of our success is being welcomed and enjoyed by you, today.”

Santa Margherita Winery

🌟 Biondelli – Franciacorta, Italy

“Biondelli Family have a strong feeling of attachment to their land and a great attention to the conservation of the environment.
This vision has been implemented by Cantine Biondelli in order to minimize the environmental impact of the production activity and to guarantee the highest quality of the wines produced. In 2010 they have started the conversion of the cultivation of their vines to the Organic Culture criteria, which in Italy takes about three years.
A path that requires considerable effort and great attention in every phase of the production, but which allows the elimination of the dispersion of potentially harmful substances into the environment and the reduction of their presence in the final product.
With this choice, Biondelli therefore offers a higher quality level of their wines, radically limiting the environmental impact of their activities on the surrounding territory.”

Biondelli Winery

Final Thoughts:

As you can see from the above, this was an extraordinary experience to sample and enjoy some my favorite sparkling wine and champagne as well as being introduced to some new ones. If you are as passionate about sparkling wines and champagne as I am, you will want to reserve the date on your calendar to enjoy this experience next year!

Cheers to making all your Always5Star days sparkling! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

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Note: This was a sponsored opportunity with San Diego Bay Wine + Food Festival to attend the events. However, my opinions expressed in this article are my own. I was not compensated for writing this post or endorsing any of the wines.

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