Made from old vine Valdiguie grapes (famously mistaken for Gamay for decades in Napa) from Rancho Chimiles, this traditional method sparkling wine keeps Valdiguie's fruitiness and gains added complexity and autolytic character from the time on the lees.

At a Glance

• Origin: Petaluma, Sonoma County, California
• Varietal & Type: Gamay, Valdiguié
• Vintage:
• ABV: 12.5%
• Vineyard Soil: Gravelly loam (Ricetti Vineyard)
• USNW Classification: Natural

Tasting Notes & Pairing

• Profile: Current, white pepper, red cherries
• Food Pairing: Appetizers, light fare, celebrations
• Serving Temp: 40-45°F (Well chilled)

About the Winemaker

Cruse Wine Co. is a small winery in Petaluma, California, dedicated to making uniquely Californian wines for your table—often with bubbles. Founded by Michael Cruse in 2013, the winery has become synonymous with innovative, terroir-driven California wines.

Michael Cruse came to wine by way of science, graduating from UC Berkeley in 2002 with a degree in molecular and cell biology. He studied wine microbiology under Professor Terry Leighton and worked his way up to associate winemaker at Merryvale's Starmont before opening a custom crush facility in Petaluma. There he began the backyard sparkling experiments that became Ultramarine in 2008, arguably America's first cult sparkling wine. In 2016, he was named San Francisco Chronicle Winemaker of the Year.

Farming & Cellar: Cruse describes his approach as natural yet technical. Fermentation is spontaneous, and depending on the bottling, the wine sees stainless steel, wooden vats, barrique, or concrete. He avoids additives, does not cold stabilize, and minimizes or avoids sulfur when a wine will remain stable on its own. A signature is Valdiguie from old vines at sites like Rancho Chimiles, which he turns into juicy reds and sparkling wines.