Roederer Estate & Scharffenberger

My mom is a bubbles fanatic. Every time she comes for a visit we cross a few more champagneries off her list. After 8 years of living here though, I found myself looking at tasting rooms a little farther afield: Anderson Valley.

Anderson Valley is a little less than an hour north west of Healdsburg. It’s off the main highway, on a two-lane, windy road leading to Mendocino. That coastal air is what makes Anderson Valley so great for making thin-skinned grapes like Pinot Noir, which are a main ingredient in most sparkling wines.

Our first stop of the morning was Roederer Estate. It’s almost the last winery on your way west; when you think you’ve missed it, you’re just about there. Then it’s past a pair of beautiful wrought gates and up a long driveway to the tasting room. The view from the top of the hill is STUNNING, as are the wines. I’m usually a Blanc de Noir girl so it’s no surprise that my favorite pour was the rosé, coming in at 56% pinot while Mum, who leans towards the sweeter side of things, fell in love with their Extra Dry Multi Vintage.

Scharffenberger is owned by the same parent company as Roederer—yes, that’s also the same parent company as Cristal—so a membership at one means free tastings at the other. Their tasting room is a bit less opulent than their sister winery but the pours were no less exciting. I surprised myself by falling for the 2010 Blanc de Blancs! Also on their menu was a delightfully flavorful Crémant, which was slightly less fizzy than it’s counterparts.