Best Sparkling Wine in Sonoma County: 7 Wineries Worth the Pop
Sonoma Sparkling you wouldn't dare waste on a Mimosa
Am I getting ahead of myself? Maybe. But honestly, while most people save Champagne for a special moment (hello, Christmas and New Year’s!), I prefer the opposite approach: make any moment special by opening Champagne (yes, I know I’m not the first to say this). And yes, I’m using “Champagne” intentionally (and a little provocatively). I still think of it as the gold standard — that perfect intersection of delicate bubbles, bright acidity, and just-right brioche.
But I digress. This is a Substack about California wineries, and California has plenty of producers turning out sparkling wines that deserve way more hype.
There are many sparkling producers in the state, and plenty of them are… fine. Totally fine. Perfectly respectable, perfectly enjoyable, perfectly suited for drowning in orange juice at 10 a.m. on a Sunday. (Also, Kirkland’s $20 Champagne is outstanding for this.)
But that’s not what we’re doing here.
These are the wineries making sparkling wines with real finesse: bright acidity, fine bubbles that don’t feel like you’re drinking a La Croix, actual texture and complexity, and that delightful, lingering finish that makes you long for the next sip. And when they’re not ethereal and classic, they’re interesting in the best way — playful, geeky, or delightfully offbeat.
Want more wineries like this? Explore the full Noteworthy winery database.
So let’s break it down:
The Classics
Traditional-method, elegant bubbles, delicate flavors, and a bit of nuance:
Sosie, Iron Horse, Bricoleur, Amista — each of these wineries makes multiple sparklings in the traditional method, so you can actually figure out what style you love most.
The Fun & Unusual
Quirky grapes, unexpected methods, or both. High “what the hell is this and why do I love it?” potential.
Bannister Sparkling Ribolla Gialla — traditional-method sparkler with real depth: quince, green almond, lemon pith, and that slightly chalky texture Ribolla nerds chase.
Breaking Bread Sparkling Zinfandel — juicy, bright, cranberry-raspberry energy with a little spice and a lot of personality.
Obsidian Chambrusco — Obsidian’s California riff on Lambrusco — dark, frothy, playful (and dry).
Ruth Lewondowski Muscat pét-nat — lightly floral, bright, gently tropicall soft fizz, lemon blossom, stone fruit, and a touch of salinity.
And one Bay Area wildcard:
Not Sonoma, not remotely classic, but absolutely worth your curiosity: Broc Cellars — home of wild, energetic, joyfully offbeat wines, including several sparklers perfect for experimentation.
Here are all the details
Sosie Wines
French for “twin,” Sosie crafts small-lot wines with Old-World finesse, focusing on French varietals like Roussanne and Syrah. Their wines are all about elegance—high acidity, lower alcohol, and serious restraint. Their selection of sparkling wines (made in the French Champagne method, obviously) are delightful, and doing a white, rose, red sparkling tasting felt perfect on a sunny afternoon.
Tasting Experience
A charming and unfussy tasting room in a courtyard in downtown Sonoma. You can mix and match white, sparkling, and red wines in the tasting.
Notable Varietals
🥂 White: Roussanne
🍷 Red: Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Pinot Noir, GSM
Other Essentials
🔗 Sosie Wines ↗
📍 Sonoma ↗
🍷📅✅ Book a Tasting ↗
🍾💲 Median Bottle: $$$ ($40-$70) | 📅💲 Tastings: $30+
Iron Horse Vineyards
Iron Horse is best known for its elegant, méthode champenoise sparkling wines, famously poured at the 1985 Reagan-Gorbachev Summit, and famous ever since. Founded by the Sterling family in 1976, it remains family-run today, with Audrey Sterling (now 95!) still living on the property. The sparkling lineup is crisp, nuanced, and well balanced, and tasting them side by side at different sweetness levels is an excellent way to zero in on what you really love in bubbles. Meanwhile, the estate Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs showcase the cool-climate freshness of this corner of Sonoma. Big producer by my usual standards, yes—but this one really is a fun visit.
Tasting Experience
An al fresco bar perched atop a hill, overlooking 300 acres of rolling vine-covered hills with Mt. St. Helena in the distance. The vibe is relaxed, convivial, and a touch “old west”—more picnic table and patio than polished tasting salon. It’s mostly stand-up tastings, though you can reserve a table for a picnic (the best option, in my opinion). Either way, between the setting, the views, and the bubbles, Iron Horse makes for a delightful visit.
Notable Varietals
🥂 White: Chardonnay
🍷 Red: Pinot Noir
Other Essentials
📍 Sebastopol ↗
🍷📅✅ Book a Tasting ↗
🍾💲 Median Bottle: ($70-$100) | 📅💲 Tastings: $35+
Bricoleur Vineyards
Bricoleur isn’t just a winery— it’s a destination (a lifestyle wine brand? Is that a thing?) Think lush gardens, pond views, lawn games, and a paired lunch experience that doesn’t feel like an afterthought.
The wines cover the full spectrum—unoaked Chardonnay, Old Vine Zin, Viognier, Sauv Blanc, and even sparkling. If you’re traveling with a group, picky in-laws, or small children with refined palates, this is your crowd-pleaser. I would rarely recommend something that tries to be so many things at once, but Bricoleur really works hard.
Tasting Experience
Tasting here is casual, fun, and even family- and dog-friendly. Grab the picnic option or book a more curated tasting-and-lunch combo. There’s something for everyone—and yes, the wines are great, too
Notable Varietals
🥂 White: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier
🍷 Red: Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Syrah, Petite Sirah
Other Essentials
📍 Windsor ↗
🍷📅✅ Book a Tasting ↗
🍾💲 Median Bottle: $$$ ($40-$70) | 📅💲 Tastings: $40+
Amista Vineyards
Amista makes all sorts of wines, but their true love is sparkling—thanks to winemaker Ashley Herzberg. They focus on small-batch, estate-grown bubbles that don’t play by the rules—think Sparkling Syrah, Grenache, and Mataró alongside the classic Blanc de Blancs. A little rebellious, a lot of delicious.
Tasting Experience
Set amid picturesque vineyards, their open-air patio and barn-style tasting areas are equal parts relaxed and charming. You can do a classic tasting or go full Sonoma with a picnic, all while soaking in the pet-friendly (and kid-friendly!) vibes. Bonus: there’s pétanque.
Notable Varietals
🥂 White: Chardonnay
🍷 Red: Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre
Other Essentials
🔗 Amista Vineyards ↗
📍 Healdsburg ↗
🍷📅✅ Book a Tasting ↗
🍾💲 Median Bottle: $$$ ($40-$70) | 📅💲 Tastings: $40+
Bannister
Bannister sits right at the intersection of tradition and experimentation — the sweet spot where classic Sonoma craft meets delightful curiosity. The small, family-run winery produces limited quantities of both the familiar (Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Zinfandel) and the gloriously offbeat — like skin-fermented Ribolla Gialla and orange Riesling. Known for championing uncommon grapes such as Scheurebe and Sagrantino, Bannister manages to make “experimental” feel elegant rather than eccentric. You’ll find everything from structured, age-worthy Pinots to wild, skin-contact whites under one roof.
Tasting Experience
Bannister’s tasting room, located in a beautifully restored 1919 bank in downtown Geyserville, doubles as an art gallery — and it feels every bit as charming as it sounds. Guests are welcomed into a cozy, art-filled lounge (or the laid-back patio) for an unhurried flight, often led by a member of the Bannister family themselves. The vibe is casual and neighborly, more like hanging out at your favorite small-town wine bar than ticking boxes on a tasting list. The art’s great, the tunes are usually spinning, and if you buy a bottle (which, let’s be honest, you will), your tasting is free.
Notable Varietals
🥂 White: Chardonnay, Riesling, Scheurebe, Vermentino, Arneis
🍷 Red: Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Sagrantino, Barbera, Nebbiolo
Other Essentials
🔗 Bannister ↗
📍 Geyserville ↗
🍷📅✅ Book a Tasting ↗
🍾💲 Median Bottle: $$$ ($40-$70) | 📅💲 Tastings: $0+
Breaking Bread
You might be surprised by how many Sonoma wineries dabble in natural winemaking—but Breaking Bread does it in the most traditional (and dare we say, joyful) sense. If your mental image of natural wine is something light, fresh, and a little funky, you’re in the right place. These wines are bottled young to capture that juicy, drink-now energy—the kind lovingly referred to as “glou glou” for a reason.
Expect Euro-inspired vibes (think Beaujolais or a rustic Italian red) layered over California fruit: bright, un-oaked, un-fussy, and very modern Sonoma. The project is helmed by Erik Miller of Kokomo Winery, and it’s all about low-intervention winemaking: carbonic maceration, chillable reds, and skin-contact whites that practically hum with personality.
The star of the show? The Breaking Bread pet-nat. Made from 100% Zinfandel, it’s a fizzy, slightly wild delight.
Tasting Experience
Breaking Bread shares a home base with Kokomo Winery near Healdsburg. Set within Timber Crest Farms—a cluster of boutique producers surrounded by 120 acres of Dry Creek benchland vineyards.
The experience leans rustic and real– dogs lounging on the patio, a picnic you packed yourself, and a host who’s genuinely excited to talk about these offbeat bottles. It’s unpretentious, refreshingly chill, and (shhh!) at $20-$30/bottle an absolute steal.
Notable Varietals
🥂 White: Muscat, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc
🍷 Red: Zinfandel, Mourvedre, Dolcetto, Petite Sirah, Gamay
Other Essentials
🔗 Breaking Bread ↗
📍 Healdsburg ↗
🍷📅✅ Book a Tasting ↗
🍾💲 Median Bottle: $$ (<$40) | 📅💲 Tastings: $30+
Obsidian Ridge
Obsidian isn’t afraid to get a little weird—in the best way possible. While they’re best known for their Obsidian Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon (from their Red Hills Lake County vineyard with Napa-like soil and climate, but decidedly not Napa-like prices), they also make some seriously interesting sparklings. The star of the show (IMHO)? Their “Chambrusco”—a Syrah-based take on Lambrusco that is both fun and unexpectedly delicious. They even make sparkling wines with actual fruit added. It shouldn’t work, but somehow... it does.
Tasting Experience
At Obsidian’s “Base Camp” tasting room just off Sonoma Plaza, expect a casual yet stylish space with glass walls that open to a zen garden.
Notable Varietals
🥂 White: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc
🍷 Red: Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Pinot Noir, Grenache, Petite Sirah, Gamay
Other Essentials
🔗 Obsidian Ridge ↗
📍 Sonoma ↗
🍷📅✅ Book a Tasting ↗
🍾💲 Median Bottle: $$$ ($40-$70) | 📅💲 Tastings: $30+
Ruth Lewandowski Wines
Raw, unmanipulated, and proudly rustic—Evan Lewandowski’s wines are the textbook definition of natural. He ferments with wild yeasts, skips the additives, and bottles without fining or filtration. Minimal intervention all the way. Expect field blends, quirky varietals, and a healthy dose of personality. If these wines had a persona, they’d be wearing vintage overalls and quoting Wendell Berry at a kombucha bar.
Tasting Experience
Evan recently opened his own tasting room at the opposite end of the block near Ryme Wines in Forestville, in what used to be Ryme’s storage space. Needless to say, it no longer looks like storage. Small, but with charm, it is a true hidden gem. Tastings come with appropriately unconventional snacks: think tinned fish, pickled things, and cheeses that probably have a name longer than the wine list.
Notable Varietals
🥂 White: Arneis, Gruner Veltliner, Riesling, Muscat
🍷 Red: Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Carignan, Grenache, Zinfandel, Pinot Noir
Other Essentials
📍 Forestville (new location, Maps not yet updated for name)↗
🍷📅✅ Book a Tasting ↗
🍾💲 Median Bottle: $$ (<$40) | 📅💲 Tastings: $35+
Broc Cellars (our first Bay Area winery featured!)
Broc has become a mini-cult for a reason. They champion the underloved and the underdog—Carignan, Valdiguié, Counoise—organically farmed and turned into vibrant, low-alcohol wines that feel downright alive. Everything is native-fermented, minimally fussed with, and bursting with bright acidity and crunchy freshness. Their style leans playful but intentional: creative blends, lots of energy, and that signature “Love” series you’ve definitely seen in bottles and cans. It’s fun, it’s affordable, and it’s very much the beating heart of California’s new-wave, minimal-intervention wine scene. A number of sparkling wines, with all kinds of unusual grapes.
Tasting Experience
Broc’s tasting room is more of a backyard party in Berkeley. The tasting happens right inside their working urban winery in the Gilman District—picnic tables, string lights, barrels everywhere, and a rotating flight of small-batch experiments poured by people who genuinely love what they do. The patio skews hip warehouse hangout rather than vineyard escape, often complete with pop-up food and a steady flow of chillable reds, pét-nats, and skin-contact whites. California wines’ creative side in its natural habitat.
Notable Varietals
🥂 White: Chenin Blanc, Arneis, Picpoul, Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Marsanne, Albariño, Colombard
🍷 Red: Carignan, Zinfandel, Counoise, Mourvedre, Grenache, Valdiguie, Cabernet Franc, Nero d’Avola, Sangiovese, Syrah
Other Essentials
🔗 Broc Cellars ↗
📍 Berkeley ↗
🍷📅✅ Book a Tasting ↗
🍾💲 Median Bottle: $$$ ($40-$70) | 📅💲 Tastings: $30+
Guess what we’re drinking with dinner tonight? :) That’s it for today!
Noteworthy is an independent, unsponsored winery guide. If you enjoy these recommendations, you can explore the full database of curated wineries on the Noteworthy site.