Once relegated to car races and celebratory occasions, sparkling wine has become an everyday drink. It’s the fastest growing category in the U.S., with double digit growth recorded in 2021. Winemakers across North America have taken notice. While the U.S. still imports almost half of all the bubbles consumed stateside, domestic production is catching up. And few U.S. regions better suit the style than New York State. The third largest wine-producing region in America boasts a cool climate perfect for high-acid, early-ripening sparkling varieties. New York also has a rich bubbly history that dates back further than almost any other commercial wine in America. In the mid-1800s, one Finger Lakes winery was even nicknamed the “Rheims of America” after the famed Champagne capital.
Today, New York bubbles are making a comeback. Whether made in the traditional method with Champagne varieties, or as a pét nat comprised of hybrids, delicious Empire State sparklers abound. And many believe that bubbles—just as they did 160 years ago—will play a crucial role in the future of New York wine.
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JFK Caroline Kennedy / Image Courtesy of Pleasant Valley Wine Company Commemorative plaque including honors afforded to Great Western Champagne in 1873 / Image Courtesy PLEASANT VALLEY WINE COMPANY Once Upon a Sparkling Time
In the year 1865, Abraham Lincoln was shot, the Civil War came to an end and 20,000 bottles of “American Champagne” were produced
This Article was originally published on Wine Enthusiast
