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Racines Grand Reserve Sparkling Chardonnay ['19 Base] NV

$7499

A Burgundy vigneron and a Champagne grower walked into Santa Barbara and decided to make sparkling wine. Racines is the joint project of Etienne de Montille and Brian Sieve, plus Rodolphe Peters of the great Le Mesnil house Pierre Peters, and the Grand Reserve is where the Champagne half of that brain trust really shows. It's a blanc de blancs, all Chardonnay, drawn from three of the Sta. Rita Hills' best cool-climate sites: Wenzlau, Sanford & Benedict and Bentrock. Traditional method, roughly 30 months on the lees, bottled without fining or filtration. The result has the fine, quiet mousse and chalky cut that California sparkling wine almost never manages, and it's a reminder that the Sta. Rita Hills is cold enough to play this game seriously.

Shipping

Every step of the journey is managed to uphold the integrity of each bottle.

  • Nationwide Access: Flat-rate shipping available to most U.S. states with delivery in 3-5 business days.
  • Temperature-Monitored Shipping: We closely monitor weather conditions and make informed decisions to ensure shipments travel safely, with insulated packaging and refrigerated transport available when required.
  • Wine-Specific Protective Packaging: Specialized materials designed to maintain label integrity and prevent breakage during transit.
  • Provenance Assured: All wines are maintained in climate-controlled conditions at our shop until the moment of dispatch.

Returns & Exchanges

We stand behind every bottle we sell.

  • If the wine is less than 10 years old and it is corked, you may return it to us for a full refund or exchange within 60 days of purchase. You must show us proof of purchase. We understand that you may not live near a shop and that it is difficult to ship open bottles of wine to us, so if there's any problem feel free to Contact Us and we'll work it out.
  • For wines older than 10 years, the consumer bears the risk of a faulty cork, but we accept returns of older bottles if the wine is faulty as a result of improper storage. Please come by the store or Contact Us if there is a problem.
  • We may, at our discretion and to the extent permitted by law, accept returns of unopened wines within 30 days of purchase if they were properly stored by the purchaser, subject to a 15% re-stocking fee.

View our complete return policy →

Have Questions?

Our team is here to help.

Hours

Monday - Friday: 11am - 8pm

Saturday: 12pm - 5pm

CLOSED SUNDAYS

Email: help@flatiron-wines.com
Phone: (415) 780-1405


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More about Racines

Among the many great Burgundy winemakers who have landed on the West Coast and are making wine here, the most exciting of all might be the most recent arrival, Etienne de Montille. His wines are sought after by all those who love burgundy, especially fellow winemakers.

When Etienne decided to make wine out west, he took a road trip with his Chef du Cave, Brian Sieve. Focusing their efforts on the cool climate sites, they started in the Willamette Valley, worked their way down the Sonoma Coast through the Santa Cruz Mountains and ended their journey in Santa Barbara. Of all the sites they explored, soil and climatic conditions they witnessed and wines they tasted, it was Santa Rita Hills north of Santa Barbara where they saw the most potential.

The other draw to this area was the tremendous talent, Tyler Winery's Justin Willett. Along with Rodolphe Peters of Pierre Peters, the four joined forces in a new project they call Racines. Racines is French for "roots", but the seeds for this project were planted a few years back. Raj Parr introduced Justin to Etienne in 2012 and a few years later, Justin found himself in Burgundy tasting with Montille's cellar manager Brian Sieve. The two became fast friends and also started a regular correspondence to exchange advice during harvests. Fast forward a few years - Etienne and Brian approached Justin to partner in their US project. Étienne brought along Rodolphe Péters of Champagne Pierre Peters, who wanted to start a sparkling wine venture in the US - and the rest is history. 2017 is their inaugural vintage.

We were very proud to host Etienne and Justin for a tasting of the first vintage of Racines. Even with our high expectations, each wine easily surpassed them. The application of Burgundian winemaking with the cool climate and limestone rich soils of the Santa Rita Hills produces something that lies in that magical spot between Californian and French wines. Layered and complex with the ability to age but so elegant and delicious when in their youth. The Chardonnays are crystalline and transparent with edges of savoriness and salinity. The Pinots are layered and structured with that brooding quality that Montille's Burgundies are known for.

Wine Details

  • Grape Variety

    Chardonnay

  • Vintage

    NV

  • Size

    750ml

  • Farming Practice

    Sustainable

  • Style

    Aromatic , Elegant , Fruity

  • Sweetness

    Dry

  • Body

    Full Bodied

Flatiron's Take

From the Importer

Tasting Notes & Food Pairings

Perfect Pairings

Oysters on the half shell, fried chicken, gougeres, or a plate of jamon and salted almonds to start the night.

Tasting Profile

Dry and bracing, with green apple and citrus peel, a hint of toasted nuts, and a fine, creamy bubble. Chalky and clean on the finish.

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