Carmel winery’s rosé named Best US Sparkling Wine

CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA, Calif. (KION) The Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships has announced its awards for sparkling wine producers, and a Carmel wine was among them.

Caraccioli Cellars, a winery based in Carmel, announced that its 2014 Brut Rosé was named the Best US Sparkling Wine 2020.

The wine is made of 40% Pinot Noir and 60% Chardonnay grapes, and the winery says half of the crapes come from the Escolle Vineyard. About 1.5% of Pinot Noir is later added from a barrel before it is bottled and left to age sur lies for four years.

Only 936 cases and 76 magnum cases were produced.

The winery said it was founded in 2006 and uses grapes from the Santa Lucia Highlands to make its wines

"Our family and team are deeply honored to receive this award," said General Manager Scott Caraccioli. "To be recognized as the best sparkling wine in the country by this prestigious competition is reflective of this idyllic growing region and the precise winemaking processes perfected by Michel Salgues."

Salgues, who used to be the head winemaker at Roderer Estate, is now the head winemaker at Caraccioli Cellars.

The CSWWC issued 37 awards to wine producers from around the world out of more than a thousand entries.