22 Apr Please The Palate Pick of the Week: Sparkling Discoveries, A Sparkling Wine Platform

Sparkling wines have traditionally been enjoyed in a celebration or on a special occasion. But over the past few years, sparkling wine has become a part of day-to-day consumption. We want sparkling wine on special occasions, but also with meals and “just because”. And that is because a glass of sparkling wine makes us all smile. From across the country, and around the world, our love for bubbles unites us all. And now, there is one place you can come to find information on all things sparkling. Sparkling Discoveries is a new online community for sparkling wine lovers and the Please The Palate pick of the week. The world of sparkling wine is vast. Beyond Champagne, Prosecco, and Cava, there are sparkling wines from around the world waiting to be discovered. Sparkling Discoveries was created by Vicky Farrow, the proprietor of Amista Vineyards in Dry Creek Valley. The first sparkling wine Amista made was a sparkling Syrah in 2008 and today they make six different sparkling wines, all in the traditional method, from grapes including Chardonnay, Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvedre. Vicky’s love for sparkling wine inspired her to launch Sparkling Discoveries in 2022 which is the first brand-neutral sparkling wine platform dedicated to sparkling wine lovers, makers, and thought leaders. “Sparkling wine is a $33.9 billion global market, expected to reach well over $50 billion by 2027,” said Farrow. “Since the launch of the Sparkling Discoveries platform, the response within the sparkling wine community has been overwhelming.” This past week, Sparkling Discoveries hosted its first virtual event which featured a panel of sparkling wine industry leaders. Sparkling Discoveries founder Vicky Farrow, and Ray Johnson, executive director of the Wine Business Institute, moderated the event which included panelists Joy Sterling, CEO of Iron Horse; Samantha Capaldi, sommelier and co-founder of Faff Wine Co.; Blaine Ashley, founder of New York Champagne Week; and Jon McPherson, master winemaker for South Coast Winery, Carter Estate Winery, and Carter Creek Winery. Each of the panelists has a love for sparkling wines and they shared their own stories of getting into the sparkling wine industry and what they believe the future holds for sparkling wine. What they all agreed about was the excitement of how much sparkling wine is now produced around the world and from so many diverse places, including England, Armenia, and Brazil. And that is what Sparkling Discoveries will offer us all. It is an online community for all things sparkling wine, including industry news, events, educational resources, and producers. Meet the producers, listen to their stories, and discover new sparkling wines. And best of all, the website is brand-agnostic, which means there is no bias, no agenda, and no marking messaging. It is just about the love for sparkling wine and those who make it and those who drink it. So, whether you love sparkling wines made from Chardonnay or Pinot Noir, or you like sparkling wines made from Gruner Veltliner, Chenin Blanc, Grenache, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat Cannellie, Cabernet Franc, Barbera, Carricante, or any other grape, Sparkling Discoveries is your perfect resource!