Korbel Brut Sparkling Wine
Korbel Brut is a 12% ABV, 750mL California sparkling wine from Korbel Champagne Cellars of Guerneville, Sonoma County — a house established in 1882 by the Korbel brothers and owned by the Heck family since 1954. It is a non-vintage cuvée of Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, French Colombard and Pinot Noir, blended across varieties, appellations and years for a consistent house style and made by méthode champenoise, with a 1.0% dosage that leaves a balanced, medium-dry finish. The spec sheet records 100% stainless-steel fermentation and an early harvest, about two weeks ahead of still-wine picking, to keep the acidity bright. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- ABV: 12% (current US brand representative)
- Size: 750mL
- Style: Brut California sparkling wine — non-vintage cuvée, méthode champenoise
- Blend: Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, French Colombard and Pinot Noir
- Appellation: California (official spec sheet) — winery in Guerneville, Sonoma County
- Dosage: 1.0% (spec sheet) — balanced, medium-dry finish
- Producer: Korbel Champagne Cellars — established 1882; Heck family since 1954
America's Sparkling House Since 1882
Francis, Joseph and Anton Korbel — Bohemian immigrants — established their winery in Guerneville in 1882, and the sparkling house has stayed there ever since, passing to the Heck family in 1954. The Brut is the cuvée the house is known by: fruit picked early for acid, fermented in stainless steel, blended across years so the style never drifts, and finished with the same bottle fermentation the méthode champenoise name promises. See the house on the Korbel Champagne Cellars vendor page or browse the sparkling wine shelf.
Tasting Notes
From the brand representative's notes: Nose: Citrus with a hint of cinnamon. Palate: Orange, lime and vanilla with a hint of strawberry. Finish: Balanced and medium-dry.
How to Enjoy
The brand's own pairings run from caviar and shellfish to fried foods and salty snacks — brut bubbles cut richness — and the spec sheet adds baked brie, lemongrass chicken and prawns. Chill it hard for apéritifs, mimosas and French 75s.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Korbel Brut real Champagne? It is a California sparkling wine — Korbel is grandfathered to use "California Champagne" on its US labels, but the wine is made in Guerneville, California, by the méthode champenoise, not in Champagne, France.
What grapes are in it? A non-vintage blend of Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, French Colombard and Pinot Noir, drawn from multiple California appellations.
Is it dry or sweet? It is a Brut with a 1.0% dosage — the brand describes the finish as balanced and medium-dry.
Sonoma County's house sparkler, ready for any occasion — order Korbel Brut from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.