HEALDSBURG, Calif., February 20, 2015 – Rack & Riddle Custom Wine Services, one of the largest custom crush operations in Northern California and one of just a handful in the nation specializing in sparkling wine, co-hosted a sparkling winemaking seminar with Laffort USA on Wednesday. Approximately 120 guests attended the event, including many distinguished winemakers and winery owners from across the Sonoma and Napa winegrowing region. The seminar, held at Rack & Riddle’s Healdsburg facility, featured presentations by Laffort Spark Range Manager Francois Botton on “Méthode Champenoise Production: How to Improve Mouthfeel in Sparkling Wine” and by Rack & Riddle Executive Director of Winemaking Penny Gadd-Coster on “Méthode Champenoise Sparkling Winemaking”. The seminar ran from 9:30 a.m. to noon, and ended with a Champagne and Cava tasting trial of five sparkling wines, led by Botton, as well as a tasting of Rack & Riddle’s award-winning sparkling wines available for private label.
Laffort Spark Range Manager Francois Botton presenting on méthode champenoise winemaking to about 120 attendees at the “Sparkling Wine Seminar” co-hosted by Laffort USA and Rack & Riddle on Wednesday at Rack & Riddle’s Healdsburg custom crush facility.
Laffort USA General Manager Shaun Richardson pours a sample for attendee Tom Atkin, a Sonoma State University Wine Business Program professor, during the educational tasting trials of Cava, Champagne and sparkling wines during the seminar.
Rack & Riddle Executive Director of Winemaking Penny-Gadd Coster discusses sparkling winemaking techniques with winemakers attending the Laffort USA and Rack & Riddle “Sparkling Wine Seminar”. Pictured here, attendees tasted through trials of Cava and Champagne, as well as Rack & Riddle sparkling wine available for private label.
