korbel champagne tour

Korbel Champagne on the Russian River

Written by:

Joe Becerra

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About Korbel Champagne on the Russian River

The Korbel winery began in 1882, and since the time Korbel began making sparkling wine, it has labeled the wine Champagne. Most wine aficionados know that only sparkling wines from the Champagne region of France can legally be called or labeled Champagne. Korbel can use the term Champagne because it had been doing so long before the international agreements came to be. The Korbel winery is located in the Russian River Valley wine region on River Road near the town of Guerneville. Korbel is a wonderful winery to visit. The winery has several tours daily of the sparkling wine production. The winery has a fabulous garden, along with scheduled tours of the garden. The winery also has a café and deli.  The tour of the cellars gives a historical prospective of the winery and its link to the majestic Redwood trees that surround the winery. It is fascinating to learn how Francis, Anton, and Joseph Korbel developed this winery. To get to Korbel from Healdsburg, head out to Westside Road and follow this beautiful backroad until it meets up with River Road.  Another route is to take Russian River Road from Highway 101 in Santa Rosa.

Tasting Room Hours 10:00 – 4:30 Monday through Sunday. Champagne Cellar Tour Hours 11 – 3:00 Monday through Sunday. Garden Tour Hours 1:00 and 3:00 Tuesday through Sunday. Closed Mondays. Garden Tours offered mid-April to mid-October. (707) 824-7000.  Consult the Korbel Website for up-to-date information on tasting and touring.

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Joe Becerra has been traveling to wine country and enjoying wine since 1965. He is a retired educator, and now have the time the opportunity to share his wine travel experiences through this Website.

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Korbel Champagne Cellars

13250 River Road , Guerneville, CA 95446

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About This Winery

Korbel Champagne Cellars is located near Guerneville along the Russian River. This is a true destination winery. Tucked in among giant redwood trees is a complete visitor center. This includes a historic winery. It also includes a fully stocked delicatessen and gourmet market, a gift shop, and a picnic area. They also have a regular tour schedule and a whole lot of “California Champagne” (sparkling wine).

Three brothers from a small village in Southern Bohemia – which today is the Western Czech Republic – founded the winery in the late 1880s after successful occupations in the lumber, dairy and other businesses. They began experimenting with different grape varieties, including Pinot Noir, and soon were making sparkling wines using the traditional Méthode Champenoise.

The spacious tasting room of Korbel Champagne Cellars is in front of the old winery building. The room contains a circular tasting bar, fireplace and crystal chandeliers. It’s a lively and popular place where you can taste sparkling wines, port, and sherry.

There is an old railroad station on the winery grounds, where the Korbel Brothers’ own railroad line — the Arcata & Mad River Railroad once operated.

The brick winery with its red tin roof has a festive European flair. The extensive gardens feature over 1,000 varieties of plants and flowers, bulbs, perennials and annuals. More than 250 varieties of antique roses are displayed, with some dating back over 100 years.

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Need To Know

11 Things You Should Know About Korbel California Champagne

words: Katie Brown

illustration: Danielle Grinberg

Published: November 13, 2020

American sparkling wines may be trending , but Korbel California Champagne has long been in style. For decades, the California-based brand of bubbly has been a staple of American celebrations, and a known favorite among politicians, celebrities, and athletes. It’s been part of countless sporting victories, and has even been to the Olympics.

Korbel, founded in 1882, is best-known for its bubbly, but also makes brandy that is beloved by exactly one Midwestern state. The winery even had a brief foray into the world of brewing.

Bursting with excitement to learn more about the bubbly brand? Read on for 11 more things you need to know about Korbel.

It’s not actually Champagne.

Though Korbel calls itself “California Champagne,” the brand is based in Guerneville, a town located in Sonoma County . This means it can’t be classified as Champagne, which can only be made in the Champagne region of France. However, due to a 100-year-old loophole , labeling a California sparkling wine “California Champagne” is actually legal in some cases.

Korbel is a presidential favorite.

Korbel is all about brotherhood (and, apparently, the rule of threes)., wine wasn’t the korbel brothers’ first passion., korbel launched and shuttered one of america’s best craft breweries..

In 1997, a Korbel winemaker (also a devoted homebrewer ) convinced the company to open a brewery. Vinnie Cilurzo was appointed to the helm as brewmaster. When the brewery wasn’t immediately successful, Korbel closed the brewery doors just five years after it had opened.

Korbel comes in all shapes and sizes.

Half of korbel’s brandy is mixed with ‘bug juice.’ (it’s not their fault, it’s wisconsin’s.).

Though Korbel is best known for its sparkling wines, it also uses its grapes to make brandy . Korbel makes six different expressions of brandy, from its California Brandy, produced at Korbel’s Sonoma winery, to Korbel 25, the brand’s oldest and most premium offering aged for 25 years in American oak whiskey barrels.

Korbel won’t judge you for day drinking.

Korbel parties like it’s 1999., it was there for the last filming day of ‘m*a*s*h.’, love korbel join the club..

Korbel has a wine club with six levels of membership , ranging in price from $55 to $170. These memberships offer four to 12 bottles of Korbel wine shipped directly, two or four times a year, depending on the membership.

You can also wear your love for Korbel — its online store is stocked with wine- and brandy-themed impulse buys, from hats and mouse pads, to gift packs including two bottles of wine, Champagne flutes, and a Champagne stopper . Love to host? The store also sells packs of its mini bottles, designed as party favors.

• 11 Things You Should Know About Korbel California Champagne | VinePair
• https://vinepair.com/articles/korbel-california-champagne-guide/
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• wbs_cat Wine, wbs_type Sparkling Wine, wbs_brand Korbel, Brandy, California, champagne, Sonoma County, Sparkling Wine
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• https://vinepair.com/articles/valdo-prosecco/
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5 things to do in Saransk to feel like a local

A view of Saransk's Millennium Square

If you’re coming to Saransk (318 miles southeast of Moscow) to attend FIFA World Cup matches, or simply as part of your trip across the world’s largest country, don’t worry: even though the city is small compared to Moscow or St. Petersburg, it’s hospitable and welcoming, eager to share its national culture with foreign guests .

It’ s true that Mordovia and its capital, Saransk, are not top travel destinations even for Russians. Before it became one of the FIFA World Cup venues, the city was known as a land of prisons (one of its most famous modern-day prisoners was Pussy Riot’s Nadezhda Tolokonnikova , who served time here in 2013). The city was also put on the map following the media frenzy of French actor Gerard Depardieu ’s registration as a Saransk resident, and later when he renovated a local cinema.

Visitors will be pleasantly surprised by Saransk’s clean streets, fascinating historical sites and friendly locals. Here are a few tips to help make for a memorable stay.

1. Enjoy a panoramic view from the rooftop of Mordovia State University

While walking around the city center toward Millennium Square and its musical fountain, you’ll definitely see a small lookalike of Lomonosov Moscow State University – that’s Ogarev Mordovia State University. Go to the rooftop observation deck and enjoy a birds-eye view. You can spot the new stadium and a musical-note shaped fountain next to the local Opera and Ballet Theater  – all are difficult to see from the ground.

2. See the sculptures of Stepan Erzia at the Mordovian Museum of Fine Arts

Within a short walk from the university is the green building of the Mordovian Museum of Fine Arts, which has a great collection of local artists, most importantly Stepan Erzia (1876-1959), a sculptor famous for his amazing wooden works. 

Born in a nearby village, he took the pseudonym “Erzia” to honor his ethnic group: Erzia is an ethnic sub-group of the Mordovian people. His artworks have been exhibited in Italy and France, and he lived in Argentina for some time (1927-1950) where he fell in love with local trees and even took some with him back to the Soviet Union. If you reach Saransk and didn’t see his art then you made the visit for nothing! Definitely find an hour or two to see his stunning works and enjoy the many colorful paintings that depict local life.

3. Learn about Mordovia’s past at the Local History Museum

The Mordovian people always lived in good neighborly relations with other nations in Russia, and in 2012 the republic celebrated 1,000 years of this friendship. The locals do their best to celebrate their past, and you can learn about it at the Local History Museum, located across the road by Pushkin Park on the Saranka River. It’s one of the few places where you can see local nature, learn about Mordova’s traditions and learn the local contribution to victory in the Great Patriotic War.

4. Savor local cuisine at Mordovian Podvorye restaurant

Just across the road from the Local History Museum you’ll see the wooden building of Mordovian Podvorye restaurant where you can try traditional local cuisine such as “ Medvezhya lapa ” (“bear paw”), Mordovian pelmeni (dumplings), traditional soup “ Selyanka ,”  and fluffy Pachat pancakes. Don’t miss the chance both to taste and feel local culture in this atmospheric place with Mordovian design and décor.

5. Watch a movie at Gerard Depardieu’s cinema

Why not check out the newly restored movie theater that is patronized by the world-famous French actor? Depardieu received Russian citizenship in 2013 and registered as a Saransk resident. While some say that he has property in the city center, the fact is that he never visits. However, in 2016 he renovated the Rossiya cinema, which has since been named in his honor. Locals can now enjoy Hollywood films at an affordable price in a pleasant theater, even if it’s in the more distant southern part of Saransk. Take a taxi from the city center and in 15 minutes you can be enjoying a movie!

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Korbel California Champagne

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Touch of Sweetness

Effusive fruit-bowl aromas and flavors are buoyed by lively effervescence in this medium-bodied, accessible wine. A touch of sweetness (10g/l) rounds the edges of the texture. Wine Enthusiast May 2020

San Diego International Wine & Spirits Challenge

2023 Gold | 91 Points

Orange County Fair Wine Competition

2022 Best in Class / 90 Points

Los Angeles International Wine Competition

2022 Silver

California State Fair Competition

2022 Gold / 96 points

San Diego International Wine & Spirits Competition

January 2021 Gold | 91 Points

San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition

January 2020 Gold

June 2019 Gold | 90 Points

January 2019 Silver

Tasting Notes

Appellation, fermentation.

100% Stainless Steel

Composition

Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, French Colombard, Pinot Noir

7.6 grams per liter / 3.20

All KORBEL California Champagnes are made using the traditional méthode champenoise bottle fermentation process. The méthode champenoise process actually begins in the vineyard. We harvest the grapes for KORBEL Brut about two weeks earlier than is typical for still wines. The early harvest promotes the delicate, crisp, bright flavors of this varietal.

Korbel Brut

America’s favorite California champagne, KORBEL Brut is refined, with a balanced, medium-dry finish. Enjoy lively aromas of citrus and cinnamon leading to crisp flavors of orange, lime, vanilla and a hint of strawberry.

Caviar, fried foods, salty snacks, shellfish

Available sizes

• 187ml (single and 4pk)

EXPERIENCE THE BUBBLES

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