Wine of the Week: Poppy & Rose Wine Co. 2021 Sparkling Pinot Meunier

November 14, 2025: This sparkling debut from Poppy & Rose is brisk and bright with a delicate earthy streak

Are you enjoying The Cork Report? Do you want to support independent wine writing? Consider upgrading to a paid subscription.

---

2021 was the first vintage for Kelly Koch—who you might know from her time at Bedell Cellars or Macari Vineyards—at her own Poppy & Rose Wine Co., named for the state flowers of her native California (poppy) and adopted home of New York (rose).

Because the grapes for Méthode Champenoise sparkling wines are picked earlier than they would be for still wines when sugars are just a little lower and acidity a bit higher, the grapes for Poppy & Rose Wine Co. 2021 Sparkling Pinot Meunier ($35*) were the first grapes Kelly picked for her new venture. The resulting wine, which was released late last year, was well worth the wait.

Showing both delicacy and complexity, the wine smells like an array of fresh fruits—pear, lemon, golden raspberry, and cherry—with floral high notes, toasty edges, and a subtle earthiness beneath.

Those same qualities carry over to the focused, lean palate—with perhaps a bit more red fruit in the form of red raspberry and a little red apple skin. The acidity is very fresh, and that earthy streak lingers beautifully on a long finish.

In a world where sparkling wine prices continue to swell (seemingly regardless of what method was used to get those bubbles in the wine), this wine is a really nice find at $35, too.

---

Poppy & Rose Wine Co. 2021 Sparkling Pinot Meunier
Region: North Fork of Long Island AVA (NY)
ABV: 11.7%
Grapes: 100% Pinot meunier
Winemaking: Method Champenoise, 22 months on lees
Rating: 90 pts
Price: $35* (Available here)

---

---

*Sample Provided by Winery