Atascadero winery earns gold medal for sparkling viognier
Winery will mark two years in downtown Atascadero on Aug. 22
– Marin’s Vineyard announced that its 2024 sparkling Viognier received a Gold Medal at the 2026 OC Fair Commercial Wine Competition and was named Best Sparkling Wine in the 2026 Best of the Central Coast Awards by popular vote.
The OC Fair Commercial Wine Competition is a California-only wine competition.
The sparkling Viognier is produced in the pétillant naturel, or “pét-nat,” style, a sparkling winemaking method that captures carbonation naturally during primary fermentation. Winemaker Marin Wolgamott combines traditional pét-nat techniques with disgorgement.
“We bottle the wine while it’s still fermenting and there is still a little sugar remaining,” Wolgamott said. “The fermentation finishes inside the bottle, creating natural carbonation. The bottles are then stored upside down for several months, allowing the yeast to settle into the neck.”
After about six months, each bottle is disgorged by hand. During the process, the bottle is opened, the settled yeast is expelled by natural carbonation, and the bottle is topped with the same wine before receiving a crown cap and label.
“It’s definitely a labor of love,” Wolgamott said. “Every bottle receives individual attention, but that’s part of what makes this wine so special.”
The sparkling Viognier is made from fruit grown in the San Antonio Valley American Viticultural Area from a vineyard originally planted by Wolgamott’s family. Although the vineyard is under new ownership, Wolgamott continues to source fruit from the site. Viognier was the only white grape variety planted by her family and has become the winery’s signature variety.
Viognier is commonly produced as a still wine. For the sparkling version, the grapes are harvested earlier than usual to preserve acidity and lower sugar levels for sparkling wine production.
“Sparkling Viognier is something you rarely see,” Wolgamott said. “Viognier is naturally aromatic and expressive, and turning it into a sparkling wine creates something fun, refreshing, and completely unexpected. It’s one of my favorite wines to make because it showcases both my creativity and love for Viognier.”
Wolgamott also paints the watercolor artwork featured on the winery’s labels, including the luna moth shown on the sparkling Viognier label.
Wolgamott was 7 years old when her parents, Brenda and Duane, planted the 5-acre vineyard and named it after her. She later took ownership of the family brand.
Visitors can taste the award-winning sparkling Viognier at Marin’s Vineyard Wine Tasting Room, 5983 Entrada Ave., in downtown Atascadero. The tasting room also offers wines by the glass and small-lot releases. The winery hosts a monthly Silent Book Club, where guests bring their own books to read together.
Marin’s Vineyard will celebrate its second anniversary in downtown Atascadero on Aug. 22. The winery will also release the 2025 vintage of its sparkling Viognier that weekend.
More information, tasting room hours, and upcoming events are available at www.marinsvineyard.com.
