In 2024, Hudson Valley’s Milea Estate Vineyard opened a new project, Hudson Valley Vineyards, declaring that it would make “Left Bank” and “Right Bank” sparkling wines.
“In the traditional sense, ‘Right Bank’ refers to the area of Bordeaux that lies east of the Dordogne and Gironde rivers, whereas ‘Left Bank’ refers to the area west of the Garonne and Gironde rivers,” says Darren Chertkoff, Milea’s winemaker, referring to the rivers that divide the famed Bordeaux regions in France.
Of course, in that tradition, the wines are red blends, and the Right Bank wines are Merlot-forward. The blends from the Left Bank are also red blends, but these are typically dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon. At Hudson Valley Vineyards, all the wines will be sparkling, and all of the grapes are grown in either the “Right Bank” or the “Left Bank” of the United States.
“Hudson Valley Vineyards is Milea’s ultra‑premium sparkling wine program, with the goal of making world-class sparkling wines using the Méthode Traditionnelle,” says Chertkoff.
Sparkling wines that are labeled “Right Bank” in this new project will be made using grapes entirely from the Hudson Valley and Long Island regions of New York, which are on the East, or right, Coast of the U.S. The “Left Bank” wines will use grapes grown under Milea’s direction in Oregon, on the West, or left, Coast of the U.S.
“This is meant to highlight the unique characteristics and high quality of New York and Oregon sparkling wines,” says the winemaker. “In the future, there may be a tête de cuvée that mixes Oregon and New York base wines to create a completely unique sparkling wine highlighting the best of both ‘banks.’”
Grapes for the wines on both sides of the country are picked early to preserve freshness and acidity, and are farmed using sustainable methods in the vineyards to avoid disease and other pressures prevalent in cool climates.
So far, just two wines in the project have been released: the Hudson Valley Vineyards Right Bank NV Brut Cuvee and Hudson Valley Vineyards Right Bank NV Blanc de Blanc.
With these first releases, it’s obvious Milea is hitting the goal of “making world-class sparkling wines.” The inaugural release of the Right Bank Blanc de Blanc won Best Sparkling Wine in the 2025 New York Wine Classic.
Crafting a Winning Sparkling Wine
Chertkoff says the wine is made from 100% Chardonnay, following the same method used to make the world’s finest Champagnes, achieving bubbles through a secondary fermentation in individual bottles to create natural carbonation.
“First,” he says, “still base wines are blended into a cuvée. A mixture of sugar and yeast, called the liqueur de tirage, is added to the bottle, which is then sealed with a crown cap for secondary fermentation. After aging on expired yeast cells, or lees, for increased complexity, the wine is riddled to collect the sediment in the neck, disgorged, topped with a dosage, and then corked during final bottling.”
Several vintages of base wine, dating as far back as 2018, were used to produce the non-vintage winning Right Bank Blanc de Blanc to maintain a high-quality standard in the final wine and provide an additional layer of complexity.
“In a traditional sense, this wine would pair great with all kinds of seafood, including fresh oysters, other shellfish (e.g., ceviche, scallops, crab cakes), or flaky fish and chips,” says Chertkoff. “For something more formal, a dish like lobster or langoustines in a lemon‑cream sauce. These foods would pair well with the wine’s natural acidity, minerality, and fine bubbles.”
But his personal ultimate dream pairing for these bubbles is Korean Fried Chicken (KFC) created and prepared by Milea’s Executive Chef David Kim and his team at the Farmhouse tasting room.
“There is something about fried food and sparkling wine that just works beautifully,” Chertkoff says. ”It makes the flavors in both the food and wine pop, and in this case, the combination is ridiculously delicious. This pairing also highlights our approach to wine and food at Milea, blending tradition with innovation, such as pairing sparkling wine made using traditional methods from an emerging wine region with fried chicken that is anything other than your ordinary ‘KFC.’”
Following Milea’s Commitment to Sustainability
Winemaking at Milea has always been built on sustainability, attention to detail in the vineyards, and minimal intervention in the winery, with a focus on showcasing New York state in general—cool climate winemaking—and the Hudson Valley in particular,” says Chertkoff.
The same holds true when making the sparkling wines.
“We are always looking for ways to improve the sustainability of all our operations, in the winery, tasting room, and vineyards. Milea is certified sustainable under the New York State Sustainable Winegrowing Program,” says Chertkoff. “The estate is relatively large, approximately 98‑102 acres, and includes not just vineyards, but meadows, woods, organic gardens, and heritage orchards. Wildflowers and wetlands protection are also part of our stewardship. And the Hudson Valley Heritage wine label is meant to highlight historic grape hybrids and cultivars bred in the Hudson Valley since the mid‑1800s.”
Winning the Best Sparkling Wine in the New York Wine Classic
“Overall reception of the Right Bank Blanc de Blanc and the sparkling program has been incredibly positive,” says Chertkoff.
He mentions that guests often remark on the intensity of the flavors, textural creaminess, fine bubbles, and the crispness and refreshing feel of the wine.
“Recently, we had a guest reveal to our tasting room staff that he was from the Champagne region of France, was amazed at the quality of the wine, and told us the wine ‘tasted like home.’ For us, it can’t get much better than that. Hopefully, he walked away feeling like Milea Estate was a home away from home,” Chertkoff says.
That guest comment was high praise, and an indication of why the Beverage Tasting Institute gave the wine the score that beat out the other quality sparkling wines entered in the New York Wine Classic. Wineries voluntarily send wines for the annual competition to the Beverage Tasting Institute, and its sensory panel—comprised of beverage directors, sommeliers, top bartenders, retail buyers, and educators—scores each wine.
“For us, winning is an incredible honor, especially knowing the high quality of sparkling wines being crafted here in New York state, and validation for all the arduous work we have been putting into our new sparkling wine program, aka Hudson Valley Vineyards,” says Chertkoff. “It helps establish credibility that our sparkling wines are not just a side project, but an important part of Milea Estate wines in which we intend to be fully invested.”
“For our wine club and the greater Hudson Valley community, we hope it is a point of pride and will result in more people tasting and enjoying our sparkling wines,” he says.
The continued plan for the new sparkling wine project as a whole is to make serious sparkling wines that can compete with the best in New York state, the United States (both the Right and Left Bank), and the world.
