Press & Praise

(We’re not the only ones who like our wine. Promise.)

MAXIM.com; December 26, 2025

"Wine Of The Week : Kings Carey Sparkling Pinot Noir"

"During the day, James Sparks crafts the cult-ish wines at Liquid Farm. But at night, he’s working on Kings Carey–his personal project. As such, his wines are joyful, inquisitive and personal. Which doesn’t mean they’re not serious. He focuses on single vineyards and single varietals, looking to find the purest expression of his home region in Santa Barbara.

The Grenache is richly complex and the Chardonnay is abundant and slick with almond oil and lily. But on New Years Eve, try opening this sparkling wine. Made in the Champagne method from all Pinot Noir—very French of them—grown in Santa Barbara County. It’s pure, elegant, expressive, and, appropriately fun."

~ Kate Dingwall, Sommelier and Wine Writer

Forbes.com; December 21, 2025

"What Wine Should You Bring To A Holiday Party? Experts Weigh In"

“Kings Carey's 2022 Sparkling Rose of Pinot Noir is our go to for bigger celebrations,” says Alex Suhadolnik, co-owner of The Eddy. “It is made in the Champagne method, but showcases California-grown grapes sourced from a single site in Santa Barbara County. The first time our team tried a bottle, it received a resounding 'that's delicious' and quickly secured a spot on our shelves. This wine has a purity and elegance that rivals some of the best French sparkling roses we've tasted, yet originates in our own backyard. With only 60 cases produced, the 2022 vintage is ephemeral, and each bottle feels all the more special for it.”

~ Lea Kirchhoff, The Eddy Store Manager / Buyer, via Kate Dingwall, Forbes Contributor

MJ Magazine (Montecito Journal); Winter 2025

"Old-World Expression: Once a Mormon Idaho Boy, Today James Sparks Lights Up Santa Barbara County's Wine Scene"

Story by Jonathan Cristaldi | Photos by Troy Blendell

"I'll drink whatever he makes, twice, three times, until I can't see straight."

~ Jonathan Cristaldi, wine writer and critic based in the San Francisco Bay Area

The Takeout; November 28, 2025

Hidden Gem Wineries In California You Need To Visit

"Kings Carey is a hidden gem in Santa Barbara that makes small-production wines. Its Sémillon, a white Bordeaux grape, is the bottle that most recently impressed sommelier Chris Lucchese from Wife and the Somm, a wine-forward restaurant and event space in Los Angeles. Sémillon is one of Lucchese's favorite grapes, and one that he says Kings Carey does beautifully." Read more here.

AFAR; October 24, 2025

"7 Charming California Wine Towns for Every Kind of Traveler ”

"Solvang might seem self-consciously charming, with its windmills and traditional Scandinavian buildings. But James Sparks, winemaker and owner of Kings Carey, explains that this theme park–esque Santa Barbara County village has legitimate Scandi roots. 'It looks ripped from Disneyland,' he says, 'but then you learn that it’s real, that it was actually founded and settled by Danish Americans [in 1911], and that over the course of a century they sculpted the town to become a modern history–filled California wine country destination.'"

Food & Wine; November 21, 2024

"These Are the 15 New California Wineries You Need to Know in 2025"

"Anything Sparks does with Grenache is not to be missed. Recently I was also wowed by his cedary, lithe 2022 Kings Carey Clos Mullet Vineyard Cabernet Franc ($40) and its vivid pop of red fruit flavor. Only 70 cases were made, though, so contact the winery directly..."

~ Ray Isle, Executive Wine Editor at Food & Wine, Wine and Spirits Editor for Travel + Leisure