Wine: Sparkling, France
Results
Chidaine Brut Méthode Traditionnelle
Aromas of orchard fruits, honey and beeswax. A touch of marzipan adds depth to the dry, crisp finish. A fantastic sparkling made from well-ripened grapes to avoid dosage. Admire its gorgeous and long-lasting beads while you sip. While it's lovely on its own, this one can take you through from appetizers to entrees!
Domaine de Montbourgeau Cremant du Jura
Dom de Montbourgeau are based in the small AOC village of L’Etoile where a 360 degree turn at the property’s high elevation vineyards reveals the five surrounding mountains from where this AOC gets its name. The Cremant is vibrant with a nice, light texture and brisk acidity. An extremely enjoyable wine which goes with a wide variety of foods, and stands well on it's own too. Grab it while it's here because the demand is far greater than the supply, and we don't expect to be able to get more until next October!
Champs Divin Champ d'Étoiles Cremant du Jura
This has many characteristics of fine Champagne, but is also quite clearly from the Jura. Fully dry (they use no dossage) it has notes of pear and citrus with a light, clean texture and lovely, tiny bubble from the Metthodé Champenoise style of fermentation. A lovely wine to enjoy on it's own, and truly perfect with oysters.
Michel Rocourt Blanc de Blanc Champagne
A delicious, pure Champagne with a complexity that comes with age. Unlike most producers, Michel does not release his Champagne until the base wine is at least seven years old. It has green apple, pear, minerals and chalk on the nose, the palate brings lemon and more minerals. Bright acidity leads to a rich finish of cream and brioche.
Chartogne-Taillet Cuvee St Anne Brut
Alexandre Chartogne tends to old vines in the small and little known village of Merfy in the Champagne region. He works organically and employs some biodynamic agriculture. Really good balance of the grower champagne mineral notes and the creaminess and full mouth feel of a 'conventional' champagne.
Fleury Carte Rouge Brut
Biodynamic since 1989, Fleury was the first grower in Champagne to convert to the practice. This is an elegant, full-bodied Champagne made entirely from Pinot Noir. It displays a lovely red fruit and cream nose, with a refined structure and deep, ripe red fruits lingering through the amazingly long finish. This is one of our favorites at any price, from a small grower who has been making Champagne since 1895.
Lassaigne Blanc de Blanc Champagne
Jacques Lassaigne’s vines mainly consist of Chardonnay, and his blanc de blanc is made entirely of it. The soils in Montgueux are heavy on the limestone – the perfect material for good champagne. This lovely, complex Champagne has a hint of sherry and croissant on the nose, with crisp minerality and a lingering finish that goes on and on This is a special wine, but don't wait for a special occasion, drinking it can make any day special. Winemaking Details: Low SO2 Added, Wild Yeast Fermentation