Our annual all sparkling tasting is back! A flight of sparkling wines from all over the world including one true Champagne for $10!
Featured Wines:
Remi Leroy Brut Nature Champagne; $44.99
Champagne, France
Rémi Leroy is a new Champagne house in the Aube district of Southern Champagne. The center of the Aube, Troyes, is located 65 miles south of Epernay where the climate is warmer, yielding riper fruit. That riper fruit tends to produce more round fruit forward style of Champagne. For many years the farmers of this area more commonly sold their fruit to the larger houses of Northern Champagne. Remi is part of a younger generation that is trying to bring more recognition and acclaim to the Southern area with new Estate producing Champagne houses.
Rémi took over the ~20 acre vineyard belonging to his family located outside of Meurville, in the heart of the Côte des Bar. The cru is located on top of a plateau. While Pinot Noir is the predominant grape at about 70%, Remi has been working to increase the percentage of Chardonnay, believing it to have incredible potential at this site. The work in the vineyard and the cellar is very natural and they try to use as little SO2 as possible. The Brut Nature is a Champagne with zero dosage (zero sugar added after fermentation.) Nearly bone dry with a crisp long fresh finish. Secondary fermentation on the lees lasts for three years producing the round soft yeasty style hitting the palate. Creamy with loads of peaches and apple flavors. - $4.50 Sample
G.D. Vajra Nostra Signora Delle Neve Extra Brut Rose; $37.99
Piedmont, Italy
The G.D. Vajra story is truly a story of family. Husband and wife Aldo and Milena began the winery in 1972, producing small quantities of Piemontese wines from vineyards planted by Aldo’s father in 1947. The fruit was sold to negociants until Aldo bottled his first vintage in 1978. Today, the family has 40 hectares under vine. Stylistically, the estate produces wines of incredible finesse and elegance. These days more responsibility is being moved onto the fourth generation, their three children Giuseppe, Francesca and Isidoro.
This rose is named for the vineyard the grapes come from. It is located in Roddino, at the confluence of the Barolo area and the Alta Langa. A magnificent vineyard, steep, entirely worked by hand from pruning to harvest. The soil, calcareous and poor, forces the vines to dig deep, giving the wine an extraordinary minerality.
A super unique sparkling wine made from Nebbiolo and Pinot Nero in the methode champenoise (Champagne Method). Bone dry with an unforgettable racy acidity. Bright refreshing flavors of strawberry, raspberry, grapefruit and nectarines. - $3.50 Sample
Dr. L Sparkling Riesling; $12.99
Mosel, Germany
Gebrüder Loosen (“Loosen Brothers” in German), is the winemaking company that produces the range of Dr. L wines. It is owned by Ernst Loosen, who also owns the Dr. Loosen estate, and is managed by his younger brother, Thomas. Together, the brothers work with small growers throughout the Mosel region to source fruit for the wines, which are vinified by the same highly skilled cellar team that produces the Dr. Loosen estate wines. Very strict quality standards require that the growers improve their viticulture in order to sustainably grow the healthy, perfectly ripe fruit that Ernst and Thomas want for these wines.
Sparkling wine has a long, rich tradition in Germany, where it has been called “Sekt” since the late 1800s. Germans are the biggest consumers of sparkling wine in the world, and most of the Sekt they produce is sold at home. This Riesling is made using the Charmat method, where the second fermentation is done in a pressurized tank to keep the bubbles in the wine. This method produces bright, clean sparkling wines.
Just slightly off-dry to soften up the finish just a tad. Filled with flavors of ripe nectarines and yellow plums with an unbelievable lemony acidity. A very great value! - $1.00 Sample
Patrick Bottex “La Cueille” Sparkling Wine; $24.99
Savoie, France
Bugey is one of the best-kept secrets of France. As a geographical crossroads between the Savoie, the Jura, Burgundy, and the
Rhône, it is one of the few regions where one can see both palm trees and snow within eye shot. It is adjacent to the Savoie on its western side, located in between Lyon, Grenoble, and Geneva. The wines of Bugey were first cultivated here by the Romans and were later resuscitated by the medieval monks. Still, the region had to wait until 2009 before receiving its own A.O.C. status. Today, Cerdon is considered one of three crus within the appellation of Bugey, and the only one whose entire production consists of sparkling wine.
They bottle this wine using the méthode ancestrale, a rare technique that experts believe predates the méthode champenoise. The wine first goes through a primary fermentation in cuve, but is then bottled before all of the residual sugar has converted to alcohol. After going through a secondary fermentation in the bottle for at least two months, the wine is ready. The resulting wine is delightfully refreshing with bright fruit, a beautiful rosé hue, and a touch of sweetness.
They only make 4000 cases of this crushable beauty. It is a blend of Gamay and Poulsard a local varietal to the region. It is the perfect sparkling to just share with friends. Loads of juicy raspberries and bright apples. Certainly the most exciting and impactful sparkling wine I had the opportunity to try for the first time this year. - $2.50 Sample