Roederer Estate Brut
Anderson Valley, California
60% Chardonnay 40% Pinot Noir
In northern California's cool Alexander Valley, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir have the good benefit of a longer growing season and thus can develop the complexity and acidity necessary for great sparkling wine. Roederer's winemaking style is based on two elements: complete ownership of its vineyards (hence the "Estate" moniker) and the addition of oak-aged reserve wines to each year's blend or cuvée. Founded in 1982 by the Champagne House of Louis Roederer (makers of Cristal), Roederer Estate of California is one of the best American producers of sparkling wine and one of the truest to their parent winery's house style. A perfect balance of toastiness, well-integrated fruit, and lush acidity.
Bele Casel 2007 Prosecco Montello e Colli Asolani
Veneto, Italy 100%
Prosecco
Many assume "Prosecco" is just Italian for sparkling, but this isn't the case ("Spumante" means sparkling actually). Prosecco is a white grape variety that is almost exclusively used for sparkling wine. As the world demand for the wine grows, there is more and more being planted in various regions around Italy. However, by far the best Prosecco produced comes from the two hillsides that ascend from the river Piave near Treviso in the Vento region. On the right bank are the vineyards of Montello e Colli Asolani and on the left Conegliano-Valdobbiadenne, Prosecco sparkling wine differs in that its secondary fermentation takes place in tanks rather than in the bottle. This is often perceived as an inferior process, but with the natre of Prosecco, it only make sense. These are simple wines that are supposed to be enjoyed fresh, young, and ideally outdoors.
Jean-Pierre Berthenet 2004 Crémant de Bourgogne
Burgundy, France
100% Chardonnay
The Berthenet family has been cultivating vines in Burgundy for almost 400 years. In 2001, Jean-Pierre decided to cease selling his grapes to the cooperative and now makes and sells his own wine and is a member of the V.I.F. (Independent Winemakers of France). A Crémant is a sparkling wine made in the same fashion as champagne, but from another region in France altogether (a trade-off in designation that was made many years ago in order to get these other regions to stop using the word "Champenois" on their labels). This wine really shows off the grape variety. It is bright, with lots of white and gold fruits, a subtle creaminess, and a general deliciousness.
Avinyó Brut Cava
Penedès, Spain
35% Macabeo 35% Xarel·lo 30% Parellada
Cava is simply the Catalan word for "Cave", referring to the underground cellars where quality sparkling wines are aged. Catalonia encompasses the northeast regions of Spain with Barcelona as its regional capital. The wine producing region of Penedès is just a few miles to the west of Barcelona. Sparkling wine has been a part of the viticulture here for more than 100 years, and it is one of the only regions outside of Champagne (along with Italy's Franciacortas and Trento) where the Champenois method of secondary bottle fermentation is required. However, the wines can differ greatly in quality and style. This example is a classic, using the traditional local varietals, it offers up easy flavors of strawberry and pie crust with a simple, yet distinct, freshness and personality, from a small, family-run house who practice organic farming. Charles Bauer Crémant d'Alsace Brut Rosé Alsace, France 100% Pinot Noir Another Crémant, this time from Alsace, a region in the northeast of France bordering Germany (was more than once a part of Germany actually). This Rosé is made in the Saignée method (French for "bled") which simply involves macerating the grape juice (all grape juice is initially white, even that coming from red grapes) for a very short time on its skins, just enough that it picks up some color and aromatics, but not so much that it crosses over to a full-on red wine. There is no tannic qualirt and the wines remain just as light in body as a white wine. This Rosé has fantastic red fruit flavors - strawberry, cranberry, plum - and a very balnced creaminess that adds to the overall impression.
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