Tag Archives: Methode Champenoise

March Bubbly Club: Iowa

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Bubbly Wine ClubGruet Blanc de NoirsGruet
Blanc de Noirs
New Mexico, United States

BUBBLY WINE STYLE

Pale salmon in color, this full-bodied wine has a fine mouse and a creamy, rich texture. Complex aromas and flavors of raspberry, baked pear and cherry are complemented by a hint of toasted vanilla. The balance of fruit, minerals and crisp acidity lead to a round mouthfeel and lasting finish.

Analysis: 12% alcohol / volume
Varietals: 75% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay
AVA: American
pH: 3.12
Total Acidity: 70 PPM
Residual Sugar: 0.8% g/L
Fining: Sterile pads
Filtering: Diatomaceous earth
Aging: Aged en tirage for a minimum of 18 months
Vintage: NV
Critical Acclaim: 90 points Smart Buy; Top 100, Wine Spectator Best Buy; Year’s Best Summer Sparklers, Best Sparkling Wines for $25 or Less Wine & Spirits

WINEMAKING:
French for “white of black”, Blanc de Noirs describes a sparkling wine made from Pinot Noir grapes that are gently pressed and its juice runs off the skins. Gruet’s Blanc de Noirs NV was first released in 1990. Following the success of their Brut release, Gruet Winery wanted to add a non-vintage wine using Pinot Noir, similar to the classic blends of NV Champagnes.

gruet-brutGruet
Brut
New Mexico, United States

BUBBLY WINE STYLE

Aromas of green apple, citrus and minerality make for delightful start to this traditional sparkler. Gruet Winery’s Brut NV offers bright, crisp acidity complemented by a touch of yeast on the delightfully long finish. A classic house style!

Analysis: 12% alcohol / volume
Varietals: 75% Chardonnay, 25% Pinot Noir
AVA: American
pH: 3.07
Total Acidity: 76 PPM
Fining: Sterile pads
Filtering: Diatomaceous earth
Oak: Bottle aged
Aging: Aged en tirage for a minimum of 18 months
Vintage: NV
Critical Acclaim: #1 Sparkling Wine – Top 100 Values of 2016; 90 points, Smart Buy, Wine Spectator; Top 100 Best Buys of 2018, Wine & Spirits

WINEMAKING:
“Brut NV was our first wine released in 1989. As the predominant grape used in Champagne, we wanted our first sparkling wine to express the finesse of Chardonnay.” – Laurent Gruet

gruet-brut-rose-webGruet
Brut Rosé
New Mexico, United States

BUBBLY WINE STYLE

A beautiful garnet in color, this Rosé NV has a delicate, fine mousse and rich, fruit flavors. This full-bodied sparkler starts with floral and berry aromas which introduce flavors of cherry, raspberry and wild strawberry, finishing delicately with zesty acidity. 

Analysis: 12% alcohol / volume
Varietals: 100% Pinot Noir
AVA: American
pH: 3.14
Total Acidity: 68 PPM
Fining: Sterile pads
Filtering: Diatomaceous earth
Aging: Aged en tirage for a minimum of 18 months
Vintage: NV
Critical Acclaim: Top 100 Values of 2018 – Wine Spectator

WINEMAKING:
This Rosé NV was first released in 2004 under limited production. The wine’s color and taste was inspired from sparkling Rosés from around the world. The wine is made in the “Saignée” method by adding 2% still Pinot Noir to the blend to create the beautiful garnet pink color.

ABOUT THE WINERY:
Founded in 1984, Gruet Winery specializes in Méthode Champenoise sparkling wines. Family owned and run, the New Mexico-based winery produces Pinot Noir and Chardonnay – based sparkling wines and small collection of still wines, with roots originating from Gilbert Gruet’s Champagne house in Bethon, France. More than 25 vintages later, Gruet Winery has achieved unprecedented acclaim and remains a favorite of the nation’s top sommeliers.

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February Bubbly Club

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Bubbly Wine ClubGustave_Lorentz_Cremant_dAlsace_Brut_Rose_Fact_new-format_JCGustave Lorentz
Crémant d’Alsace Brut Rosé
Alsace, France

BUBBLY WINE STYLE

The Cremant d’Alsace Rosé is made from Pinot Noir, which is full of charm and elegance. It makes a refined aperitif and an ideal cocktail or reception drink. Fresh and discreetly fruity, it inspires a host of gastronomic matches. This refined wine also works with hot and cold seafood appetizers, chicken, pork and other white meats & game, as well as some desserts. Serve chilled.

Analysis: 12.3% alcohol / volume
Varietals: 100% Pinot Noir
Total Acidity: 5.6 g/l
Residual Sugar: 7.8 g/l
Producer: Gustave Lorentz
Region: AOC Alsace
Country: France

WINEMAKING:
The grapes are carefully selected and vinified according to “Methode Champenoise.” After traditional fermentation “vin de base” in tanks, a second fermentation (“prise de mousse”) takes place in the cool cellars. It does not undergo malolactic fermentation. Aging is done “sur lie” between 14 and 18 months, with daily bottle rotation, going from a horizontal to vertical position, in order for the yeast deposit to accumulate in the neck of the bottle. At the time of “degorgement,” the neck is frozen and, enclosed in ice, the sediment is ejected by natural pressure, after which the bottle is corked and wired.

ABOUT THE WINERY:
Founded in 1836, Maison Gustave Lorentz owned 33 hectares of land on the hillsides of Bergheim in the heart of the Alsace wine region, 12.8 hectares of which are classified Grand Cru Altenberg de Bergheim, and 1.75 hectares Grand Cru Kanzlerberg. The first mention of the Lorentz family in the commune of Ribeauvillé dates back to the end of the Thirty Years’ War in the second half of the 17th century. They were innkeepers or coopers as well as ‘gourmets’, the old name given to wine merchants, which afforded them an important status in the local community. In 1748, winegrower and blacksmith Jean-Georges Lorentz was the first to settle in Bergheim, which later became the heart of our domaine. His son, Pierre Lorentz, was married to the youngest daughter of the Mayor of the time (Nicolas Schmitt). Generations passed with the birth of Jacques Lorentz in 1798 and Charles Lorentz in 1836. This same year, Maison Lorentz was founded in the commune of Bergheim. Today, Georges Lorentz has the honor of managing the estate, seven generations later. To learn more about Gustave Lorentz Winery and family, click here.

Gustave Lorentz Vineyard

© Photo by: Gustave Lorentz Winery

Alma 4 Alma 4
Blanc de Blanc
Uco Valley, Mendoza, Argentina

BUBBLY WINE STYLE

Alma 4’s Blanc de Blanc Chardonnay is greenish yellow in color with slight tints of gold. It has persistent and delicate chains of small bubbles. The nose is quite shocking. It has strong flavors of fruits, such as fresh pear, as well as some citrus notes of mandarin peel and Kinoto. The fruit is balanced, the yeast is subtle, and the wood flavor is complex. On the mouth, it is creamy and fully. There is a harmony of sugar to acidity with an exotic fruit finish. It is long and complex. Intense and fresh. This sparkling wine is tasted with the 5 senses.

Analysis: 12.5% alcohol / volume
Varietals: 100% Chardonnay
Residual Sugar: 4.7 g/l
Acidity: 7.05 g/l
Region: Mendoza, Argentina
Appellation: Uco Valley
Vineyard: Sustainably farmed – 1200-1550 meters in elevation
Production:Traditional method (Champenoise) using direct pressing. Fermentation begins at 59-64.4ºF for 20 days. 15% of Chardonnay is fermented in French oak barrels. No malolactic fermentation. The second fermentation is in bottles between 57.2º F and 60.8º F.
Disgorgement: Performed manually
Time on Yeasts: 40 months

ABOUT THE WINERY:
Alma Cuatro (or Alma 4) began in 1999 as an experimental sparkling wine-making project led by four young people from Mendoza, with a strong investigative spirit: Mauricio, Agustín, Marcela and Sebastián. With passion, perseverance, friendship and work, these four friends came together to create a line of sparkling wines made by second fermentation in the bottle — combining innovation with the avant-garde method. Learn more about these four friends and owners here.

Alma 4 Friends

© Photo by Alma 4

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July Bubbly Club: Iowa

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Bubbly Wine ClubScheid Vineyards - Isabelle SparklingScheid Vineyards
Isabelle Sparkling Cuvée
Monterey, California

BUBBLY WINE STYLE

If you know about the crafting of champagne, you understand it is a special wine that is a labor of love. And that is why Scheid Vineyards’ sparkling cuvée was named for Isabelle Adolphin Pearce, the beloved mother of Founder, Al Scheid. Like the hands-on, no-shortcuts-allowed méthode champenoise way Scheid produces their sparkler, Isabelle was old school through and through. Something “store bought” wasn’t worth nearly as much as something that was lovingly made by hand, whether it was an intricately crocheted afghan, a faux red fur coat for her granddaughter, or her melt-in-your-mouth pot roast. She firmly believed that busy hands make a happy heart and she lived by those words by working hard and taking care of others her entire life. Scheid Vineyards’ Isabelle Sparkling Wine is an elegant and complex cuvée in a brut style, with aromas of green apple, pear and hints of white flowers, honey and brioche. Here’s to Isabelle, much loved and greatly missed.

Appellation: Monterey
Varietal: Cuvée – 51% Chardonnay, 49% Pinot Noir
Analysis: 12.5% alcohol / volume
pH: 3.13
TA: 8.7 g/L
Aging: 100% Stainless Steel
Tirage: 48 months en tirage (on the lees)

VINEYARDS
Great sparkling wine is made from grapes grown in only the coolest climates, where the delicate aromas and natural acidity are preserved. Monterey County, with morning fogs that often linger until mid-day, possesses just the right conditions to place it on par with the best growing regions of the world for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Scheid Vineyards carefully farms specific estate vineyard rows throughout the year that epitomize intensity, complexity and excellent structure. These grapes are carefully hand-harvested into small bins and transported promptly to the winery.

WINEMAKING
‘Isabelle’ is produced in the traditional méthode champenoise. Primary fermentation was done slowly and at cold temperatures to enhance the varietal aromatics and preserve the natural delicate character.  Next, the cuvée was bottled with sugar and yeast, and a secondary fermentation proceeded in the bottle. While fermenting en tirage, carbon dioxide that would normally be released was trapped, producing the sparkle and bubbles. After aging on the lees for 48 months, the wine was riddled—slowly shaken and turned with the angle gradually increased, causing the lees to dislodge and settle in the neck of the bottle. The settled lees were then frozen to form a “plug” and disgorged. The sparkling wine was quickly corked to maintain the effervescence and voilà, Isabelle was born! 

Scheid Vineyards
Scheid Vineyards
By Scheid Vineyards – Explore Vineyards