Tag Archives: sparkling Chardonnay

September Bubbly Club: Iowa

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Bubbly Wine ClubBelaire Luxe rose sparkling wine bottleLuc Belaire
Luxe Rosé
Provence, France

BUBBLY WINE STYLE

Belaire Luxe Rosé is a gorgeous wine with style, made at their award-winning winery in Provence, France. Deep pink color with aromas of fresh strawberry and raspberry. Creamy and rich on the palate with more berry flavors and a slight touch of wood, and surprising lightness in the mouth. Long, velvety finish.

Varietals: 80% Syrah, 15% Grenache, 5% Cinsault
Appellation: Provence, France
Alcohol: 12.5% alcohol / volume
Total Acidity: 5.9 g/L
Serving Temperature: 42°F / 6°C

PAIRING SUGGESTIONS:
Belaire Luxe Rosé is excellent as a chilled aperitif, with or without ice and fresh fruit, and pairs well with cheeses and desserts.

WINEMAKING:
Belair Luxe Rosé is a blend of Syrah, Grenache and Cinsault with an exquisite dosage of oak-aged Syrah.   It epitomizes the qualities that have made their wines so popular: classic taste, superb drinkability, striking and stylish packaging.  Luxe Rosé is bottled with a crystal-clear bottle that showcases the beautiful deep pink color of the wine, which comes from a slightly different grape blend than their classic Belaire Rosé.  Embossed foil labels and the eye-catching metallic pink lettering creates a stunning bottle. It’s an extraordinary wine from grape to glass, tailor-made to please crowds, anytime of the year.

Belaire gold sparkling wine bottleLuc Belaire
Gold Brut
Burgundy, France

BUBBLY WINE STYLE

Balanced and elegant, Luc Belaire’s Gold Brut begins with aromas of stone fruits and fresh pear alongside brioche and limestone.  Tropical notes of mango complement fresh Chardonnay fruit on the palate. Finely structured and delicate, the wine has a light, dry finish.

Varietal: 95% Chardonnay, 5% Pinot Noir
Appellation: Burgundy, France
Alcohol: 12.5% alcohol / volume
TA: 4.36 g/L
RS: 10 g/L
Serving Temperature: 42°F / 6°C

PAIRING SUGGESTIONS:
Belaire Brut Gold is a versatile wine, ideal for pairing with nearly any cuisine, and achieves a perfect balance of fresh Chardonnay fruit, a hint of peach, pear, and brioche, and a refreshing, dry finish. Enjoy as a well-chilled aperitif or pair with seafood, grilled vegetables, or poultry.

WINERY NOTES:
Belaire Brut Gold, crafted in the heart of Burgundy from a blend of handpicked Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes, is stunning inside and out. For the dosage, organic sugarcane is used, bringing structure and length to the wine, and recreating a style popularized in the Années folles – France’s 1920s artistic and cultural renaissance. A crystal clear glass bottle showcases the golden cuvée within, while minutely-detailed, embossed foil labels complete a gorgeous package that invites the touch as well as the taste.

ABOUT THE WINERY:
Luc Belaire wines are crafted by their 5th and 6th generation father and son winemakers at their 120-year old maison, where ancestral winemaking traditions are alive in each bottle.  Wineries are located in Burgundy and Provence, two of the world’s most respected and historic winemaking regions.

Photo and Information © Luc Belaire – All Rights Reserved

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November Bubbly Club: Iowa

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Bubbly Wine ClubMirabelle-Blanc-de-Blanc_bottleSchramsberg Vineyards
Mirabelle Blanc de Blancs
Chardonnay
North Coast, California

BUBBLY WINE STYLE

“The Mirabelle Blanc de Blancs has bright and fresh aromas of Pink Lady apple, lemon-lime and warm wheat toast intermingled with layers of apricot, baked pineapple, and toasted almonds. Its vibrant flavors of orange blossom, lemon zest and pear bring a tartness to the mid-palate that carries to a long, flavorful finish.” -Winemakers Sean Thompson, Jessica Koga and Hugh Davies

While this wine can be enjoyed by itself as an apéritif, it is also perfect with fresh oysters and other shellfish, crab cakes, ceviche and grilled sea bass. It is also delicious with fried chicken, tempura and a variety of fried dishes. Serve with aged Gruyère or Comté, and as a counterpoint to semi-soft aged cheese.

Analysis: 12.6% alcohol / volume
Varietal: 100% Chardonnay
Appellation: North Coast, California
County Composition: 56% Napa, 42% Sonoma, 1% Mendocino, 1% Marin
Total Acidity: 6.2 g/mL
Residual Sugar: 9.0 g/mL
pH: 3.38
Barrel Fermentation: 23%

Production & Winemaking:
Mirabelle is Schramsberg’s multi-vintage brut sparkling wine. Twenty-five years into building an outstanding range of vintage dated sparkling wines, the Davies family set out to master the non-vintage or “multi-vintage” traditional method technique. A few years of experimentation would ultimately lead to the successful launch of Mirabelle Brut and Mirabelle Brut Rose in 1992. Starting in 2023, the Davies family, proprietors of Schramsberg Vineyards and Davies Vineyards, presents this exceptional bottling of the Mirabelle Blanc de Blancs.

Mirabelle Blanc de Blancs (white from whites) is made from Chardonnay, one of the classic three grape varietals used in champagne. This flavorful, bright bubbly exhibits the crisp acidity and vibrant apple/citrus fruit that is characteristic of cool climate Chardonnay. The grapes are grown in the unique pockets of California’s North Coast, including the Napa-Carneros, Sonoma Coast, Mendocino County, and Marin County. The fruit is hand-picked in the early morning hours at optimal maturity. Individual lot fermentations allow the winemakers to carefully select the components that make up the finished blend. After bottle fermentation and two years of aging en tirage, subsequent trials determine the ideal dosage to finish this lively, fruitful style.

About Schramsberg Vineyards:
SB-Script-LogoIn 1965, Jack and Jamie Davies established Schramsberg as a sparkling wine estate on the property originally founded in 1862 by German immigrant Jacob Schram. At a time when there were only 22 bonded wineries in Napa Valley and fewer than 100 acres of California vineyards planted to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, they set out to make world-class sparkling wine in the true méthode champenoise style. Theirs was the first California winery to provide a Blanc de Blancs in 1965 followed by a Blanc de Noirs in 1967. Now their son Hugh Davies, who was born the same year the Davies arrived at Schramsberg, leads the winery’s management and winemaking team. Learn more here.
 
Photo and Information © Schramsberg Vineyards – All Rights Reserved

BottleRocket-Spritz-Blood-Orange-BottleBieler Family Wines
Bottlerocket Spritz
Rosé, Blood Orange, Botanicals
Columbia Valley, Washington

BUBBLY WINE STYLE

Chill, pop, and party! The Bottlerocket Spritz has a proprietary mix of botanicals with blood orange citrus added to the mix. The primary botanical is Gentian root, which is the main bitter in Campari and Aperol. The bitters counterbalance the red fruit and the bitterness is like red wine tannins.

Analysis: 9% alcohol / volume
Varietal: Sparkling Rosé – Botanicals and Blood Orange Citrus

Winemaker Notes:
Bottlerocket is a fruit, botanical and sativa terpene infused rosé spritz. Its full flavored yet delicately balanced between high tone red fruit, ripe blood orange, a touch of botanical bitter and just a kiss of sweetness. The sativa terpenes carry an herbal note but more importantly adds a gentle yet euphoric lift to the experience making it unlike other wines on the market. Bottlerocket Spritz is a one-of-a-kind ultra-premium wine cocktail that combines sparkling Rosé, Aperol spritz-like notes and a mood boost from the terpenes.

Crafted with Rosé that is sourced from dedicated, cool climate Rosé vineyards in Columbia Valley, Washington. The vineyards are at 1,100 feet elevation, which ensures gentle ripening and allows complex flavor development and natural acidity without much alcohol. The dynamic fruit and natural acidity helps with the long-term integrity of the wine.

Sativa terpenes harvested from fruits and vegetables (not hemp or cannabis) that include Beta caryophyllene, linalool, D-limonene create a gentle euphoric lift and mood boost to the experience. Just as mezcal and high-quality agave spirits give a slight lift to your buzz due to naturally occurring terpenes in agave, Bottlerocket delivers a similar alert and happy feeling. These terpenes also have a citrusy herbal flavor bringing a complexity and savory note to the blend.

Bottlerocket is just 9% alcohol by volume and carbonated to a Prosecco level. They use real fruit and botanicals and aren’t filtering or using preservatives beyond (just minimal S02) to ensure the most distinct full flavors, please expect a hazy hue.

Label:
Bottlerocket is inspired by energy and soul, and Bieler wanted the label to communicate movement and lift.  The label perfectly captures the euphorically delicious experience of Bottlerocket Spritz.

About Bieler Family Wines:
Bieler Family Wines, founded by Charles Bieler, brings together Old and New World winemaking influences, with a focus on Rosé that combines tradition and modernity. Bieler’s journey began with Chateau Routas in Provence, and he later launched Bieler Père et Fils—meaning “Father and Son”—honoring the legacy of his father and the origins of their journey in Provence. Emphasizing dry, complex Rosés, Charles partners with notable winemakers like Charles Smith and Joel Gott. Bieler crafts vibrant wines reflecting both heritage and innovation, intended for wine lovers seeking distinct, soulful flavors. Learn more here.

Photo and Information © Bieler Family Wines – All Rights Reserved

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