Bitser
Senior Cook
Haven't done a sparkling wine. Alas!
Several years back, at a good café, a waiter recommended a bottle which we really loved. Can't recall what we ate, but the wine was memorable. So before we started home the next day, we hit the liquor store and bought several.
Champagne, the designation, is strictly limited to wines produced in that region of France. The major grape varieties are chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot meunier. Pinot blanc and pinot gris are also allowed. But pinot noir is the staple.
To make a white wine from red and pink grapes, one must separate the juice from the skins early in the process. Yet the skins are what give a wine much of its flavor and character. A blanc de noirs (white from dark) wine gives the juice more time on the skins, from which it gets a pale salmon hue and a rich character: pear, berry, vanilla, toast and a creamy mouthfeel.
Since we discovered it, we seldom drink brut wines. Our first bottle was a mere $13. The present price has edged up to $16-18. But it's still a brilliant wine (90 points from Wine Spectator) and pairs well with a range of dishes.
It's produced in the US, in New Mexico, by a French family with a background in sparkling wines. They also sell brut and blanc de blancs sparkling wines, both excellent.
https://www.gruetwinery.com/heritage
Several years back, at a good café, a waiter recommended a bottle which we really loved. Can't recall what we ate, but the wine was memorable. So before we started home the next day, we hit the liquor store and bought several.
Champagne, the designation, is strictly limited to wines produced in that region of France. The major grape varieties are chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot meunier. Pinot blanc and pinot gris are also allowed. But pinot noir is the staple.
To make a white wine from red and pink grapes, one must separate the juice from the skins early in the process. Yet the skins are what give a wine much of its flavor and character. A blanc de noirs (white from dark) wine gives the juice more time on the skins, from which it gets a pale salmon hue and a rich character: pear, berry, vanilla, toast and a creamy mouthfeel.
Since we discovered it, we seldom drink brut wines. Our first bottle was a mere $13. The present price has edged up to $16-18. But it's still a brilliant wine (90 points from Wine Spectator) and pairs well with a range of dishes.
It's produced in the US, in New Mexico, by a French family with a background in sparkling wines. They also sell brut and blanc de blancs sparkling wines, both excellent.
https://www.gruetwinery.com/heritage
Last edited: