T.G.I.F. Champagne And The Like…N.V. Biltmore Estate Blanc de Blanc Brut

This week’s sparkler is from Biltmore Estate based in North Carolina – a state that’s not top-of-mine when it comes to wine!  If that name sounds familiar, it may be because it’s part of the Biltmore Company which runs the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, N.C.  The estate features the largest privately owned home (175,000 sq. ft and…

T.G.I.F. Champagne and the like – NV Domaine Ste Michelle Brut

For this week’s “T.G.I.F. Champagne and the like” tasting, it’s my first sparkler from the state of Washington.  Domaine Ste. Michelle (“DSM”) is one of the largest sparkling wine houses in the U.S. producing more than 300,000 cases of value sparkling wines annually.  In addition to the Brut tasted here, they also produce Blanc de Noirs, Blanc…

T.G.I.F. Champagne and the like – 2008 Korbel Natural

For this week’s “T.G.I.F. Champagne and the like” tasting, “I’m going back to Cali”. Korbel, was founded in 1882.  They are one of the few US producers that include “Champagne” in the name of their products, rather than sparkling wine.  That’s because of a loophole in US laws that allows “semi-generic” products such as sparkling…

T.G.I.F. Champagne and the like – Gruet Brut Rose Sparkling Wine

As Gomer Pyle would say “SUprise, SUprise – a sparkler from New Mexico!  Gruet makes both Vintage, and Non-Vintage sparkling wine, and still wines. A family who previously made Champagne in France established it.  While traveling through the Southwest in 1983, they fell in love with New Mexico and decided to produce sparkling wine here…

T.G.I.F. Champagne and the like – Gruet Brut Sparkling Wine

This week’s T.G.I.F. Champagne and the like tasting turned in to a T.G.I. Saturday tasting since we went to the Dark and Delicious Petite Sirah wine event Friday night. As Gomer Pyle would say “SUprise, SUprise – a sparkler from New Mexico!  Gruet makes both Vintage, and Non-Vintage sparkling wine, and still wines. It was…