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 established by a family who previously made Champagne in France.  While traveling through the Southwest in 1983, they fell in love with New Mexico and decided to produce sparkling wine here in the US.  Their first harvest was 1987, and they released their first sparkling wines in 1989.  In 2008 Gruet sold 100,000 cases of wine, that was distributed in 48 states.

NV Gruet Brut

USA, New Mexico

75% Chardonnay; 25% Pinot Noir

$11-16, 12% abv

Production method: Methodé Champenoise; Stainless steel fermentation/aging; Disgorged 2008

Very light yellow, almost clear with plenty of pinpoint bubbles. Nose offers bread dough, with faint citrus and green apple notes.  On the palate, mousse had somewhat creamy mouth feel. It was tart with green apple, citrus flavors, very acidic with a somewhat bitter grapefruit taste on the back palate for me. Enjoyable, but one-dimensional. Good QPR (Quality-Price ratio).   Would I buy more?-maybe. There’s enough goodness here to make me keep this one in my back pocket while I look for something I might enjoy more at this price level.   I’m looking forward to trying their Blanc-de-Noir, and Rosé.  Enjoy this one with sushi? – you bet.  But don’t stop there.  Brut sparklers, which are the most food friendly sparkling wines, would also pair well with steamed crab with butter,  or clam linguine in a light white sauce.  I’ve enjoyed with popcorn with truffle butter!  Cheers!

Related Articles

• Champagne Primer (wholefoodsmarket.com)
• These sparkling wines will make your New Year’s celebration sparkle (blogs.consumerreports.org)
• Popcorn with Parmesan and Truffle Oil (The Tasty Kitchen Blog)