I tasted 30 Different Sparkling Wines From Around the World in 30 weeks – Here are my Top 10 under $20!
Category: Sparkling Wine
T.G.I.F. Champagne and the like…NV Blason Cremant de Bourgogne Blanc De Noirs
This week’s sparkler hails from Burgundy region of France. It is produced by Blason de Bourgogne. I picked it up at Trader Joe’s on a whim because I recognized the Blason name. It’s a name I associate with value wines. According to the Blason website they represent 800 wine-growing families throughout Burgundy. Beside this Blanc de Noirs,…
What I’ve learned tasting 30 Sparkling Wines In 30 Weeks..
I’ve been drinking sparkling wine on a weekly basis since February, and blogging about it in my “T.G.I.F. Champagne and the like…” series. During that time, I’ve tasted sparkling wines from not only the usual suspects, France, California, Spain, and Italy, but also countries that aren’t “top of mind” when it comes to bubbly like…
T.G.I.F. Champagne and the like…NV Domaine Chandon California Rosé
Domaine Chandon, established in 1973, was the first French-owned sparkling wine venture in the United States. The winery, and their highly regarded restaurant étoile are co-located in Yountville. Thus creating the only fine dining/restaurant in the Napa Valley. Chandon makes both sparkling and still wine, but are best known for their sparkling wines which are produced…
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 – 2008 Antech “Cuvée Eugénie” Crémant de Limoux
This week’s virtual trip around the world of sparklers takes me back to France, specifically the Languedoc-Roussillon region that is renowned for great quality-price ration (“QPR”) wines. I must confess that, so far, I’ve only enjoyed Crémants (as sparkling wines produced in France, but outside of Champagne are known) from the region. The Crémant de…
T.G.I.F. Champagne and the like – NV Graham Beck Brut
This week’s virtual trip around the world of sparklers takes me back to South Africa. Back in June I reviewed the NV Graham Beck Brut Rosé which I really enjoyed and heartily recommend. The eponymous Graham Beck was founded in 1983. The first sparkling wine was produced 8 years later in 1991. In 1994 Graham…
T.G.I.F. Bubbly – NV Segura Viudas Brut Reserva Cava
Highly recommended great QPR Cava!
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…