Tag: tasting notes

Cuvée Rosé from Laurent-Perrier Is Our Choice for a 2018 New Year’s Toast

Some years we do a long search for a special sparkling wine, finding a rare bottle that we will experience for the first time. This year, at our first shopping stop, we ran into an old favorite that brought back great memories of past toasts, so we went with it – a bottle of Cuvée Rosé from Laurent-Perrier!

This is a year when we want to think about past wines as we celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Sparkling Resolution we made back in 2007 and have kept ever since. We said New Years was not often enough to toast to the good things we had experienced in the past and what we looked forward to in the future, so we should raise a glass of sparkling wine for the first of every month. For 10 years we have happily kept that resolution and many of those wines have been featured here.

By the way, while some of our featured wines are hard to find, this one is widely distributed. If you are thinking of bringing this bubbly to someone special as a New Years gift, see if you can find a bottle in the impressive copper box with a magnetic cover. It will cost $70 – $95 but is definitely worth it!

We discovered this Cuvée Rosé from Laurent-Perrier years ago at Upstairs on the Square. (Sadly now gone from the great restaurant scene.) It was on the wine list at a price that was so reasonable that we asked one of our favorite bartenders to check that it was right. It was and we enjoyed this on a number of visits over the years. It will be great to toast 2018 and our memories of the great staff and collection of regulars who shared that bar with us.

About this wine from the winemaker:

Grape varietal: Pinot Noir 100%

Crus: 10 different crus located mainly in the South and North areas of the Montagne de Reims – including the famous Côte de Bouzy – notably from the finest crus of Ambonnay, Bouzy, Louvois and Tours-sur-Marne.

The grapes from carefully selected plots are sorted and destemmed before vatting. The maceration – lasting from 48h to 72h depending on the harvest – helps the extraction of the colour and the development of the full aromatic richness of the Pinot Noir.

Ageing: 5 years minimum.

What the reviewers say about Cuvée Rosé from Laurent-Perrier:

K&L Wines

"Made from 100% Pinot Noir grapes from a total of ten 100%-rated grands crus villages, this Champagne gets its glorious pink color and rounded red fruit flavors from a process known as "saigneé," in which the skins of the grapes are left in contact with the juice for three days. Laurent-Perrier's Cuvée Rosé not only makes a delicious apéritif, but is also a good match for a variety of different dishes. (Gary Westby, K&L Champagne Buyer)"

Wine Enthusiast

"Orange-pink in color, this dry wine has some good bottle age that has rounded the corners and allowed toast to join the red fruits and orange zest flavors. A complex background of acidity, structure and final tautness makes this wine ready to drink now."

Related Posts:

Our Sparkling Resolution is covered in this post : Join Us as We Toast…

A Few of Our Favorite Gifts for Wine Lovers

Here are all the wines we've covered. Since this is a category, this post may appear at the top. Just scroll down for more.

UpStairs On The Square Still A Well Rounded Favorite

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List?

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: Top photo ©2017 Penny Cherubino, Others courtesy of Laurent-Perrier

December 29, 2017
Cuvée Rosé from Laurent-Perrier Is Our Choice for a 2018 New Year’s Toast

Some years we do a long search for a special sparkling wine, finding a rare bottle that we will experience for the first time. This year, at our first shopping stop, we ran into an old favorite that brought back great memories of past toasts, so we went with it – a bottle of Cuvée Rosé from Laurent-Perrier!

This is a year when we want to think about past wines as we celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Sparkling Resolution we made back in 2007 and have kept ever since. We said New Years was not often enough to toast to the good things we had experienced in the past and what we looked forward to in the future, so we should raise a glass of sparkling wine for the first of every month. For 10 years we have happily kept that resolution and many of those wines have been featured here.

By the way, while some of our featured wines are hard to find, this one is widely distributed. If you are thinking of bringing this bubbly to someone special as a New Years gift, see if you can find a bottle in the impressive copper box with a magnetic cover. It will cost $70 – $95 but is definitely worth it!

We discovered this Cuvée Rosé from Laurent-Perrier years ago at Upstairs on the Square. (Sadly now gone from the great restaurant scene.) It was on the wine list at a price that was so reasonable that we asked one of our favorite bartenders to check that it was right. It was and we enjoyed this on a number of visits over the years. It will be great to toast 2018 and our memories of the great staff and collection of regulars who shared that bar with us.

About this wine from the winemaker:

Grape varietal: Pinot Noir 100%

Crus: 10 different crus located mainly in the South and North areas of the Montagne de Reims – including the famous Côte de Bouzy – notably from the finest crus of Ambonnay, Bouzy, Louvois and Tours-sur-Marne.

The grapes from carefully selected plots are sorted and destemmed before vatting. The maceration – lasting from 48h to 72h depending on the harvest – helps the extraction of the colour and the development of the full aromatic richness of the Pinot Noir.

Ageing: 5 years minimum.

What the reviewers say about Cuvée Rosé from Laurent-Perrier:

K&L Wines

"Made from 100% Pinot Noir grapes from a total of ten 100%-rated grands crus villages, this Champagne gets its glorious pink color and rounded red fruit flavors from a process known as "saigneé," in which the skins of the grapes are left in contact with the juice for three days. Laurent-Perrier's Cuvée Rosé not only makes a delicious apéritif, but is also a good match for a variety of different dishes. (Gary Westby, K&L Champagne Buyer)"

Wine Enthusiast

"Orange-pink in color, this dry wine has some good bottle age that has rounded the corners and allowed toast to join the red fruits and orange zest flavors. A complex background of acidity, structure and final tautness makes this wine ready to drink now."

Related Posts:

Our Sparkling Resolution is covered in this post : Join Us as We Toast…

A Few of Our Favorite Gifts for Wine Lovers

Here are all the wines we've covered. Since this is a category, this post may appear at the top. Just scroll down for more.

UpStairs On The Square Still A Well Rounded Favorite

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List?

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: Top photo ©2017 Penny Cherubino, Others courtesy of Laurent-Perrier

December 29, 2017
Champagne Paul Clouet Rosé Is Our Pick for a December 1st Toast to a Happy New Month
This Champagne Paul Clouet Rosé was actually selected for a birthday toast earlier this year, but we did so much celebrating out and about that we never did open the bottle. Now we want to be sure to taste it before the year gets away from us.

Trying wines from different places, made with different grapes, and produced by different methods adds spice to our monthly ritual. Since 2007 we have raised a glass of sparkling wine to greet each new month!

Here's what our research has told us about Champagne Paul Clouet Rosé.

First of all, tasters' notes on this wine were all over the place. Ed said it made him wonder if they were all tasting the same wine. But the good news is they all liked it!
- Bruce McNamee of Boutique Wines called it, "… rich and floral, perfumed with rose, raspberry, and blackcurrant … refreshing, fruit driven Rosé d’assemblage is ideal on a warm summer [?] it is also a good dessert companion."
- The review at Mel & Rose said, "I like this Champagne's marriage of power and finesse."
- Over at Paul Clouet their tasting notes say, "With a nice scent of Pinot Noble, this rosé blend is a tender wine, long and racy with a delicious fruity. A wine aperitif but especially a wine that has its place throughout the meal."
- As for the production notes, Paul Clouet says, "The Rosé Paul Clouet is a rosé blend, part of the red wine of Bouzy, used for the development of its Coteaux Champenois red is incorporated into a blend of white wines. The first fermentation takes place in thermoregulated stainless steel vats, ensuring optimum preservation of the primary aromas of the grapes. After this first fermentation and before bottling, approximately 12% of Bouzy red wine is incorporated into the basic blend. After the draw, the foam and aging in the cellar are done under classic corking.
  After disgorging, the Rosé benefits from a measured dosage and then rests for 6 months in the cellar before shipment, time necessary to allow the wine to assimilate the sugar of the liqueur of expedition and to find its equilibrium."
We purchased our bottle at City Liquors in Cambridge for ~$62. Here's the back label which will help if you're trying to find this wine in another area. When you take a photo of a wine with the hope of finding that wine for your own collection, be sure to take the BACK label as well. That one is more help to your wine merchant.

12/02/17 UPDATE with our tasting notes

With the pop of a cork, we eased out of a hectic November hoping for a calmer, quieter December and took our first sips of Paul Clouet Rosé. After a slight pause, I heard, “I am loving this wine!” Penny was right, and it only got better from there.

As the Champagne warmed (55º to 60º+) with Penny on the high end, we began to relax. This bubbly paired well with our choice of Asian food along with some bitter-sweet chocolate for dessert.

Alright December – so far, so good!

Campagne Paul Clouet Rosé is our second winner from Transatlantic Bubbles adding to a list of trusted names (Neil Rosenthal, Kermit Lynch, Terry Theise, Oz Wines …) that we look for on the back label of wine bottles.

Related Posts:

Our Sparkling Resolution is covered in this post : Join Us as We Toast…

A Few of Our Favorite Gifts for Wine Lovers

Here are all the wines we've covered. Since this is a category, this post may appear at the top. Just scroll down for more.

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List?

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino
December 1, 2017
Champagne Paul Clouet Rosé Is Our Pick for a December 1st Toast to a Happy New Month
This Champagne Paul Clouet Rosé was actually selected for a birthday toast earlier this year, but we did so much celebrating out and about that we never did open the bottle. Now we want to be sure to taste it before the year gets away from us.

Trying wines from different places, made with different grapes, and produced by different methods adds spice to our monthly ritual. Since 2007 we have raised a glass of sparkling wine to greet each new month!

Here's what our research has told us about Champagne Paul Clouet Rosé.

First of all, tasters' notes on this wine were all over the place. Ed said it made him wonder if they were all tasting the same wine. But the good news is they all liked it!
- Bruce McNamee of Boutique Wines called it, "… rich and floral, perfumed with rose, raspberry, and blackcurrant … refreshing, fruit driven Rosé d’assemblage is ideal on a warm summer [?] it is also a good dessert companion."
- The review at Mel & Rose said, "I like this Champagne's marriage of power and finesse."
- Over at Paul Clouet their tasting notes say, "With a nice scent of Pinot Noble, this rosé blend is a tender wine, long and racy with a delicious fruity. A wine aperitif but especially a wine that has its place throughout the meal."
- As for the production notes, Paul Clouet says, "The Rosé Paul Clouet is a rosé blend, part of the red wine of Bouzy, used for the development of its Coteaux Champenois red is incorporated into a blend of white wines. The first fermentation takes place in thermoregulated stainless steel vats, ensuring optimum preservation of the primary aromas of the grapes. After this first fermentation and before bottling, approximately 12% of Bouzy red wine is incorporated into the basic blend. After the draw, the foam and aging in the cellar are done under classic corking.
  After disgorging, the Rosé benefits from a measured dosage and then rests for 6 months in the cellar before shipment, time necessary to allow the wine to assimilate the sugar of the liqueur of expedition and to find its equilibrium."
We purchased our bottle at City Liquors in Cambridge for ~$62. Here's the back label which will help if you're trying to find this wine in another area. When you take a photo of a wine with the hope of finding that wine for your own collection, be sure to take the BACK label as well. That one is more help to your wine merchant.

12/02/17 UPDATE with our tasting notes

With the pop of a cork, we eased out of a hectic November hoping for a calmer, quieter December and took our first sips of Paul Clouet Rosé. After a slight pause, I heard, “I am loving this wine!” Penny was right, and it only got better from there.

As the Champagne warmed (55º to 60º+) with Penny on the high end, we began to relax. This bubbly paired well with our choice of Asian food along with some bitter-sweet chocolate for dessert.

Alright December – so far, so good!

Campagne Paul Clouet Rosé is our second winner from Transatlantic Bubbles adding to a list of trusted names (Neil Rosenthal, Kermit Lynch, Terry Theise, Oz Wines …) that we look for on the back label of wine bottles.

Related Posts:

Our Sparkling Resolution is covered in this post : Join Us as We Toast…

A Few of Our Favorite Gifts for Wine Lovers

Here are all the wines we've covered. Since this is a category, this post may appear at the top. Just scroll down for more.

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List?

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino
December 1, 2017
Ameztoi Hijo de Rubentis 2015 a Sparkling Txakoli for our November Toast

This month we're trying a new take on one of our favorite wines, Ameztoi Hijo de Rubentis 2015. We were checking out the wines at Formaggio South End when we spotted an odd looking bottle from Ameztoi – one of the best producers of our beloved Txakoli wines. We finally realized that the bottle was shaped and capped as a full sparkling wine.

We just happened to have a couple of bottles of the regular Rosé Txakoli on hand. We may just open both styles to experience the difference. (Links to some of our posts about other Basque wines are in related posts below.)

On closer examination of the label, we spotted the words "Méthod traditionnelle Champenoise." Most Txakoli wines are frizzante or a bit fizzy. This is enhanced by a high pour (we use a special Txakoli pourer ) to encourage the wine to foam. This one would call for our favorite Champagne stopper because it is a full-fledged sparkler.

Here's what we learned about this wine:

The importer says:

"Hijo de Rubentis means 'Son of Rubentis.' This sparkling rosé txakolina is sourced from the same vineyard as the Ameztoi Rubentis but the grapes were picked 10 days early to ensure a lower base alcohol. Secondary fermentation occurred in bottle.

Vinification Méthod traditionnelle. Aged on the lees for 14 months.

Tasting Notes Bright pink grapefruit color with fine and persistent bubbles. Floral aromas with notes of red fruit and raspberries on the nose. The wine is cheerful, fresh, elegant and persistent with a hint of red fruit.

Pairing Salmon, sushi, other seafood, delicate cream sauces and desserts.

Grapes 100% Hondarribi Beltza

Vine age 20 – 150+ years

Soil Sand and clay

Farming Lutte Raisonnée "

We purchased our bottle at Formaggio South End for ~$28.00

Trying wines from different places, made with different grapes, and produced by different methods adds spice to our monthly ritual. Since 2007 we have raised a glass of sparkling wine to greet each new month!

We look forward to raising a glass of this variation of an old favorite.

Related Posts:

Poured from On High, Txakoli Rose Is a Great Seaside or Seafood Wine

Basque Country Supper: Recreating Happy Memories

Txakolina Extends Summer Fun

Check Out Our Wine List for Thanksgiving & Holiday Gatherings!

Our Sparkling Resolution is covered in this post: Join Us as We Toast …

A Few of Our Favorite Gifts for Wine Lovers

Here Are All the Wines We've Covered. Since this is a category, this post may appear at the top. Just scroll down for more.

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List?

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino

November 1, 2017
Ameztoi Hijo de Rubentis 2015 a Sparkling Txakoli for our November Toast

This month we're trying a new take on one of our favorite wines, Ameztoi Hijo de Rubentis 2015. We were checking out the wines at Formaggio South End when we spotted an odd looking bottle from Ameztoi – one of the best producers of our beloved Txakoli wines. We finally realized that the bottle was shaped and capped as a full sparkling wine.

We just happened to have a couple of bottles of the regular Rosé Txakoli on hand. We may just open both styles to experience the difference. (Links to some of our posts about other Basque wines are in related posts below.)

On closer examination of the label, we spotted the words "Méthod traditionnelle Champenoise." Most Txakoli wines are frizzante or a bit fizzy. This is enhanced by a high pour (we use a special Txakoli pourer ) to encourage the wine to foam. This one would call for our favorite Champagne stopper because it is a full-fledged sparkler.

Here's what we learned about this wine:

The importer says:

"Hijo de Rubentis means 'Son of Rubentis.' This sparkling rosé txakolina is sourced from the same vineyard as the Ameztoi Rubentis but the grapes were picked 10 days early to ensure a lower base alcohol. Secondary fermentation occurred in bottle.

Vinification Méthod traditionnelle. Aged on the lees for 14 months.

Tasting Notes Bright pink grapefruit color with fine and persistent bubbles. Floral aromas with notes of red fruit and raspberries on the nose. The wine is cheerful, fresh, elegant and persistent with a hint of red fruit.

Pairing Salmon, sushi, other seafood, delicate cream sauces and desserts.

Grapes 100% Hondarribi Beltza

Vine age 20 – 150+ years

Soil Sand and clay

Farming Lutte Raisonnée "

We purchased our bottle at Formaggio South End for ~$28.00

Trying wines from different places, made with different grapes, and produced by different methods adds spice to our monthly ritual. Since 2007 we have raised a glass of sparkling wine to greet each new month!

We look forward to raising a glass of this variation of an old favorite.

Related Posts:

Poured from On High, Txakoli Rose Is a Great Seaside or Seafood Wine

Basque Country Supper: Recreating Happy Memories

Txakolina Extends Summer Fun

Check Out Our Wine List for Thanksgiving & Holiday Gatherings!

Our Sparkling Resolution is covered in this post: Join Us as We Toast …

A Few of Our Favorite Gifts for Wine Lovers

Here Are All the Wines We've Covered. Since this is a category, this post may appear at the top. Just scroll down for more.

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List?

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino

November 1, 2017
We’ll Raise a Glass of Guidobono Extra Brut Segretevigne to Toast October
Later today we will get together with some of our favorite people and raise a glass of Guidobono Extra Brut Segretevigne. Trying wines from different places, made with different grapes, and produced by different methods adds spice to our monthly ritual. This Italian sparkler from Piemonte is made with 100% Nebbiolo grapes. This happens to be one of Ed's favorite varietals.

Here's what we have learned about Guidobono Extra Brut Segretevigne
- A retailer writes, "100% Nebbiolo (the name means secret vines because the wine laws in Italy for now do not allow for the name of the varietal to appear on the label for sparkling wines vinified with classic champenois method). Early harvest, 36 month on the yeasts, zero dosage. Bone dry, but rich and zesty. Fine mousse and long finish."
- The importer notes, "Guidobono is the creation of the Faccenda family, and reflects their obsession with terroir. They make a range of wines from the Roero and Langhe hills, all of them outstanding value. Their vineyards are scattered through the area, with Castellinaldo in the Roero and Monforte in Barolo being particularly prized. The family has a knack of outperforming in almost every vintage."
- One CellarTracker member – RICHARDP wrote: 90 Points
  "This is something unique: A sparkling white Nebbiolo. Yeast on the nose; on the palate, yellow apple cider and notes of flowers, yeast, and minerals on the medium finish, with strong acidity and a fine bubble. It would be interesting to put this up against a bottle of cheap Champagne to compare and contrast; this is better than most Champagnes at the same price point. Good value for a bit under $30."
We found our bottle at City Liquors in Cambridge.

What's your favorite sparkler?

One of our favorite assignments is finding a sparkling wine to toast the upcoming month. We have a few favorite places to look for sparklers that we have not tried before and reliable retailers we count on to know what we like, especially grower Champagnes and biodynamic bubbles. But, we are always open to suggestions. Do you have a favorite sparkling wine to suggest? Let us know in the comments below!

UPDATE: (10.01.17) While Ed’s fondness for the full, rich body and substantial fruit of a Nebbiolo influenced our choice of Guidobono Extra Brut Segretevigne, we didn’t expect this white, sparkling version of the varietal to be quite so un-Nebbiolo like.

We think the review above is most accurate, describing this wine as “Bone dry, but rich and zesty,” with a “fine mousse and long finish."

It’s a good sparkler for our friends who like extremely dry, Blanc de Blancs. If that’s you, drink it chilled to around 55º F. If you prefer a fuller-bodied wine, let it warm into the 60s.

We found Guidobono Extra Brut Segretevigne to be a particularly good match with our Vietnamese lemongrass chicken Saigon salad – a big pop of flavor followed by a sip of wine to cleanse the palate … a nice balance.

And, most importantly, guard against pre-judging this impressive sparkler. Take your time and enjoy!

Related Posts:

Our Sparkling Resolution is covered in this post : Join Us as We Toast…

A Few of Our Favorite Gifts for Wine Lovers

Here are all the wines we've covered. Since this is a category, this post may appear at the top. Just scroll down for more.

Want to learn more about wine? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site! Here are three of our favorite wine books.

The Food Lover's Guide to Wine

The New Wine Lover's Companion

The Wine Bible

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Related articles

Champagne Moutard Brut Grande Cuvée, Love at First Sip!

Sunday Cat Sophia Says, "Let me in Whee-ooh …"

Thanks to Friends Who Make Marmalade and Share!
October 1, 2017
We’ll Raise a Glass of Guidobono Extra Brut Segretevigne to Toast October
Later today we will get together with some of our favorite people and raise a glass of Guidobono Extra Brut Segretevigne. Trying wines from different places, made with different grapes, and produced by different methods adds spice to our monthly ritual. This Italian sparkler from Piemonte is made with 100% Nebbiolo grapes. This happens to be one of Ed's favorite varietals.

Here's what we have learned about Guidobono Extra Brut Segretevigne
- A retailer writes, "100% Nebbiolo (the name means secret vines because the wine laws in Italy for now do not allow for the name of the varietal to appear on the label for sparkling wines vinified with classic champenois method). Early harvest, 36 month on the yeasts, zero dosage. Bone dry, but rich and zesty. Fine mousse and long finish."
- The importer notes, "Guidobono is the creation of the Faccenda family, and reflects their obsession with terroir. They make a range of wines from the Roero and Langhe hills, all of them outstanding value. Their vineyards are scattered through the area, with Castellinaldo in the Roero and Monforte in Barolo being particularly prized. The family has a knack of outperforming in almost every vintage."
- One CellarTracker member – RICHARDP wrote: 90 Points
  "This is something unique: A sparkling white Nebbiolo. Yeast on the nose; on the palate, yellow apple cider and notes of flowers, yeast, and minerals on the medium finish, with strong acidity and a fine bubble. It would be interesting to put this up against a bottle of cheap Champagne to compare and contrast; this is better than most Champagnes at the same price point. Good value for a bit under $30."
We found our bottle at City Liquors in Cambridge.

What's your favorite sparkler?

One of our favorite assignments is finding a sparkling wine to toast the upcoming month. We have a few favorite places to look for sparklers that we have not tried before and reliable retailers we count on to know what we like, especially grower Champagnes and biodynamic bubbles. But, we are always open to suggestions. Do you have a favorite sparkling wine to suggest? Let us know in the comments below!

UPDATE: (10.01.17) While Ed’s fondness for the full, rich body and substantial fruit of a Nebbiolo influenced our choice of Guidobono Extra Brut Segretevigne, we didn’t expect this white, sparkling version of the varietal to be quite so un-Nebbiolo like.

We think the review above is most accurate, describing this wine as “Bone dry, but rich and zesty,” with a “fine mousse and long finish."

It’s a good sparkler for our friends who like extremely dry, Blanc de Blancs. If that’s you, drink it chilled to around 55º F. If you prefer a fuller-bodied wine, let it warm into the 60s.

We found Guidobono Extra Brut Segretevigne to be a particularly good match with our Vietnamese lemongrass chicken Saigon salad – a big pop of flavor followed by a sip of wine to cleanse the palate … a nice balance.

And, most importantly, guard against pre-judging this impressive sparkler. Take your time and enjoy!

Related Posts:

Our Sparkling Resolution is covered in this post : Join Us as We Toast…

A Few of Our Favorite Gifts for Wine Lovers

Here are all the wines we've covered. Since this is a category, this post may appear at the top. Just scroll down for more.

Want to learn more about wine? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site! Here are three of our favorite wine books.

The Food Lover's Guide to Wine

The New Wine Lover's Companion

The Wine Bible

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Related articles

Champagne Moutard Brut Grande Cuvée, Love at First Sip!

Sunday Cat Sophia Says, "Let me in Whee-ooh …"

Thanks to Friends Who Make Marmalade and Share!
October 1, 2017
September’s Toast with Champagne Robert Barbichon Blanc De Noirs

This month we are chilling a bottle of Robert Barbichon Blanc De Noirs. It's an organic, biodynamic, grower Champagne from a small producer. You may have noticed that we toast with a lot of wines similar to this one. Like many of you, there are flavor profiles, business philosophies, importers, and regional terroirs that we prefer over others. This wine checks a lot of boxes on our preference list.

Humboldt Importers describe this wine maker well, "Located in the Cote des Bar in the Aube region to the southeast of the Marne, the Barbichon family have been growing Champagne grapes for 4 generations. Today Robert Barbichon produces a range of elegant, stylish Champagnes with bright mineral-driven fruit and just a hint of toast."

And (here's the part we especially like) Humboldt Importers characterize the Blanc de Noirs Brut NV as, "Crafted of pure Pinot Noir, it exhibits a creamy nose filled with bright white fruit, chalk/mineral notes and a crisp, elegant finish. 100% Pinot Noir from the Cote des Bar."

One of the fun things about this bottle is that it's a "Transatlantic Bubbles Selection." This is a new import category to us. But reading about their love of sparkling wine and the places where their selections are served makes us open to other wines from their portfolio.

They say:

"Transatlantic Bubbles LLC. specializes in finding and importing grower-producer Champagnes that offer superior quality at a better cost to the customer. We are a trusted supplier in the growing niche market for recoltant-manipulant Champagne."

We're looking forward to raising our glasses to the extension of this lovely summer that we have declared, "… will not end until October 15th, at the earliest!"

We purchased our bottle of Champagne Robert Barbichon Blanc De Noirs Brut at City Liquors in Cambridge for ~ $45.

UPDATE: (09.02.17) We had such high hopes for this Champagne and, well … at the risk of stooping to a cliché, "It exceeded our highest expectations!" We chilled the wine to ~ 55ºF and began tasting while enjoying some thinly sliced pork loin, pepper-flavored boursin, Jasper Hill Moses Sleeper (cows milk cheese inspired by French Brie), figs, and local cherry tomatoes – why skimp?

This combination added to the enjoyment of the Barbichon Blanc De Noirs Brut which only improved as it warmed.

Penny was haunted by a flavor she was experiencing tasted in the fruit of this wine. Then she realized it was like the charred, caramelized pineapple served with our Jamaican jerk chicken wings plate at Little Donkey. I liked the wine's yeasty character and hints of chalk.

We both agreed that the full, rich, round, "elegant finish" remained throughout our meal. And, the best news, we saved some more of this lovely bottle of bubbles for today.

We are buying another bottle the next time we find this little gem!

Cheers!

Related Posts:

Our Sparkling Resolution is covered in this post: Join Us as We Toast …

A Few of Our Favorite Gifts for Wine Lovers

Here are all the wines we've covered. Since this is a category, this post may appear at the top. Just scroll down for more.

Want to learn more about wine? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site! Here are three of our favorite wine books …

The Food Lover's Guide to Wine

The New Wine Lover's Companion

The Wine Bible

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino, Screengrab from Transatlantic Bubbles LLC

September 1, 2017
August Pops Open with Jo Landron Atmosphères Sparkling Wine from the Loire
We look at each new month as a gigantic bottle of sparkling wine just waiting to be uncorked!

And, since the label of our August bottle of bubbles from Jo Landron Atmosphères appears to feature a figure leaping with joy, as if launched from atop a just opened magnum, well … we couldn’t resist.

However coincidental all of the this may seem, our selection does remain true to our Sparkling Resolution of selecting a worthy wine to toast the arrival of a new month.

In 1990, when my father Pierre Landron retired, he told me, “Make quality, it will always pay off.” – Jo Landron

Jo Landron Atmosphères Sparkling Wine from the Loire is 80% Folle Blanche, 20% Pinot Noir has some tasty Tasting Notes to recommend it:
- The quintessence of freshness
- White peach combined with floral notes of jasmine
- Mineral notes driven by the ocean influence displaying saltiness
- Very refined bubbly and zesty finish.
(A Thomas Meunier Selection)
- distinctive minerality – vital and balanced
- perfectly acidic and rich in texture and beading
- fragrant notes of lemon zest and oil
- hints of red apple … strawberry
(Ooh, my favorite!)
- 100% Estate, biodynamically grown and hand harvested
- impressive depth and clarity
- racy citrus and fresh peachy fruit
- lots of rocky, earthy complexity
- deliciously bready texture
- crunchy fresh finish also makes it extremely food friendly
- label, designed by the unconventional French artist Michel Tolmer
Bibendum Wine Co.
- "The aromatics are … delicate, floral, with a white stone and white peach character …
- A very gentle palate
- some lightly honeyed fruit cast against a minerally background
- A very attractive wine, a delicately poised style, but with plenty of acid and grip to give it form."
Chris Kissack, winedoctor.com

Now you know why we can’t wait to try this highly praised wine!

And, as always, you’re invited to help us celebrate the arrival of a new month with all the hope and promise that it will be the very best ever! Here’s to August!

We purchased our bottle of Atmosphères Sparkling Wine at City Liquors in Cambridge for ~ $20.

And, Here’s More About:

Our Sparkling Resolution

Our Sparkling Resolution Winner’s List

What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List?

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino
August 1, 2017