Tag: Bauer Wine & Spirits

Toasting December with Another Fave, Billecart-Salmon Brut Reserve Champagne
In keeping with our Sparkling Resolution to toast each new month of the year, we'll be raising glasses of a lesser know wine from the great Champagne house of Billecart-Salmon. While their Rosé may get the most press, we love the Billecart-Salmon Brut Reserve Champagne.

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! This year we've been drinking down our wine racks, enjoying a different old favorite each month. This is one wine we did not have in reserve but wanted to include. We wrote about it back in 2013 when on a vacation in Provincetown.

Back then we compared it to the house version of an Extra Brut.

"We said, “round … mellow … friendly … magical … drink slowly through the temperatures” (allow to warm in your glass)

Billecart-Salmon said, “harmony … balance … persistent and abounding mousse … freshness … rich bouquet"

Here are a few numbers from the winemakers about this Champagne:
- 30% Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims and the Grande Vallée de la Marne
- 30% Chardonnay sourced from the best Crus in the Champagne region
- 40% Pinot Meunier from the Vallée de la Marne and the southern slopes of Epernay
- 50% to 60% reserve wines
- Ageing on lees : 30 months
We purchased our bottle at Bauer Wine & Spirits for ~$60. And, we can't wait to lift a glass of this old friend of a wine.

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: ©2013-2018 Penny & Ed Cherubino
December 1, 2018
Toasting December with Another Fave, Billecart-Salmon Brut Reserve Champagne
In keeping with our Sparkling Resolution to toast each new month of the year, we'll be raising glasses of a lesser know wine from the great Champagne house of Billecart-Salmon. While their Rosé may get the most press, we love the Billecart-Salmon Brut Reserve Champagne.

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! This year we've been drinking down our wine racks, enjoying a different old favorite each month. This is one wine we did not have in reserve but wanted to include. We wrote about it back in 2013 when on a vacation in Provincetown.

Back then we compared it to the house version of an Extra Brut.

"We said, “round … mellow … friendly … magical … drink slowly through the temperatures” (allow to warm in your glass)

Billecart-Salmon said, “harmony … balance … persistent and abounding mousse … freshness … rich bouquet"

Here are a few numbers from the winemakers about this Champagne:
- 30% Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims and the Grande Vallée de la Marne
- 30% Chardonnay sourced from the best Crus in the Champagne region
- 40% Pinot Meunier from the Vallée de la Marne and the southern slopes of Epernay
- 50% to 60% reserve wines
- Ageing on lees : 30 months
We purchased our bottle at Bauer Wine & Spirits for ~$60. And, we can't wait to lift a glass of this old friend of a wine.

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: ©2013-2018 Penny & Ed Cherubino
December 1, 2018
Spending Time with a Sparkling Old Friend This July – Argyle Vintage Brut

Well look who stopped by to help us ring in July – a sparkling old friend from Oregon who goes by the name of Argyle Vintage Brut 2013!

While we’ve had a long, happy relationship through the years, it’s been awhile since we’ve shared each other’s company.

This Pinot-forward sparkler comes from Argyle’s Grower Series and promises a rich, round peach nature helped along by “… the complexity of honey, cherry kernel and lingering anise.”

The balance and focus of the finish is said to come from the wine’s “… dynamic acid backbone and edgy minerality.”

Just this past April, Wine Spectator awarded the 2013 Argyle Vintage Brut 89 Points, praising it as “Crisp and precise, with apple and pomelo aromas and sleek, tangy flavors that finish with vibrancy. Drink now. —T.F.”

Hmm … Sounds a lot like the old friend we remember. We also remember meeting Argyle's Founder Rollin Soles (in the Argyle photo above) at Bauer Wine & Spirits. (Check out: "Argyle's Rollin Soles Talks Wine with BostonZest" in Related Posts below.)

Catching up after time apart can mean a bit of uncertainty. Maybe one or both of you have changed? We’ll let you know how it goes.

Until then, “Here’s to July!” and our Sparkling Resolution!

The Facts:

Vintage Brut | 2013 Willamette Valley AVA

Bottle Fermented, Aged on the Yeast,

60% Pinot Noir — 40% Chardonnay, ABV: 12.5%

We purchased our bottle of Argyle Vintage Brut 2013 on sale for $20 at Bauer Wine & Spirits.

* (07.04.2017) Update: As spectacular as ever! Great body with nice Pinot-forward character. Shared with friends as we all raised our glasses to toast the arrival of July! Already have another bottle on-ice and ready to go!

Related Posts:

Argyle’s Rollin Soles Talks Wine with BostonZest

March Sparkles with Argyle’s 2001 Extended Tirage Brut – It’s a Sure Thing!

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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

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino

Photography: © 2017 Penny Cherubino

July 1, 2017
Spending Time with a Sparkling Old Friend This July – Argyle Vintage Brut

Well look who stopped by to help us ring in July – a sparkling old friend from Oregon who goes by the name of Argyle Vintage Brut 2013!

While we’ve had a long, happy relationship through the years, it’s been awhile since we’ve shared each other’s company.

This Pinot-forward sparkler comes from Argyle’s Grower Series and promises a rich, round peach nature helped along by “… the complexity of honey, cherry kernel and lingering anise.”

The balance and focus of the finish is said to come from the wine’s “… dynamic acid backbone and edgy minerality.”

Just this past April, Wine Spectator awarded the 2013 Argyle Vintage Brut 89 Points, praising it as “Crisp and precise, with apple and pomelo aromas and sleek, tangy flavors that finish with vibrancy. Drink now. —T.F.”

Hmm … Sounds a lot like the old friend we remember. We also remember meeting Argyle's Founder Rollin Soles (in the Argyle photo above) at Bauer Wine & Spirits. (Check out: "Argyle's Rollin Soles Talks Wine with BostonZest" in Related Posts below.)

Catching up after time apart can mean a bit of uncertainty. Maybe one or both of you have changed? We’ll let you know how it goes.

Until then, “Here’s to July!” and our Sparkling Resolution!

The Facts:

Vintage Brut | 2013 Willamette Valley AVA

Bottle Fermented, Aged on the Yeast,

60% Pinot Noir — 40% Chardonnay, ABV: 12.5%

We purchased our bottle of Argyle Vintage Brut 2013 on sale for $20 at Bauer Wine & Spirits.

* (07.04.2017) Update: As spectacular as ever! Great body with nice Pinot-forward character. Shared with friends as we all raised our glasses to toast the arrival of July! Already have another bottle on-ice and ready to go!

Related Posts:

Argyle’s Rollin Soles Talks Wine with BostonZest

March Sparkles with Argyle’s 2001 Extended Tirage Brut – It’s a Sure Thing!

Oregon’s Argyle Brut to Light-Up July!

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

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino

Photography: © 2017 Penny Cherubino

July 1, 2017
Taltarni Taché Sparkling Rosé Lights Up July
July is a time for celebration around our house and we always look for a bottle of bubbles to match the festive mood.

We’re toasting this special month with a sparkling Australian Rosé known as Taltarni Taché (French for “stained”). In this case, it’s the stain of red wine added at disgorgement which results in a unique taste and an impressive salmon color.

Taltarni Taché 2011 is a classic blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier. The winemaker credits the extraordinary growing season for “creating complex and distinct varietal characters along with succulent natural acidity.”

Taltarni says their wine has:
- a lovely structure
- a hint of bread on the nose … balanced with a creamy texture
- beautiful complimentary strawberry and rose petal aromatics
- a balance of acidity and sweetness
We agree with almost all of the above except the Chardonnay acidity was a bit too much for our taste. Our bottle listed: Chardonnay 55% Pinot Noir 38% Pinot Meunier 7%. Other reviewers listed a different blend percentage of varietals.

Here’s some of what they had to say:

[from: Taltarni Taché Sparkling Rosé 2011 (K&L Wines)]
- (90 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate) "The Non-Vintage Brut Tache is a delightful, well-priced sparkling wine composed of 52% Chardonnay, 41% Pinot Noir, and 7% Pinot Meunier … The nose offers rose petal, peach, apricot, and wheat thin scents … red berry and nutty flavors. … dry and refreshing, with a long, clean finish."
- (10/07) According to Wine & Spirits: "The bubbles look tiny but they power the strawberry and cherry fruit in this light pink sparkler, a brisk cut that leaves the finish clean. For rustic country pâté."
- (10/07) According to the Wine Spectator: "Pale pink in color, this dry, creamy-textured sparkler shows pretty watermelon and toast flavors. Drink now."
- (11/06) "Taché is a … fine rosé-colored sparkling wine … Crafted from a traditional blend of chardonnay (54%), pinot noir (36%) and pinot meunier (10%), Taltarni Brut Taché is bottle fermented and matured for a minimum of 18 months according to traditional ‘Mêthode Champenoise’ practices. Delicious!”
Taltarni Taché 2011

South Eastern Australia

Chardonnay 55% Pinot Noir 38% Pinot Meunier 7%

Alcohol 12% by Volume

We purchased our bottle of Taltarni Taché 2011 @ Bauer Wine & Spirits.

Here’s to July! Join Our Sparkling Resolution

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: © 2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino

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July 1, 2016
Taltarni Taché Sparkling Rosé Lights Up July
July is a time for celebration around our house and we always look for a bottle of bubbles to match the festive mood.

We’re toasting this special month with a sparkling Australian Rosé known as Taltarni Taché (French for “stained”). In this case, it’s the stain of red wine added at disgorgement which results in a unique taste and an impressive salmon color.

Taltarni Taché 2011 is a classic blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier. The winemaker credits the extraordinary growing season for “creating complex and distinct varietal characters along with succulent natural acidity.”

Taltarni says their wine has:
- a lovely structure
- a hint of bread on the nose … balanced with a creamy texture
- beautiful complimentary strawberry and rose petal aromatics
- a balance of acidity and sweetness
We agree with almost all of the above except the Chardonnay acidity was a bit too much for our taste. Our bottle listed: Chardonnay 55% Pinot Noir 38% Pinot Meunier 7%. Other reviewers listed a different blend percentage of varietals.

Here’s some of what they had to say:

[from: Taltarni Taché Sparkling Rosé 2011 (K&L Wines)]
- (90 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate) "The Non-Vintage Brut Tache is a delightful, well-priced sparkling wine composed of 52% Chardonnay, 41% Pinot Noir, and 7% Pinot Meunier … The nose offers rose petal, peach, apricot, and wheat thin scents … red berry and nutty flavors. … dry and refreshing, with a long, clean finish."
- (10/07) According to Wine & Spirits: "The bubbles look tiny but they power the strawberry and cherry fruit in this light pink sparkler, a brisk cut that leaves the finish clean. For rustic country pâté."
- (10/07) According to the Wine Spectator: "Pale pink in color, this dry, creamy-textured sparkler shows pretty watermelon and toast flavors. Drink now."
- (11/06) "Taché is a … fine rosé-colored sparkling wine … Crafted from a traditional blend of chardonnay (54%), pinot noir (36%) and pinot meunier (10%), Taltarni Brut Taché is bottle fermented and matured for a minimum of 18 months according to traditional ‘Mêthode Champenoise’ practices. Delicious!”
Taltarni Taché 2011

South Eastern Australia

Chardonnay 55% Pinot Noir 38% Pinot Meunier 7%

Alcohol 12% by Volume

We purchased our bottle of Taltarni Taché 2011 @ Bauer Wine & Spirits.

Here’s to July! Join Our Sparkling Resolution

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: © 2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino

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July 1, 2016
Here’s to February and Early Spring with Champagne Charles de Cazanove Stradivarius
Here comes February! And, we’re reaching for another sparkling wine to welcome this often unpredictable weather month. Instead of relying on that pesky groundhog to predict an early spring and put us in a good mood, we’re placing our faith in a reliable Champagne house that has served us well.

Having featured and enjoyed the bubbles of Charles de Cazanove twice in 2015, it only makes sense that their Champagne Stradivarius has real promise (and besides, we’re intrigued by the name).

Here’s what people are saying ...

The winemaker calls Charles de Cazanove Stradivarius 2000 …
- A symphony of meaning and passion
- Its unique flavour … provides an original harmony
- Bouquet opens on ripe fruit, walnut, and almond aromas
- A powerful, hearty finish
Wine Enthusiast gave Stradivarius (91 points) describing it as a …
- Ripe, beautifully integrated Champagne
- Beginnings of nutty, toasty maturity
- Full in the mouth with a delicate and creamy mousse
- Not for aging … an impressive wine to drink now
Bauer Wine & Spirits, where we purchased our bottle, had the most intriguing tasting notes …
- Yellow-gold
- Deep, toasty aromas of orange marmalade, gingerbread, brown butter
- A hint of floral honey and a livelier touch of lemon curd
- Supple in texture and gently smoky
- Broad candied citrus, poached pear flavors, late notes of buttered toast & spices
- Fully mature Champagne finishes with strong thrust, clinging honey, pear notes & very good persistence
Talk about a morale booster, how could we pass up an opportunity like this? Our notes to follow.

Oh, and, maybe we’ll slip some to Punxsutawney Phil just to loosen the guy up, a little. Cheers!

Champagne Charles de Cazanove Stradivarius 2000

70% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir, 12% ABV

$49.99 @ Bauer Wine & Spirits, 330 Newbury St., Boston

UPDATE (02.01.16) –

We toasted February with the Stradivarius, then chose the descriptions from above that we think fit best.
- Definitely a unique flavor
- Almond and brown butter aromas
- Nutty, toasty maturity
- Full in the mouth
- A hint of floral honey, gently smoky
- Broad candied citrus, pear notes
- Powerful, hearty finish
While this Champagne is not the lighter, everyday style we’re accustomed to, it is a nice change on the right occasion. And with certain foods, like the French onion soup we enjoyed with it tonight, it was outstanding.

UPDATE (02.02.16) – On a personal note, Thanks Phil.

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

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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: © 2016 Penny & Ed Cherubino, bottle display photo courtesy of Charles de Cazanove

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February 1, 2016
Champagne Moutard Brut Grande Cuvée, Love at First Sip!

As Pinot Noir lovers, we expected to like this grower Champagne. We didn’t anticipate wanting to buy a case after the first sip! Simply put, Moutard Grande Cuvée fits our taste, something Howie Rubin of Bauer Wine & Spirits knows well.

Through the years, many of our Sparkling Resolution wines have come from his suggestions. For August we asked him to select this month’s sparkler and he came up with a new favorite that made us go back for more.

Our constant search for, and love of, grower Champagnes doesn’t surprise Rubin who compares the increased interest in this category of winemakers to the locavore farm-to-table movement. “People want to know where their food and libation come from,” he explains, “and consuming small grower champagne satisfies that curiosity.”

Look at this way, “Which would you rather consume,” says Rubin, “a big, juicy, ripe tomato right off the farm, or one of those colorless and flavorless tomatoes that shows up in your salad … in January?”

Similarly, “When deciding between a small grower champagne or a mass produced version of the same style of wine,” Rubin says the choice is obvious. “Champagnes that are bottled by growers will usually be from a specific village and will be their top choice of grapes, which obviously they won’t sell to the big houses.”

The Moutard Grand Cuvee Brut Champagne pedigree includes 100% Pinot Noir grown in clay-limestone soils. The hand harvested grapes undergo a gentle pressing and are vinified in stainless steel tanks. Moutard proudly describes its production as a blend of several of the best vintages.

Tasting Notes:

The winemaker points to a, “refined, rich nose which evokes notes of butter, almond and brioche. Lively, elegant and balanced palate with good mouthfill.”

Distributor Polaner Selections touts, “A rich and mineral-driven Blanc de Noirs at an exceptional value.”

Wine Spectator

Rating: 90

“Bright and fresh, with a honey-laced finish.”

Vinous

Rating: 89

“… 100% Pinot Noir is laced with sweet tobacco, flowers, mint, dried herbs and red stone fruits.”

Eric Asimov, (NY Times wine critic)

“ … the Grande Cuvée from Moutard … showed its 100 percent pinot noir character in its rich, full-bodied texture and ripe fruit flavors.”

Howie Rubin (Bauer Wines)

“… aromas of fresh baked bread and wild strawberries … bright apple and quince flavors.”

We think what this wine doesn’t give up on the nose, it makes up on the palate. Perhaps Howie Rubin summed it up best, “Great champagnes are characterized by a long, persistent finish, and that’s where the Moutard shines. Compare it to one of the big names in champagne and you will see the difference.”

Here’s to August! And, here’s to Grower Champagnes!

We purchased our bottle of Champagne Moutard Brut Grande Cuvée at Bauer Wine & Spirits (price: $39.99).

More …

Howie Rubin on: The Growing Interest in Grower Champagne [PDF Full Text]

Here’s How Our Sparkling Resolution Began

Our Sparkling Resolution Winner’s List

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2015 Penny & Ed Cherubino

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July 31, 2015
Champagne Moutard Brut Grande Cuvée, Love at First Sip!

As Pinot Noir lovers, we expected to like this grower Champagne. We didn’t anticipate wanting to buy a case after the first sip! Simply put, Moutard Grande Cuvée fits our taste, something Howie Rubin of Bauer Wine & Spirits knows well.

Through the years, many of our Sparkling Resolution wines have come from his suggestions. For August we asked him to select this month’s sparkler and he came up with a new favorite that made us go back for more.

Our constant search for, and love of, grower Champagnes doesn’t surprise Rubin who compares the increased interest in this category of winemakers to the locavore farm-to-table movement. “People want to know where their food and libation come from,” he explains, “and consuming small grower champagne satisfies that curiosity.”

Look at this way, “Which would you rather consume,” says Rubin, “a big, juicy, ripe tomato right off the farm, or one of those colorless and flavorless tomatoes that shows up in your salad … in January?”

Similarly, “When deciding between a small grower champagne or a mass produced version of the same style of wine,” Rubin says the choice is obvious. “Champagnes that are bottled by growers will usually be from a specific village and will be their top choice of grapes, which obviously they won’t sell to the big houses.”

The Moutard Grand Cuvee Brut Champagne pedigree includes 100% Pinot Noir grown in clay-limestone soils. The hand harvested grapes undergo a gentle pressing and are vinified in stainless steel tanks. Moutard proudly describes its production as a blend of several of the best vintages.

Tasting Notes:

The winemaker points to a, “refined, rich nose which evokes notes of butter, almond and brioche. Lively, elegant and balanced palate with good mouthfill.”

Distributor Polaner Selections touts, “A rich and mineral-driven Blanc de Noirs at an exceptional value.”

Wine Spectator

Rating: 90

“Bright and fresh, with a honey-laced finish.”

Vinous

Rating: 89

“… 100% Pinot Noir is laced with sweet tobacco, flowers, mint, dried herbs and red stone fruits.”

Eric Asimov, (NY Times wine critic)

“ … the Grande Cuvée from Moutard … showed its 100 percent pinot noir character in its rich, full-bodied texture and ripe fruit flavors.”

Howie Rubin (Bauer Wines)

“… aromas of fresh baked bread and wild strawberries … bright apple and quince flavors.”

We think what this wine doesn’t give up on the nose, it makes up on the palate. Perhaps Howie Rubin summed it up best, “Great champagnes are characterized by a long, persistent finish, and that’s where the Moutard shines. Compare it to one of the big names in champagne and you will see the difference.”

Here’s to August! And, here’s to Grower Champagnes!

We purchased our bottle of Champagne Moutard Brut Grande Cuvée at Bauer Wine & Spirits (price: $39.99).

More …

Howie Rubin on: The Growing Interest in Grower Champagne [PDF Full Text]

Here’s How Our Sparkling Resolution Began

Our Sparkling Resolution Winner’s List

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2015 Penny & Ed Cherubino

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July 31, 2015
Our July Sparkler Is Bursting with Bubbles! Jean-François Mérieau Bulles (2009)

To me July has always been the month that means summer has really arrived with no shortage of reasons to celebrate – July 4th, vacations, warm weather, lots of daylight! And, because of its outstanding potential, we’re toasting month #7 with an equally impressive bottle of Jean-François Mérieau “Bulles” (2009).

Made in the traditional champagne method, this sparkler (90% Chenin Blanc, 10% Chardonnay) is described as “vibrant and crisp,” having “a pleasant nose, with some white fruits and vine peaches aromas … Very much a celebration pre-dinner wine.”

Winemaker Jean-François Mérieau has been praised as ambitious and creative – one of the new stars of the Loire region, no argument here.

According to K&L Wines, Jean-François Mérieau “Bulles” Touraine Sparkling is “a refreshing, crisp wine … has a bright nose of apple and pears with hints of citrus … palate is creamy and rich … finish is juicy and long.”

(Wine Spectator) – “This sparkler is forward, with a prominent spicy ginger note lading [sic] the way for pear, melon and brioche flavors. Stays racy on the finish, with the ginger note lingering.”

Other tasters detected “apple, quince, grapefruit, herbs, mineral accents.”

Our noses caught the pear aroma along with a good acidity. For a lighter feel, drink well-chilled. We liked it best with food having first enjoyed Jean-François Mérieau Bulles (2009) at Select Oyster Bar where it matched extremely well with their fabulous seafood preparations.

We purchased our bottle at Bauer Wine & Spirits ($19.99)

Read about Why We Toast Each New Month: “Our Sparkling Resolution”

Explore “Our Sparkling Resolution Winner’s List”

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:

Words: Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2015 Penny & Ed Cherubino

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