This wine is from Austria and is made from 100% Grüner Veltliner grapes. This is a grape we turn to when we're eating foods that are difficult to pair with wine, like salads, asparagus, or artichokes. It's a food-friendly wine, also perfect with seafood, oysters, fried, salty, fatty dishes. As a grape we just enjoy, we often try any bottle we spot by a new producer on a wine list.
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 is another wine from a trusted importer, Winebow. If you ever see us shopping for wine, you'll notice us reading the back labels to see who selected this wine to import or distribute. When in doubt, we opt for someone who has introduced us to wonderful wines in the past.
Tonight we'll toast the month of June with a bottle of Patrice Colin Les Perles Grises. Sometimes the choice of a sparkling wine to feature for our monthly toast is made by visiting our favorite wine shops. Other times we pull a bottle from our wine rack. This bottle had a note added to the side with our trusty Sharpie glass and bottle markers. This bottle will bring extra smiles tonight because it was a gift from a friend who we hope will enjoy it with us.
We highly recommend adding a set of these markers to your wine supplies.
You can use them to mark the price and where you purchased a wine or, as here, note who gave it to you. Not only do we enjoy sharing gift wines with friends when they visit again, but we also enjoy the wines more ourselves because they're part of a friendship.
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've made Argyle Vintage Brut 2013 our choice for October in this year of favorite sparkling wines!
We almost always have a bottle of this outstanding sparkler in our wine rack, so we pulled one out to chill and to toast one of our favorite months of the year.
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 some basic info about this one.
The Facts:
Vintage Brut | 2013 Willamette Valley AVA
Bottle Fermented, Aged on the Yeast,
60% Pinot Noir — 40% Chardonnay, ABV: 12.5%
The last time we reported to you on this particular vintage of this particular wine, we said:
"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!"
Here's to October 2018! Raise a glass of one of your favorites with us! And, while you're toasting, raise a glass to a great winemaker Rollin Soles!
We've made Argyle Vintage Brut 2013 our choice for October in this year of favorite sparkling wines!
We almost always have a bottle of this outstanding sparkler in our wine rack, so we pulled one out to chill and to toast one of our favorite months of the year.
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 some basic info about this one.
The Facts:
Vintage Brut | 2013 Willamette Valley AVA
Bottle Fermented, Aged on the Yeast,
60% Pinot Noir — 40% Chardonnay, ABV: 12.5%
The last time we reported to you on this particular vintage of this particular wine, we said:
"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!"
Here's to October 2018! Raise a glass of one of your favorites with us! And, while you're toasting, raise a glass to a great winemaker Rollin Soles!
In this year of favorite wines and friendship, we will be toasting with a bottle of Nino Franco Faìve Brut Rosé. A wine has to have special meaning for us to take it with us to Provincetown. This year a bottle joined us there in spring and another will join us with friends to toast August.
We must explained the name of this lovely Rosé. "Faìve, from the Venetian dialect, are the small gilded red tongues of flame and sparks rising towards the sky from a great fire, lightly and freely carried by the wind." Sylvia Franco told us the pronunciation is Fie-EE-vay!
Our stash of Faìve was hiding in plain sight on the top of a bookcase. We've been rationing this harder-to-find wine. But the time has come to enjoy this special bottle and share the experience with friends. Then we'll go hunting for a new supply!
Here is what Nino Franco says about this special Rosé from their collection:
"Variety and Grapes: 80% Merlot 20% Cabernet Franc.
Vinification Technique: Short skin and must contact at a low temperature to obtain the right colour. The first fermentation in steel tanks and the second one in “cuve close”.
Type: Rosé Brut.
Colour: Rose petal -like pink.
Flavour: Perfume of small red fruits. Mineral and floral notes.
Taste: In the mouth, pleasurably fresh. Dry with soft tannins and persistent bubbles.
Matching: Well paired with mortadella, meat and mushroom dishes, fish or vegetable soups. Excellent with “Lasagna”, “Parmigiano" or the typical Italian dish “vitello tonnato” .
While we are enjoying this old friend from our wine rack, we hope you'll pull a bottle you have been saving and join our sparkling resolution as we toast the new month of August 2018. 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 is an earlier post about this wine from 2015!
In this year of favorite wines and friendship, we will be toasting with a bottle of Nino Franco Faìve Brut Rosé. A wine has to have special meaning for us to take it with us to Provincetown. This year a bottle joined us there in spring and another will join us with friends to toast August.
We must explained the name of this lovely Rosé. "Faìve, from the Venetian dialect, are the small gilded red tongues of flame and sparks rising towards the sky from a great fire, lightly and freely carried by the wind." Sylvia Franco told us the pronunciation is Fie-EE-vay!
Our stash of Faìve was hiding in plain sight on the top of a bookcase. We've been rationing this harder-to-find wine. But the time has come to enjoy this special bottle and share the experience with friends. Then we'll go hunting for a new supply!
Here is what Nino Franco says about this special Rosé from their collection:
"Variety and Grapes: 80% Merlot 20% Cabernet Franc.
Vinification Technique: Short skin and must contact at a low temperature to obtain the right colour. The first fermentation in steel tanks and the second one in “cuve close”.
Type: Rosé Brut.
Colour: Rose petal -like pink.
Flavour: Perfume of small red fruits. Mineral and floral notes.
Taste: In the mouth, pleasurably fresh. Dry with soft tannins and persistent bubbles.
Matching: Well paired with mortadella, meat and mushroom dishes, fish or vegetable soups. Excellent with “Lasagna”, “Parmigiano" or the typical Italian dish “vitello tonnato” .
While we are enjoying this old friend from our wine rack, we hope you'll pull a bottle you have been saving and join our sparkling resolution as we toast the new month of August 2018. 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 is an earlier post about this wine from 2015!
When we set out to make 2018 a year of celebrating some of the best, most memorable sparkling wines we’ve tasted during the years of keeping Our Sparking Resolution, Dibon Cava Brut Reserve immediately came to mind.
Not only is this a perfect, everyday bubbly that’s very reasonably priced, but it’s also extremely versatile and an exceptionally handy sparkler to have on hand at all times. We’ve seen Dibon used as a mixer at some top restaurant bars. And, when one prestigious eatery first came to Boston a few years ago, it charged more for a glass of Debon than for the entire bottle! (Perhaps an oversight, however it did give us some idea of the markup they were using on wines.)
It’s a wine we often recommend to anyone who likes bubbly whether a lifelong aficionado or someone just beginning to explore sparklers. It’s a great way to share with friends (Our Westie Poppy gifted a bottle to her favorite butcher and he is now a Dibon fan.) It's also a great way to make new friends as you share not only a bottle, but also show them how delicious a value wine can be.
Another plus, in this year of old friends, is that Dibon comes from another favorite, trusted, and local importer, OZ Wine Company of Haverhill, MA. Our many OZ experiences make up happy to choose any wine from this line when we explore a shop or wine list. (We do wish wine lists included categories for some of the great importers.)
Here's some of what we said in our first post about this outstanding cava:
"If 'balance' is a fault, then it’s this wine’s only fault! It will please a wide range of tastes …"
"It's light, refreshing, and inviting. Very food-friendly …"
"Dibon Cava would be a perfect opener for a party, at a restaurant with friends, to begin a meal or an evening. And, a special way to celebrate the start of a new month. Salud!"
When we set out to make 2018 a year of celebrating some of the best, most memorable sparkling wines we’ve tasted during the years of keeping Our Sparking Resolution, Dibon Cava Brut Reserve immediately came to mind.
Not only is this a perfect, everyday bubbly that’s very reasonably priced, but it’s also extremely versatile and an exceptionally handy sparkler to have on hand at all times. We’ve seen Dibon used as a mixer at some top restaurant bars. And, when one prestigious eatery first came to Boston a few years ago, it charged more for a glass of Debon than for the entire bottle! (Perhaps an oversight, however it did give us some idea of the markup they were using on wines.)
It’s a wine we often recommend to anyone who likes bubbly whether a lifelong aficionado or someone just beginning to explore sparklers. It’s a great way to share with friends (Our Westie Poppy gifted a bottle to her favorite butcher and he is now a Dibon fan.) It's also a great way to make new friends as you share not only a bottle, but also show them how delicious a value wine can be.
Another plus, in this year of old friends, is that Dibon comes from another favorite, trusted, and local importer, OZ Wine Company of Haverhill, MA. Our many OZ experiences make up happy to choose any wine from this line when we explore a shop or wine list. (We do wish wine lists included categories for some of the great importers.)
Here's some of what we said in our first post about this outstanding cava:
"If 'balance' is a fault, then it’s this wine’s only fault! It will please a wide range of tastes …"
"It's light, refreshing, and inviting. Very food-friendly …"
"Dibon Cava would be a perfect opener for a party, at a restaurant with friends, to begin a meal or an evening. And, a special way to celebrate the start of a new month. Salud!"
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!
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!
from here to support this site! Here are three of our favorite wine books.
