16 Sparkling Wines To Celebrate The Harvest
The 2016 wine grape harvest is just about finished in the Northern Hemisphere, so why not toast it with an array of sparkling wines from around the world? And for those of you in the Southern Hemisphere, we can celebrate the beginning of the 2017 vintage.
These very enjoyable sparklers come from a variety of grapes and vineyards in France, the U.S., Italy, and Greece, and offer a good range of prices and styles. As is the case with sparkling wines, most of them have reserve wine from previous vintages for complexity and are hence non-vintage (NV).
Mionetto Treviso Prosecco Brut NV ($12). Nice apple flavors, some creaminess, and a clean finish.
Mionetto Gran Rosé Prosecco Extra Dry NV ($13). Crisp yet creamy with good cherry flavor.
Ktima Tselepos "Amalia" Arcadia Brut NV ($16). Notes of geranium in the nose of this Greek entry with flavors of crème fraiche and lime; quite nice.
Ackerman Crémant de Loire Brut NV ($17). Savory notes with hints of brulée and good minerality; moderately assertive.
Sebastien Brunet "La Rocherie" Sparkling Vouvray NV ($21). Light green-herbal flavors with a crisp, clean finish.
Chandon Blanc de Noirs NV ($22). Rich, intense cherry and strawberry flavors with some savory notes in finish.
Chandon Brut Classic NV ($22). Tangy with a touch of caramel, lots of bubbles, and a flavorful finish.
Chandon "Sweet Star" NV ($22). Sweet — but not too sweet — with good acid balance and a full body; a good match for anything sweet or savory in a pastry shell.
Chandon Chandon Rosé NV ($24). Love floral notes (rose petals) and full creaminess with a clean finish.
Gérard Bertrand "Code Rouge" Blanc de Blanc NV ($26). Not sure why this wine is in a red bottle, but it's rich, clean, and very flavorful, with some brioche notes.
Chandon "étoile" Napa Valley Brut NV ($45). Firm with deep flavors of toast, toffee, and brioche — a wine of substance without being the least ponderous.
Chandon "étoile" Napa Valley Rosé NV ($50). Rich, satisfying texture with floral and mineral notes; long on the finish.
Marion-Bosser Champagne Blanc de Blanc Extra Brut Ier Cru NV ($55). Tight and not so mouth-filling, but with nice metallic notes and tart green flavors in finish.
Marion-Bosser Champagne Brut Ier Cru NV ($57). Beautiful fresh aromas — mellow with hints of candied fruit and a rich finish.
Marion-Bosser Champagne Brut Ier Cru Rosé NV ($62). Good minerality with lightly gamey aromas and flavors.
Marion-Bosser Champagne Brut Ier Cru 2006 ($72). Lightly smoky aromas and tastes to go along with preserved pear notes and lots of minerality — tight but rich with a lean finish.