Nose and palate: white flowers such as hawthorn and acacia with gourmet notes of pear, vine peach, mirabelle plum and greengage. A minimum of 4 years’ cellar ageing reveals its great aromatic complexity. This Champagne of great purity retains vivacity and freshness to balance its gourmet vinosity on the palate.

Dining and wine pairing: this is the Champagne par excellence for aperitifs and moments to remember whatever the occasion. Cuvée Gosset Extra brut goes perfectly with raw baby vegetables, fresh prawns or savoury cookies.

Wine and food pairing: this is the perfect aperitif wine for moments to remember on any occasion

Grape Variety

Champagne Blend Wine

The term Champagne Blend refers to one of the world’s most distinctive wine styles – the sparkling wines made from Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier that are most famously associated with the Champagne region of northern France. The term, however, has come to evoke wines made in the methode traditionnelle around the world, and particularly in New World countries like the United States, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are the stars of the blend, usually used in roughly equal quantities in New World examples. The less glamorous Pinot Meunier really only comes into play in real, pure-blooded Champagne. In fact, there are seven permitted grape varieties in the Champagne AOC, although the remaining four – Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Petit Meslier and Arbane – are so rarely used that they are typically forgotten, and are almost never used for sparkling wine production outside of Champagne (save for Pinot Blanc, which is used in Italy’s sparkling Franciacorta wines, and in Alsace).

Champagne Blend

The development of the Champagne Blend was not as deliberate as it might seem; the grapes that were chosen for cultivation in Champagne were those that were most likely to ripen in the cool continental climate of northern France. At a latitude of 49°N, Champagne is among the most northerly and coldest viticultural regions in the world. Its average growing season temperatures are several degrees lower than those found in California, Tasmania, Marlborough and the Western Cape, the regions that use Pinot and Chardonnay grapes in their sparkling wines. The cold autumns in Champagne make it a challenge to ripen grapes fully and to drive ferments through to completion. It was the latter fact that (according to legend) led the monk Dom Perignon to observe that unfermented sugar started a secondary fermentation in his bottles – and so began the development of the world’s most famous sparkling wine.

Other than the ability to ripen in cool climates, the three grapes all contribute something particular to Champagne Blend wines. Pinot Noir adds structure and brings a certain berryfruit nose to the blend, while the Chardonnay fleshes this out and sets the wine up for aging, particularly when the base wine is aged in oak. Pinot Meunier, the more widely planted of the three in the Champagne vineyards, is more of an insurance policy than a vital fine-wine component. Not only is it the first of the trio to bud and flower (avoiding the risk of frost damage) but it is also the first to ripen. This is a considerable advantage in any cool-climate wine region, and more than compensates for Pinot Meunier’s lack of flavor. This explains why “Champagne Blend” in the warmer regions of the New World so rarely refers to wines containing Pinot Meunier.

Variations on the Champagne blend are used all over the world, in the crémant wines of Alsace and Burgundy, in Italy’s top sparkling wine Franciacorta, and modern styles of Cava. The other members of the Pinot family (Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc) are the other main varieties used in these variations. There is no question, however, that the classic Champagne Blend (or at least two-thirds of it) has proved its worth in vineyards the world over.

Food matches for Champagne Blend wines include:

• Smoked salmon terrine
• Pork and prawn dumplings
• Fried chicken with chilli mayo
  

  ---

Region

Champagne Brut Wines

Champagne Brut is dry, sparkling wine from the Champagne region of northern France. Champagne of any color can be brut, both the standard white and Rosé. It is made from the classic Champagne Blend (typically Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier) but in theory can also include the four lesser-known Champagne varieties: Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Petit Meslier and Arbane.

The French word brut translates roughly as ‘raw’, and in this sense it indicates a wine bottled in its natural, raw state – i.e. without a significant addition of sweetness (dosage). In practice, almost all brut Champagnes do receive a small addition of sweetness prior to final bottling. Nowadays, the terms “brut nature” and “zero dosage” are used to indicate champagnes with no dosage at all. See Brut Nature.

Champagne Brut

Rows of riddling racks in Champagne
The laws governing Champagne wine labels define brut wine as “containing less than 15 grams per liter of sugar”. This same definition is reflected in E.U. law, and applies to sparkling wines from all European countries. In non-sparkling wines, which lack Champagne’s sparkle and high acidity, this much sugar would leave the wine perceptibly sweet.

The brut style was pioneered by top-end Champagne house Perrier-Jouet in the mid-19th Century, originally for their extensive market in England. The 1846 vintage marked the beginning of a new era; in that year Perrier-Jouet took the brave decision not to add any sugar to their wines destined for the English market. Prior to this, Champagne had always been sweetened, but the drier, unsweetened style soon gained in popularity. Technically speaking, what Perrier-Jouet created would now be defined as Brut Nature.

In the late 20th and early 21st Centuries, dry, white, brut Champagne has become the default. It is now vastly more popular than sweeter styles such as Sec, Demi-Sec and Doux.

The other official Champagne sweetness levels:

• Doux (50+ g/L)
• Demi-sec (33–50 g/L)
• Sec (17–35 g/L)
• Extra-Sec (12–20 g/L)
• Brut (0–12 g/L)
• Extra Brut (0–6 g/L)
• Brut Nature/Zero (0–3 g/L).

The post Champagne Gosset – Cuvée Extra Brut appeared first on WineYou.

For 135 years, the Serena family has dedicated itself to wine production with skill and passion. In 1968, Armando Serena, current president of Montelvini, embarked on an innovative, experimental and forwardthinking road, initiating autonomous wine production in Venegazzù, a small region in Montello, creating a new style wine producer, unique in the most important growth years for international wine culture. The soul of Montelvini is traditional in terms of wine production methods, and modern in terms of its business management model, constantly keeping up with the times.

Prosecco DOC/DOCG

Prosecco is an Italian sparkling wine appellation that can be both DOC and DOCG depending on where the vineyards are located, produced from Glera grapes (previously known as Prosecco) and its name is thought to come from Prosecco, an Italian village at the heart of the Prosecco region, where the grape is thought to have originated from.

The change of name for the grape, from Prosecco to Glera, was a consequence of the Prosecco becoming DOC and DOCG and therefore a protected name in Europe under European law, making essentially illegal for wines produced outside the Prosecco region in the North East of Italy to be labeled as Prosecco. Before Prosecco became protected, any wine made with Prosecco grape, anywhere in the world, could have been called Prosecco. And whilst the protection applies within the EU, it doesn’t outside. In Australia, Prosecco grapes are grown and bottled as Prosecco, but these bottles cannot be imported and sold in the EU, but are in Australia and in other countries.

While the status of Prosecco Superiore DOCG has only been given to sparkling wines made in the Valdobbiadene, Cartizze and Asolo areas, the DOC status comprises sparkling wines made with glera grapes grown in a wider area, made of 3 regions, Veneto, Trentino and Friuli, essentially the whole northeast of Italy. Any sparkling wine made with Glera grapes grown outside the area cannot be called Prosecco, it may be called Glera or any other name, and the label would include the word “spumante”, to indicate that it is a sparkling wine.

Prosecco is a sparkling wine made following the method Charmat or Martinotti, the Italian who originally developed the method, with the fermentation taking place in stainless steel tanks and lasting anything between 30 days to 3 months, the longer the fermentation the better is the quality of the sparkling wine.

Prosecco is an aromatic and light sparkling white wine, crispy and refreshing, delicate, light, unlike Classic Method sparkling wines that have much more structure and dept, like Franciacorta

The post Montelvini Prosecco Rose appeared first on WineYou.

For 135 years, the Serena family has dedicated itself to wine production with skill and passion. In 1968, Armando Serena, current president of Montelvini, embarked on an innovative, experimental and forwardthinking road, initiating autonomous wine production in Venegazzù, a small region in Montello, creating a new style wine producer, unique in the most important growth years for international wine culture. The soul of Montelvini is traditional in terms of wine production methods, and modern in terms of its business management model, constantly keeping up with the times.

Prosecco DOC/DOCG

Prosecco is an Italian sparkling wine appellation that can be both DOC and DOCG depending on where the vineyards are located, produced from Glera grapes (previously known as Prosecco) and its name is thought to come from Prosecco, an Italian village at the heart of the Prosecco region, where the grape is thought to have originated from.

The change of name for the grape, from Prosecco to Glera, was a consequence of the Prosecco becoming DOC and DOCG and therefore a protected name in Europe under European law, making essentially illegal for wines produced outside the Prosecco region in the North East of Italy to be labeled as Prosecco. Before Prosecco became protected, any wine made with Prosecco grape, anywhere in the world, could have been called Prosecco. And whilst the protection applies within the EU, it doesn’t outside. In Australia, Prosecco grapes are grown and bottled as Prosecco, but these bottles cannot be imported and sold in the EU, but are in Australia and in other countries.

While the status of Prosecco Superiore DOCG has only been given to sparkling wines made in the Valdobbiadene, Cartizze and Asolo areas, the DOC status comprises sparkling wines made with glera grapes grown in a wider area, made of 3 regions, Veneto, Trentino and Friuli, essentially the whole northeast of Italy. Any sparkling wine made with Glera grapes grown outside the area cannot be called Prosecco, it may be called Glera or any other name, and the label would include the word “spumante”, to indicate that it is a sparkling wine.

Prosecco is a sparkling wine made following the method Charmat or Martinotti, the Italian who originally developed the method, with the fermentation taking place in stainless steel tanks and lasting anything between 30 days to 3 months, the longer the fermentation the better is the quality of the sparkling wine.

Prosecco is an aromatic and light sparkling white wine, crispy and refreshing, delicate, light, unlike Classic Method sparkling wines that have much more structure and dept, like Franciacorta

The post Montelvini Prosecco Treviso DOC Brut appeared first on WineYou.

Since its foundation in 1729, the first established House of Champagne has taken pride in the excellence of its cuvées. The Ruinart taste bears the signature of Chardonnay, the thread that runs through all its blends and produces pure and intense wines of remarkable aromatic freshness.

As the emblem of the House, Blanc de Blancs is the perfect expression of the Ruinart taste and is comprised of 100% Chardonnay grapes grown primarily with Premiers Crus.

The blend is 100% Chardonnay from various years (comprising 25 to 30% reserve wines from the previous two years). Provenance: A large majority of Premiers Crus from the Côte des Blancs and Montagne de Reims vineyards for aromatic refinement, supplemented by Sézannais wines known to provide maturity. Wines from the north of the Vesle valley give a light, fresh touch.

Ruinart Blanc de Blancs is a perfect champagne for all occasions: aperitifs, lunch, dinner or celebratory meals. This cuvée marries perfectly with dishes such as sea scallop carpaccio and sea bream tartare. It makes a lovely accompaniment to pineapple and prawn skewers. The vivacity of Ruinart Blanc de Blancs is a perfect complement to seafood and white fish.

Champagne Ruinart Rosé

Ruinart Rosé is the very first Rosé Champagne in history and dates back to the 18th century. Ruinart is a real Champagne Royalty located in the heart of the Champagne Region, in Reims.

The colour is a delicate pomegranate pink with very slightly orange reflections. The sparkling, light effervescence has a persistent foam.

The nose is subtle and fresh, first offering an original palette of tropical fruits (guava and lychee) and small berries (raspberries, cherries and wild strawberries) in the first instance. These are followed by rose and pomegranate notes which complete the complex, intense aromatic profile.

On the palate the attack is distinct and full, cradled by a gentle effervescence. The aromas of freshly picked berries are fully expressed. The balance brings together a delightful freshness and voluptuous body, expressed by an elegant bracing touch of mint and pink grapefruit.

Region

Champagne Brut Wines

Champagne Brut is dry, sparkling wine from the Champagne region of northern France. Champagne of any color can be brut, both the standard white and Rosé. It is made from the classic Champagne Blend (typically Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier) but in theory can also include the four lesser-known Champagne varieties: Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Petit Meslier and Arbane.

The French word brut translates roughly as ‘raw’, and in this sense it indicates a wine bottled in its natural, raw state – i.e. without a significant addition of sweetness (dosage). In practice, almost all brut Champagnes do receive a small addition of sweetness prior to final bottling. Nowadays, the terms “brut nature” and “zero dosage” are used to indicate champagnes with no dosage at all. See Brut Nature.

Champagne Brut

Rows of riddling racks in Champagne
The laws governing Champagne wine labels define brut wine as “containing less than 15 grams per liter of sugar”. This same definition is reflected in E.U. law, and applies to sparkling wines from all European countries. In non-sparkling wines, which lack Champagne’s sparkle and high acidity, this much sugar would leave the wine perceptibly sweet.

The brut style was pioneered by top-end Champagne house Perrier-Jouet in the mid-19th Century, originally for their extensive market in England. The 1846 vintage marked the beginning of a new era; in that year Perrier-Jouet took the brave decision not to add any sugar to their wines destined for the English market. Prior to this, Champagne had always been sweetened, but the drier, unsweetened style soon gained in popularity. Technically speaking, what Perrier-Jouet created would now be defined as Brut Nature.

In the late 20th and early 21st Centuries, dry, white, brut Champagne has become the default. It is now vastly more popular than sweeter styles such as Sec, Demi-Sec and Doux.

The other official Champagne sweetness levels:

• Doux (50+ g/L)
• Demi-sec (33–50 g/L)
• Sec (17–35 g/L)
• Extra-Sec (12–20 g/L)
• Brut (0–12 g/L)
• Extra Brut (0–6 g/L)
• Brut Nature/Zero (0–3 g/L).

The post Ruinart Rose appeared first on WineYou.

The Moscato, Muscat in France or Moscadel in Spain and Portugal, is an aromatic grape found in almost all the Italian peninsula and it is one of the most cultivated grapes in the world and Italy produces more Moscato than any other country, mainly as Moscato d’Asti, made from Moscato Bianco and it has many synonyms and appellations, the main ones are Moscadello di Montalcino, Moscato di Canelli, Moscato di Trani, Moscato d’Asti.

The Moscato belongs to the Moscati family of grapes, aromatic varieties whose name derives from “muscum”, moss in latin, whose characteristic aroma is found in the grapes . Other branches of the family worth mentioning are Moscato di Alessandria, known for its light and fruity white wines. Moscato Ottonel is pale and ripens early, while the Moscato d’Amburgo is a black grape variety and is often used as a table grape. Finally, the Moscato Giallo and Moscato Rosa (yellow and pink) both from northern Italy, are used to make a range of sweet and dry wines. As a general rule, Moscato prefers warm climates and prospers in the Mediterranean climate. Moscato has a distinctive aroma, but its versatility makes it an attractive option for winemakers. Moscato wines can be dry, medium, sweet, sparkling or even dessert wine.

Region

Prosecco is a sparkling wine from north-eastern Italy, specifically the Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia wine regions. It is also the informal name for the grape variety used to make these wines, which is now known officially as Glera. Until 2020 the designation applied only to white wine, but Prosecco Rosé was introduced in 2020.

Italian Prosecco was once a broad category of sweet fizz, bearing a strong resemblance to the low-quality Asti (then called Asti Spumante). It was seen to some degree as poor man’s champagne. It was used by wine educators to demonstrate the quality difference between sparkling wines made in the methode traditionelle and those made by the Charmat method.

But as production and viticultural techniques improved, so did the wines. The bubbles began to get finer and more persistent, and the flavors and aromas developed a subtle complexity. The excessive sugar additions once used to cover up winemaking defects lessened. Now Prosecco has become more than just a component of Bellini cocktails

The post Tosti 1820 Moscato Sparkling appeared first on WineYou.

The Prosecco-Glera name change happened in 2009, when Conegliano-Valdobbiadene Prosecco was promoted to full DOCG status (the highest level of Italian wine quality). In light of this promotion, it was decided that the name Prosecco should be reserved exclusively for wines covered by Italy’s official Prosecco appellation titles, and should not be used for the grape variety.

Glera is a highly productive grape that ripens late in the season. It has high acidity and a fairly neutral palate, making it ideal for sparkling wine production. Glera’s aromatic profile is characterized by white peaches, with an occasional soapy note. The wine is light-bodied and low in alcohol (8.5 percent is the minimum permitted ABV for Prosecco wines), suggesting it as a refreshing summer beverage or as an aperitif. Outside Italy, Glera is grown in Slovenia and Australia, in particular the King Valley.

Region

Prosecco is a sparkling wine from north-eastern Italy, specifically the Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia wine regions. It is also the informal name for the grape variety used to make these wines, which is now known officially as Glera. Until 2020 the designation applied only to white wine, but Prosecco Rosé was introduced in 2020.

Italian Prosecco was once a broad category of sweet fizz, bearing a strong resemblance to the low-quality Asti (then called Asti Spumante). It was seen to some degree as poor man’s champagne. It was used by wine educators to demonstrate the quality difference between sparkling wines made in the methode traditionelle and those made by the Charmat method.

But as production and viticultural techniques improved, so did the wines. The bubbles began to get finer and more persistent, and the flavors and aromas developed a subtle complexity. The excessive sugar additions once used to cover up winemaking defects lessened. Now Prosecco has become more than just a component of Bellini cocktails.

The post Bersano castellengo prosecco appeared first on WineYou.

The Moscato, Muscat in France or Moscadel in Spain and Portugal, is an aromatic grape found in almost all the Italian peninsula and it is one of the most cultivated grapes in the world and Italy produces more Moscato than any other country, mainly as Moscato d’Asti, made from Moscato Bianco and it has many synonyms and appellations, the main ones are Moscadello di Montalcino, Moscato di Canelli, Moscato di Trani, Moscato d’Asti.

The Moscato belongs to the Moscati family of grapes, aromatic varieties whose name derives from “muscum”, moss in latin, whose characteristic aroma is found in the grapes . Other branches of the family worth mentioning are Moscato di Alessandria, known for its light and fruity white wines. Moscato Ottonel is pale and ripens early, while the Moscato d’Amburgo is a black grape variety and is often used as a table grape. Finally, the Moscato Giallo and Moscato Rosa (yellow and pink) both from northern Italy, are used to make a range of sweet and dry wines. As a general rule, Moscato prefers warm climates and prospers in the Mediterranean climate. Moscato has a distinctive aroma, but its versatility makes it an attractive option for winemakers. Moscato wines can be dry, medium, sweet, sparkling or even dessert wine.

Region

Prosecco is a sparkling wine from north-eastern Italy, specifically the Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia wine regions. It is also the informal name for the grape variety used to make these wines, which is now known officially as Glera. Until 2020 the designation applied only to white wine, but Prosecco Rosé was introduced in 2020.

Italian Prosecco was once a broad category of sweet fizz, bearing a strong resemblance to the low-quality Asti (then called Asti Spumante). It was seen to some degree as poor man’s champagne. It was used by wine educators to demonstrate the quality difference between sparkling wines made in the methode traditionelle and those made by the Charmat method.

But as production and viticultural techniques improved, so did the wines. The bubbles began to get finer and more persistent, and the flavors and aromas developed a subtle complexity. The excessive sugar additions once used to cover up winemaking defects lessened. Now Prosecco has become more than just a component of Bellini cocktails

The post Tosti 1820 Pink Moscato Sparkling appeared first on WineYou.

The Prosecco-Glera name change happened in 2009, when Conegliano-Valdobbiadene Prosecco was promoted to full DOCG status (the highest level of Italian wine quality). In light of this promotion, it was decided that the name Prosecco should be reserved exclusively for wines covered by Italy’s official Prosecco appellation titles, and should not be used for the grape variety.

Glera is a highly productive grape that ripens late in the season. It has high acidity and a fairly neutral palate, making it ideal for sparkling wine production. Glera’s aromatic profile is characterized by white peaches, with an occasional soapy note. The wine is light-bodied and low in alcohol (8.5 percent is the minimum permitted ABV for Prosecco wines), suggesting it as a refreshing summer beverage or as an aperitif. Outside Italy, Glera is grown in Slovenia and Australia, in particular the King Valley.

Region

Prosecco is a sparkling wine from north-eastern Italy, specifically the Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia wine regions. It is also the informal name for the grape variety used to make these wines, which is now known officially as Glera. Until 2020 the designation applied only to white wine, but Prosecco Rosé was introduced in 2020.

Italian Prosecco was once a broad category of sweet fizz, bearing a strong resemblance to the low-quality Asti (then called Asti Spumante). It was seen to some degree as poor man’s champagne. It was used by wine educators to demonstrate the quality difference between sparkling wines made in the methode traditionelle and those made by the Charmat method.

But as production and viticultural techniques improved, so did the wines. The bubbles began to get finer and more persistent, and the flavors and aromas developed a subtle complexity. The excessive sugar additions once used to cover up winemaking defects lessened. Now Prosecco has become more than just a component of Bellini cocktails.

The post Tosti Prosecco Extra Dry appeared first on WineYou.

93 points James Suckling
This is lovely, the aromas and flavors run long into the finish with notes of light butter biscuits, subtle cooked apples and peaches. It’s full yet balanced and long. Lovely texture. Lots of flavor and polished textured bubbles. The base in the current release is 2016 vintage. 50% chardonnay, 35% pinot noir and 15% pinot meunier. Disgorged in December 2022. Drink now.

Grape Variety

Champagne Blend Wine

The term Champagne Blend refers to one of the world’s most distinctive wine styles – the sparkling wines made from Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier that are most famously associated with the Champagne region of northern France. The term, however, has come to evoke wines made in the methode traditionnelle around the world, and particularly in New World countries like the United States, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are the stars of the blend, usually used in roughly equal quantities in New World examples. The less glamorous Pinot Meunier really only comes into play in real, pure-blooded Champagne. In fact, there are seven permitted grape varieties in the Champagne AOC, although the remaining four – Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Petit Meslier and Arbane – are so rarely used that they are typically forgotten, and are almost never used for sparkling wine production outside of Champagne (save for Pinot Blanc, which is used in Italy’s sparkling Franciacorta wines, and in Alsace).

Champagne Blend

The development of the Champagne Blend was not as deliberate as it might seem; the grapes that were chosen for cultivation in Champagne were those that were most likely to ripen in the cool continental climate of northern France. At a latitude of 49°N, Champagne is among the most northerly and coldest viticultural regions in the world. Its average growing season temperatures are several degrees lower than those found in California, Tasmania, Marlborough and the Western Cape, the regions that use Pinot and Chardonnay grapes in their sparkling wines. The cold autumns in Champagne make it a challenge to ripen grapes fully and to drive ferments through to completion. It was the latter fact that (according to legend) led the monk Dom Perignon to observe that unfermented sugar started a secondary fermentation in his bottles – and so began the development of the world’s most famous sparkling wine.

Other than the ability to ripen in cool climates, the three grapes all contribute something particular to Champagne Blend wines. Pinot Noir adds structure and brings a certain berryfruit nose to the blend, while the Chardonnay fleshes this out and sets the wine up for aging, particularly when the base wine is aged in oak. Pinot Meunier, the more widely planted of the three in the Champagne vineyards, is more of an insurance policy than a vital fine-wine component. Not only is it the first of the trio to bud and flower (avoiding the risk of frost damage) but it is also the first to ripen. This is a considerable advantage in any cool-climate wine region, and more than compensates for Pinot Meunier’s lack of flavor. This explains why “Champagne Blend” in the warmer regions of the New World so rarely refers to wines containing Pinot Meunier.

Variations on the Champagne blend are used all over the world, in the crémant wines of Alsace and Burgundy, in Italy’s top sparkling wine Franciacorta, and modern styles of Cava. The other members of the Pinot family (Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc) are the other main varieties used in these variations. There is no question, however, that the classic Champagne Blend (or at least two-thirds of it) has proved its worth in vineyards the world over.

Food matches for Champagne Blend wines include:

• Smoked salmon terrine
• Pork and prawn dumplings
• Fried chicken with chilli mayo
  

  ---

Region

Champagne Brut Wines

Champagne Brut is dry, sparkling wine from the Champagne region of northern France. Champagne of any color can be brut, both the standard white and Rosé. It is made from the classic Champagne Blend (typically Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier) but in theory can also include the four lesser-known Champagne varieties: Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Petit Meslier and Arbane.

The French word brut translates roughly as ‘raw’, and in this sense it indicates a wine bottled in its natural, raw state – i.e. without a significant addition of sweetness (dosage). In practice, almost all brut Champagnes do receive a small addition of sweetness prior to final bottling. Nowadays, the terms “brut nature” and “zero dosage” are used to indicate champagnes with no dosage at all. See Brut Nature.

Champagne Brut

Rows of riddling racks in Champagne
The laws governing Champagne wine labels define brut wine as “containing less than 15 grams per liter of sugar”. This same definition is reflected in E.U. law, and applies to sparkling wines from all European countries. In non-sparkling wines, which lack Champagne’s sparkle and high acidity, this much sugar would leave the wine perceptibly sweet.

The brut style was pioneered by top-end Champagne house Perrier-Jouet in the mid-19th Century, originally for their extensive market in England. The 1846 vintage marked the beginning of a new era; in that year Perrier-Jouet took the brave decision not to add any sugar to their wines destined for the English market. Prior to this, Champagne had always been sweetened, but the drier, unsweetened style soon gained in popularity. Technically speaking, what Perrier-Jouet created would now be defined as Brut Nature.

In the late 20th and early 21st Centuries, dry, white, brut Champagne has become the default. It is now vastly more popular than sweeter styles such as Sec, Demi-Sec and Doux.

The other official Champagne sweetness levels:

• Doux (50+ g/L)
• Demi-sec (33–50 g/L)
• Sec (17–35 g/L)
• Extra-Sec (12–20 g/L)
• Brut (0–12 g/L)
• Extra Brut (0–6 g/L)
• Brut Nature/Zero (0–3 g/L).

The post Laurent-Perrier La Cuvee Brut appeared first on WineYou.

92 points Decanter
PJ has a reputation for elegant Champagnes, and its lovely non-vintage is no exception. It has a fairly soft, round mouthfeel with flavours of baked apple and even some yellow fruits. There’s some cutting minerality and lemony acidity on the finish which refreshes the palate and leaves you wanting another sip.

Grape Variety

Champagne Blend Wine

The term Champagne Blend refers to one of the world’s most distinctive wine styles – the sparkling wines made from Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier that are most famously associated with the Champagne region of northern France. The term, however, has come to evoke wines made in the methode traditionnelle around the world, and particularly in New World countries like the United States, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are the stars of the blend, usually used in roughly equal quantities in New World examples. The less glamorous Pinot Meunier really only comes into play in real, pure-blooded Champagne. In fact, there are seven permitted grape varieties in the Champagne AOC, although the remaining four – Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Petit Meslier and Arbane – are so rarely used that they are typically forgotten, and are almost never used for sparkling wine production outside of Champagne (save for Pinot Blanc, which is used in Italy’s sparkling Franciacorta wines, and in Alsace).

Champagne Blend

The development of the Champagne Blend was not as deliberate as it might seem; the grapes that were chosen for cultivation in Champagne were those that were most likely to ripen in the cool continental climate of northern France. At a latitude of 49°N, Champagne is among the most northerly and coldest viticultural regions in the world. Its average growing season temperatures are several degrees lower than those found in California, Tasmania, Marlborough and the Western Cape, the regions that use Pinot and Chardonnay grapes in their sparkling wines. The cold autumns in Champagne make it a challenge to ripen grapes fully and to drive ferments through to completion. It was the latter fact that (according to legend) led the monk Dom Perignon to observe that unfermented sugar started a secondary fermentation in his bottles – and so began the development of the world’s most famous sparkling wine.

Other than the ability to ripen in cool climates, the three grapes all contribute something particular to Champagne Blend wines. Pinot Noir adds structure and brings a certain berryfruit nose to the blend, while the Chardonnay fleshes this out and sets the wine up for aging, particularly when the base wine is aged in oak. Pinot Meunier, the more widely planted of the three in the Champagne vineyards, is more of an insurance policy than a vital fine-wine component. Not only is it the first of the trio to bud and flower (avoiding the risk of frost damage) but it is also the first to ripen. This is a considerable advantage in any cool-climate wine region, and more than compensates for Pinot Meunier’s lack of flavor. This explains why “Champagne Blend” in the warmer regions of the New World so rarely refers to wines containing Pinot Meunier.

Variations on the Champagne blend are used all over the world, in the crémant wines of Alsace and Burgundy, in Italy’s top sparkling wine Franciacorta, and modern styles of Cava. The other members of the Pinot family (Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc) are the other main varieties used in these variations. There is no question, however, that the classic Champagne Blend (or at least two-thirds of it) has proved its worth in vineyards the world over.

Food matches for Champagne Blend wines include:

• Smoked salmon terrine
• Pork and prawn dumplings
• Fried chicken with chilli mayo
  

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Region

Champagne Brut Wines

Champagne Brut is dry, sparkling wine from the Champagne region of northern France. Champagne of any color can be brut, both the standard white and Rosé. It is made from the classic Champagne Blend (typically Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier) but in theory can also include the four lesser-known Champagne varieties: Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Petit Meslier and Arbane.

The French word brut translates roughly as ‘raw’, and in this sense it indicates a wine bottled in its natural, raw state – i.e. without a significant addition of sweetness (dosage). In practice, almost all brut Champagnes do receive a small addition of sweetness prior to final bottling. Nowadays, the terms “brut nature” and “zero dosage” are used to indicate champagnes with no dosage at all. See Brut Nature.

Champagne Brut

Rows of riddling racks in Champagne
The laws governing Champagne wine labels define brut wine as “containing less than 15 grams per liter of sugar”. This same definition is reflected in E.U. law, and applies to sparkling wines from all European countries. In non-sparkling wines, which lack Champagne’s sparkle and high acidity, this much sugar would leave the wine perceptibly sweet.

The brut style was pioneered by top-end Champagne house Perrier-Jouet in the mid-19th Century, originally for their extensive market in England. The 1846 vintage marked the beginning of a new era; in that year Perrier-Jouet took the brave decision not to add any sugar to their wines destined for the English market. Prior to this, Champagne had always been sweetened, but the drier, unsweetened style soon gained in popularity. Technically speaking, what Perrier-Jouet created would now be defined as Brut Nature.

In the late 20th and early 21st Centuries, dry, white, brut Champagne has become the default. It is now vastly more popular than sweeter styles such as Sec, Demi-Sec and Doux.

The other official Champagne sweetness levels:

• Doux (50+ g/L)
• Demi-sec (33–50 g/L)
• Sec (17–35 g/L)
• Extra-Sec (12–20 g/L)
• Brut (0–12 g/L)
• Extra Brut (0–6 g/L)
• Brut Nature/Zero (0–3 g/L).

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