Lots of Bubbles in Rainy Dry Creek

Bill Lundstrom

Bill Lundstrom

Bill Lundstrom
Some brief notes from a sparkling tasting in Heladsburg, Ca last week at Bergamot Alley. If you havent been there and you are ever in the area, go. wine bar with only non domestic wines on the list. very disorderly.

Provenza "Turbian", Gropello and Marzemino, Garda, Veneto.
Charmat method, Dry, frizzante, strawberry, clean, crisp, thirst quenching. pink.

Vignale Cecilia, "Val di Spin" Garganega, Glera, Pinella. Colli Euganei, Veneto.
Pet-Nat, native yeasts, stainless. from calcareous soils. this was damn good. not disgorged, toasted bread, slightly nutty, a bit yeasty, finished very dry. i bought a few.

Pere Mata "Cupada" Macabeu, Xarello, Parellada, Penedes, Catalunya
2010 vintage, zero dosage, organic, limestone, sand, clay soils.
acidic, focused, mineral, dry, bracing, some tonic or quinine, funky game bird nose. (like freshly shot birds)

Vitteaut-Alberti "Cuvee Agnes" Cremant de Bourgogne Cote Chalonnaise, Cote de Beaune
again fresh game birds on nose, yeasty, ginger, toasted brioche, elegant and round. nice stuff.

Thierry Tissot Bugey Brut, Altesse, Chardonnay, Jacquere, Aligote. form clay and shale soils. 30 months sur lies.
my first fully dry Bugey. floral, mineral, lean, white flowers. this is very good. bought a few of these.

Tissot "Indigene"
we all know this one. including it here becaus eit showed beautifully. bottle wa sobviously in very good condition, which makes me wonder if my experiences have been with somewhat comprimised bottles becaus ei never really loved this wine.
this was all walnut skins, slightly oxidative, some anise? or root beer? bitter lemon. quite good.

2011 Hofgut Falkenstein Brut Sekt, Saar
No dosage, lemon merangue, petrol, lime, terrific.

Francois Pinon Brut
Rain water, some walnut, bright green apple, lovely, lovely wine.

2012 Texier "Rouletabulle" Chasselas Pet-Nat
gingery, Lime, Quinine, rain water, mineral. really unique wine.

Julien Fouet Rose, Cabernet Franc. Saumur
closed, tomato skin, herbaceaous, but muted. not agreat showing.

2012 Rujac "Royaz" Refosk, Syrah, Istra, Slovenia
Flysch soil, native yeasts, unfined, not disgorged.
this was disgorged at the tasting in a clear water bucket which was really cool, to see.
this wine was fascinating. Clay, Blood orange, grilled meats, oxidative, really good.
 
Great notes, thanks for sharing them. Sounds like a very interesting tasting.

My understanding of the Texier pet-nat is that he makes two versions, one that is approximately dry and another that clocks in around 15g/L. Tasty stuff, in either case.

Movia is another Slovenian producer that makes a "user-disgorged" sparkling wine called Puro. Also, they include cardboard rings for storing the bottles upside-down, a necessary step to allow the yeast to settle in the neck of the bottle. I don't really see the appeal of this approach-- I have about as much desire for undisgorged sparkling as I do for unshucked oysters. However, the reports on the wines are good...

I definitely need to check out Bergamot Alley on my next trip to the area.
 
originally posted by Michael Lewis:
originally posted by Sharon Bowman:
originally posted by Michael Lewis:
a bottle of Muscadet
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The most important tool.
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I agree. You can make do without the knife (by staring down the oysters until they give in and open out of fear), but the Muscadet cannot be replaced.
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In addition to Muscadet, a good metal mesh glove is amazingly useful (especially after the first few glasses of Muscadet).

Mark Lipton (still in possession of both thumbs)
 
originally posted by Ross Massey:
Great notes, thanks for sharing them. Sounds like a very interesting tasting.

My understanding of the Texier pet-nat is that he makes two versions, one that is approximately dry and another that clocks in around 15g/L. Tasty stuff, in either case.

Movia is another Slovenian producer that makes a "user-disgorged" sparkling wine called Puro. Also, they include cardboard rings for storing the bottles upside-down, a necessary step to allow the yeast to settle in the neck of the bottle. I don't really see the appeal of this approach-- I have about as much desire for undisgorged sparkling as I do for unshucked oysters. However, the reports on the wines are good...

I definitely need to check out Bergamot Alley on my next trip to the area.
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i think eric does make two versions. and, yes, hit bergamot alley for sure.
 
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