Egly-Ouriet, Champagne, Grand Cru, Brut Tradition nv In the nose there is citrus, bruised apples and brown spices as in an apple pie. In keeping with the house style, the acidity is quite profound. This wine is quite tight, very long, very much just a baby at this point. The grapes are sourced from vines [...]

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Sparkling Pointe, North Fork of Long Island, Brut Seduction 2000 In the nose there are fresh and browned apples.  In the mouth there is also a sense of citrus, with pastry richness and note of custard. This is an elegant bubbly - very nice. It took the big award at the Chronicle Competition in January. [...]

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Charles Heidsieck, Champagne, Brut Reserve nv This wine has developed toastiness, nuttiness and a sense of bread dough. The texture is lovely, creamy yet refreshingly acidic. This new bottling was disgorged in 2008 and given a hefty price increase over the previous batch on the market which sold for just under $30 retail.
The base wine [...]

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Louis Bouillot, Cremant de Bourgogne, Perle de Vigne, Grande Reserve, Brut nv There’s a moderate level of concentration and a good deal of complexity for the price which I swear was about $15 but alas the price tag has vanished. The concentration is rather moderate though and not The grapes behind this methode traditionnelle are [...]

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Korbel, Russian River Valley Champagne, Natural’ Méthode Champenoise 2006 As in previous vintages, there’s a nice sense of green apples through and through, making this arguably Korbel’s best and most refreshing sparkler. 70% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay; styled instigated at Korbel by Adolf Heck in 1962, .7% dosage, P&B Guerneville. 12.5% $10.69 at Bottle [...]

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Penet-Chardonnet, Champagne, Grand Cru, Grande Reserve, Extra Brut nv There is a light golden color in the glass and the biscuit notes are quite developed in the nose - very complex. Besides the biscuits there are browned apples, cherries and toasted nuts. The mouth is electric with acidity, tasting of granny smiths and cranberries. This [...]

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Segura Viudas, Cava, Brut, Aria, Pinot Noir nv This seems a sweeter brut than many with some astringency - awkward. This is traditional method sparkling, fermented in the bottle opened and produced in Torrelavit 12% $7.49 at Bottle Barn

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Lucien Albrecht, Cremant d’Alsace, Brut, Rose nv In the nose are candied fruits and flowers. The mouth is quite fruity, moderately acidic with some creaminess. This wine is all Pinot Noir and the wine spends 9 months on the lees after the second fermentation. Proprietor and winemaker Jean Albrecht. Produced in Orschwihr 12% $19.79 at [...]

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Schramsberg, North Coast, Reserve 2001 The nose is very smoky and toasty, with a sense of freshly buttered pastry. In the mouth, the wine is reminiscent of a fresh pastry made with lemon and custard and topped with lots of lime cordial - a sweet-tart essense that is quite long. This wine is very rich, [...]

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Egly-Ouriet, Champagne, Grand Cru, Rose, Brut nv Concentrated red fruits mark the nose. The mouth repeats this expression of fruit on a layer of minerality. - very young, very dense and very long - yes. The grapes are sourced from Ambonnay, Bouzy and Verzenay, 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay. Approximately 30% reserve wines were [...]

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Gloria Ferrer, Carneros, Late Disgorged, Carneros Cuvee, Brut 1998 There is lots of perfume in the nose and the mouth is soft and a bit sweeter than other bubblies labeled as brut, a sparkler with ginger ale and candy-like flavors. The grapes are 55% Pinot Noir and 45% Chardonnay. The base wine was created from [...]

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Jacquesson, Champagne, Cuvee No.732, Brut The name of Jacquesson’s nv brut changes with each successive base wine, the current release being No. 732. The nose features floral notes, sweet in nature, like jasmine with a sense of candied fruits - very pretty. The mouth is very dense, with fresh and baked fruit flavors. While there [...]

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Tarlant, Champagne, Brut Zero The nose features minerality, toast and citrus fruits. The mouth is bone dry and austere, like biting into the pith of an orange. The grapes are roughly 1/3 each of the players in Champagne, namely Chardonnay and each of the Pinots.  The base wine is mostly from 2005 with the addition [...]

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Mayo Family Winery, Sonoma Valley, Laurel Hill Vineyard, Methode Champenoise, Brut 2003 There’s plenty of green apple and tart cherry as well as a little toastiness. P&B in Lower Lake 12.5% $27.99 at Bottle Barn Mayo

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Nicolas Feuillatte, Champagne, Brut nv
There’s a fruity, round expression to this bubbly. The house delivers moderate but fairly priced concentration for Champagne. The grapes are 40% Pinot Noir, 40% Pinot Meunier and 20% Chardonnay, aged 3 years on the lees. Elabore by the cooperative in Chouilly 12% $28.59 at Bottle Barn and $36.99 at Traverso’s Nicolas Feuillatte

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Domaine J. Laurens, Cremant de Limoux, Blanc de Blancs, Brut ,Tête de Cuvée, Méthode Traditionnelle nv There is candied fruit in the nose and a little sense of biscuits. The mouth is a bit hollow, low in concentration and not very acidic. Yet this has proved a good alternative for cheap French bubbly.

Prod in La [...]

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La Morandina, Moscato d’Asti DOCG 2007 The ‘07 is just as vibrantly fresh and full of orange blossoms as the previous vintage. There’s lots of residual sugar and the light body and freshness that you expect in Moscato d’Asti. P&B in Castiglione Tinella 5.5% $20.99 at Traverso’s
Charles Heidsieck, Champagne, Brut Reserve This is certainly a [...]

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This flight shows a nice contrast in approach to the making of pink sparkling in California. The Roederer embraces a high acid framework that is very crisp while the Mumm goes for a softer approach with a more visible hint of RS in the background. Different animals and I like them both.
Roederer Estate, Anderson Valley, [...]

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Mumm Napa Napa Valley Devaux Ranch Methode Traditionnelle 2002
There’s lots of citrus with a hint of the zest and a touch of alcohol. The grapes are Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and the wine was aged 3 years on the lees. P&B in Rutherford 12.5% $30 at the winery Mumm
Gloria Ferrer, Carneros, Vintage Reserve, Royal Cuvee, [...]

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Mumm Napa Napa Valley Grande Annee 2001
Lots of citrus fruit in the sparkler of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. A lighter-bodied sparkling that is fruit driven, rounded and possessing some floral/minty characteristics. P&B in Rutherford 12.5% $30 at the winery Mumm

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We’ve looked at different styles of brut sparkling before. This flight illustrates some more contrast in what this word can mean.
Roederer Estate Anderson Valley Estate Bottled Brut nv
This wine is consistently the personification of green apples - lip smacking delicious for the fan of high acid sparkling that pulls no punches. P&B in Philo 12% [...]

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Tonight we taste 8 different bubblies on the pink side, from Spain, north to Burgundy and Champagne and finally back home to California.
Codorniu Cava Pinot Noir Brut nv
Earthy and coarse - a real disappointment. All Pinot Noir fermented in the bottle tasted, as in methode champenoise. Elaborador in Saint Sadurni d’Anoia in the Penedes 12% [...]

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This flight pits top wines from Schramsberg in Calistoga and Roederer Estate in Philo.
Roederer Estate Anderson Valley L”Ermitage Estate Brut 2000
This has been a personal favorite balancing the racy house style with the complexity given by time on the lees and oak-aged reserves. Still a great value for the amount and quality of flavor for [...]

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J Russian River Valley late disgorged brut 1997
Smelling of acacia flowers and a bit of bread with brie, the mouth is elegant with richness and a the taste of warm biscuits. P&B in Healdsburg 12.5% $79.99 at Bottle Barn J

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Domaine Chandon etoile Brut
This is true to type with the house style of forward fruit and a soft profile. The fruit source for this wine is 54% from Napa and 46% from Sonoma. After primary ferment this wine was put in the bottle for its secondary ferment in 2001 and aged for 5 years on [...]

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Brut and Natural are words that we use to describe the final dosage or sweetness level of sparkling wine. In France, Natural, Brut Nature or any of the various proprietary names communicating the same, ranges from 0 to 6 g/l. Brut, the next level of increasing sweetness, ranges from 0 to 15 g/l.
Thus there is [...]

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No.1 Family Estate Marlborough Cuvee No.1 Blanc de Blanc Sparkling Wine nv
Crisp and concentrated, like biting into a green apple. As with Blanc de Blancs from Champagne, this is 100% Chardonnay, aged two years en tirage. Owner & winemaker Daniel Le Brun. Produced in Blenheim 12.5% $27.29 at Bottle Barn No.1
Huia Marlborough Brut 2000
A [...]

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Gloria Ferrer Sonoma County Methode Champenoise Blanc de Noirs nv
This is a perennial favorite in my classes. The silky, lowish acid profile combined with the dosage earns this wine many fans. 92% Pinot Noir and 8% Chardonnay, color from the addition of 5-7% cold-soaked Pinot Noir juice added to the base wine, 18 mos [...]

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This flight demonstrates the contrasting taste profiles in the methode champenoise wines of Franciacorta and the tank feremented Prosecco of the Veneto.
Bellavista Franciacorta DOCG Cuvee Brut nv
Fresh and dry, this wine is 80% Chardonnay, with the balance Pinot Bianco and some Pinot Nero with reserve wines. P&B in Erbusco 12.5% $29.95 at Traverso’s Bellavista
Ruggeri [...]

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