Only Bubbles Tasting

Luis Pato Maria Gomes Bruto NV $14.99

Luís Pato has been making wine in northwestern Portugal since 1980, ten years after his father João became the first producer to estate bottle wines after the Bairrada DOC was granted. After experimenting with Baga over the years, Luis was even able to produce the first Vinhas Velhas wine from Portugal. However, in 1999,he chose to leave the DOC denomination and now labels his wines as Regional Beiras.

Luis now has 60 hectares of vines, focusing on the Baga grape for red wines, and Bical and Maria Gomes for whites, and also makes a line of sparkling wines (since the 1890s Bairrada has been considered the cradle of Portuguese sparkling wine production). 

Maria Gomes is a widely planted Portuguese white grape (also known as Fernão Pires), that grows well in the sandy soils of Bairrada. For this wine the initial fermentation is in stainless steel followed by a second fermentation in the bottle. Think easy and dry, crisp apples and grapefruit, nice texture, great value!

Domaine Les Genêts “Tradition” Clairette de Die Méthode Ancestrale, NV Rhône(ish) $21.99

Clairette de Die is a pair of appellations for sparkling white wines centered in Die, the town between the Rhône Valley and the Alps. According to Pliny the Elder, the world’s first wine critic and terroir enthusiast (who died as a result of the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius) wine has been made here since Roman times, and the gently fizzy wines may pre-date those of Champagne. Limited production and the idiosyncratic style of the wines have combined to keep the Clairette de Die appellation off almost everyone’s radar.

Two very different sparkling Clairette de Die are made here: the dry version, Clairette de Die Brut, is made from clairette grapes via the transfer method, in which the second fermentation is induced by adding sugar & yeast to a base wine, which is then bottled –but instead of being hand-riddled and disgorged, the contents are instead transferred to a bulk pressure tank and the sediment is removed by clarification. 

Clairette de Die Méthode Ancestrale, known locally as “Tradition”, is more distinctive. It must be made from whole grapes and made sparkling by the traditional method, Methode Ancestrale, or Pétillent Naturel, now known popularly as Pet-Nat. The wine must contain at least 75% Muscat à Petits Grains, and the rest Clairette. With natural yeasts, the grapes begin their fermentation in tank and continue until about 7% alcohol is attained. The wine is then drawn from the tank and bottled where it finishes its fermentation. Neither sugar nor yeast is added and the wine is produced without the addition of any SO2.

Domaine Les Genêts is a fifth generation family farm located in the sleepy village of Ponet et Saint Auban, an area popular with hikers, bikers, and outdoor enthusiasts who come for the spectacular landscape along the path of the Drome River as it winds through the Alps to the valley of the Rhone River. 

Thierry Marcel farms his seven hectares of vines along with his Percheron horse (similar to a Clydesdale, but bigger) named Rafale. Thierry took over in 2005 and received organic certification in 2011.

Les Genets “Tradition” is a lively wine with heady aromatics, a honey-laced sweetness, and balanced, refreshing acidity. This makes it a pairing partner for both savory dishes and desserts.

It would be perfect with a brunch items like quiche, omelets, salty bacon, french toast or waffles, and would also work with an appetizer platter of fresh cheeses with figs, melon, dried fruits, almonds, & thinly sliced cured ham.

For dessert, think sponge cakes, shortbread cookies, sweet biscotti with almonds, fruit tarts of all kinds, custards, and crème brulée.

Lini 910 Labrusca Rosso NV, Emilia-Romagna Italy, $18.99

Founded in 1910 by Oreste Lini, in Correggio, in the heart of the Emilia-Romagna region, Lini 910 is a fourth-generation, family-owned and operated winery. Fabio Lini is the winemaker now, and operated the winery along with his sister Anita Lini, and his brother Massimo Lini. They have remained true to the family's trademark dry style of Lambrusco and also produce a long-lees aged Champagne method Lambrusco. Labrusca is the ancient Roman name for the family of Lambrusco grape varieties.

Labrusca Rosso NV is 85% Salamino, 15% Ancellotta made in the Charmat method. First a still Lambrusco is produced and then it’s racked to pressurized, temperature-controlled tanks where the second fermentation takes place. The wines are then aged on their lees until “the desired complexity and nuance are achieved.” This sparkling red is dry and full of bright red berry flavors balanced by juicy acidity and fresh, earthy minerality. It’s a very versatile food pair, from brunch to BBQ. 12% abv, RS 12g/L.

Lini 910 Lambrusco In Coreggio Rosso Metodo Classico Millesimato 2007$36.99

This is an unusual vintage Lambrusco, made in the Champagne method and aged on the lees for 14-15 years before release. It’s 100% Lambrusco di Salamino with the initial fermentation in cement before second fermentation in bottle. The color is brick-tinged, but the palate is fresh and alive with ripe, tart blueberries, plums, cherries, and savory herbs & sweet spice. The bubbles are soft and elegant. The acidity is fresh and the wine finishes with figs, plums, dried flowers and herbs. Drink now, but it still has another 10-15 years on it. It’s too early to think Thanksgiving, but this wine will work really well on the Thanksgiving table.