The best time of year is upon us – Holiday Season! What’s better than family, friends, and a bounty of bubbly?! Whether you’re celebrating Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year’s Eve or even just a couple of days off work, ‘tis the season for some celebratory sparkles in your glass!
Of course, with this comes the issue of finding a good bottle of Champagne or sparkling wine that’ll impress both you and your guests. Well fret no more for Spec’s has narrowed it down to 4! We’ve got two Champagnes and two sparkling wines that are sure to impress even the pickiest guest!
Hooray Holidays!
Brooks Extended Tirage Sparkling Riesling – Oregon
A stunningly bright sparkling Riesling, bone-dry with gorgeously developed notes of preserved lemon, kumquat, and quince with racy acidity. Quite tart and perky on the palate. This is their second vintage of Extended Tirage Sparkling Riesling. The wine was aged on the lees for 44 months before being disgorged.
Aroma: Kumquat, Preserved Lemon, Quince, Golden Apples.
Palate: Clementine, Fleur de Sal, Ripe Pineapple, Lemon Curd.
Le Chemin du Roi Brut – France
Le Chemin du Roi (The King’s Path) is a brilliant and lively champagne that illuminates the The King’s Path. Made with grapes from only the finest vineyards in Champagne that have matured to peak ripeness. After pressing, the wine is aged over four years.
Aroma: Delicate, with apricot, white peach and eucalyptus.
Palate: Flavors of stone fruit, toasted brioche, bay leaf and white cherries. The crisp finish is highlighted with subtle notes of citrus and minerals for a refreshing mouthfeel.
Champagne Andre Clouet Grande Reserve Brut – France
Initially showing a very fresh bouquet of bright and lively fruits with hints of hazelnuts and yeasty aromas, the Grande Réserve cuvée displays highly structured red fruit notes on the palate for which the area is so famous. Long lees aging, low dosage and Grand Cru Pinot Noir fruit combine for an opulent yet balanced Champagne.
Aroma: candied citrus, stone fruits, ripe pear and brioche
Palate: Red fruits, golden apples, clotted cream, and a hit of zesty lemon
Roederer Estate L’Ermitage Cuvee – California
L’Ermitage, Roederer Estate’s special Tête de Cuvée, is a sparkling wine made only in exceptional years from pre-selected, estate-grown grapes. Carrying on the tradition of Champagne Louis Roederer in France, Roederer Estate produces its sparkling wines in the traditional French méthode traditionelle and adds special oak-aged reserve wines to each blend. L’Ermitage debuted with the 1989 vintage. Fine tiny bubbles and a long-lasting mousse are the usual footprints of the L’Ermitage cuvée.
Aroma: Hazelnut and roasted pecans opening to some clove spiciness
Palate: Vibrant acidity, with notes of Asian pear, baked green apple, and a creamy mid palate.
If you’re on a budget, be sure to check out our article on the The Best Cheap Champagnes
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