From: Ludes, Montagne de Reims, France
Blend: 40% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir, 30% Pinot Meunier
Taste: The wine is a beautiful yellow gold, with enduring lines of thin bubbles. On the nose, it is rich and giving, but also fine, elegant, and mineral. This is conveyed via a generous bouquet of peach, brioche, grapefruit citrus, and raspberry. On the palate, the wine offers real substance with a generous, mineral texture, and an exotic finish with a citrus bouquet comprising grapefruit, peach, raspberry compote over toast and a hint of mango.
Pairing: Perfect for an aperitif, it also pairs well with grilled fish. It is recommended to let it breathe, so that its flavors can open out (30 minutes+). When it comes to food pairings, this lovely champagne is a versatile wine. It can be enjoyed on its own or paired with various dishes. In general, it goes well with grilled, fried, or baked fish or seafood, which complement the wine’s citrus notes. As for regional pairing, it pairs exceptionally well with the traditional dish of Champagne, chaource cheese, and regional meats such as Reims ham or andouillette. For a vegetarian option, it can be paired with roasted vegetables, pillowy fried tofu (check out the air-fryer version below), egg-based dishes, or a light salad with citrus dressing.
About. The NV Champagne Doré Cuvée Origine Brut Premier Cru is a wine that embodies the character and tradition of the Maison Doré. Founded in 1928, the winery has been passed down through generations of winemakers in the Doré family for almost a century. In 2014, Gérard Doré invited his friend and neighbor, Jean-Guy Monmarthe, a sixth-generation winemaker and head of the Maison Monmarthe, to take over the reins of the Maison Doré. Today, Jean-Guy works hard to ensure that each bottle leaving the estate retains Doré’s true character.
The Doré estate is located in the village of Ludes, a Premier Cru site in the Montagne de Reims region. The vineyard comprises fifteen plots, each bearing a unique and evocative name such as le Gué du berger (French for ‘the shepherd’s crossing’), Aventures (‘adventures’), Garennes (‘rabbit warrens’), and Haute Plante (‘tall plant’), among others. With a clay-limestone soil, the vines are well-established on a marly base, which lends the wine its finesse and intensity. All of their wines are produced, blended, and bottled on the estate.
The NV Champagne Doré Cuvée Origine Brut Premier Cru is a blend of three consecutive harvests, made entirely from the best vineyards (têtes de cuvées) that the estate has to offer. It is composed of 40% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot noir, and 30% Meunier, and aged in the cellars for four years on lees before disgorgement with a minimum of 6 months and a dosage of 7g.
Butter-Fried Oysters
By David Tanis
Air-Fryer Tofu
By Eleanore Park
