From: Limoux, France
Varietals: Pinot Noir, Syrah, Chardonnay
Tasting Notes: Refreshing and fruity, nice notes of dried red berry on the finish in addition to hints of fresh almond. Great intensity, length, and depth, and a surprising elegance for such an affordable bottle. Rare style for a non-vintage blend which includes Pinot Noir and Syrah, in addition to Chardonnay.
Pairing: Baked Cod with Crunchy Miso-Butter Bread Crumbs is one of the simplest yet most luxurious pairings I can think of. The crunch, the deep umami from the miso, and the richness of the buttered breadcrumbs make for a wonderful complement to the complexity of the sparkling wine.
Outstanding sparkling wine from the Languedoc? Absolutely and resoundingly, yes! There may be those who would scoff at the price of this wine, and claim that a sparkling wine set so low could never be worth any serious consideration. Well, we're happy to confidently report a counter-claim: those scoffers are WRONG. One of the cult stars of the Languedoc, Jean-Louis Denois makes exciting, world class wines that remain amazingly inexpensive, on account of his location more than anything else.