From: Limoux, France

Varietals: Pinot Noir, Syrah, Chardonnay

Taste: Refreshing and fruity, with cheerful notes of dried red berry on the finish and hints of fresh almond. It has great intensity, length, depth, and a surprising elegance for such an affordable bottle—a 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. In addition, this charming sparkler pairs wonderfully with Korean fried chicken, mochiko chicken, a wide medley of appetizers that include salmon lox with capers and crème fraîche, stuffed mushrooms, and flatbreads.

About. 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.