Champagne & Sparkling Wines Flashcards
Mumm, Cuvee “M”, Napa Valley, N.V. $42
An unusual blend of 48% Chardonnay, 43% Pinot Noir, 6% Pinot Gris and 3% Pinot Meunier, this is pale sunflower-yellow, with a thick mousse and well-developed layers of orange blossom, lemon and pear.
Mumm, Cuvee “M”, Napa Valley, N.V. $42
Tasting Notes
Cuvée M displays a graceful stream of fine bubbles, a lovely peach-rose hue, and fresh white and yellow stone fruit aromas complemented by notes of wild
strawberry, fresh baked bread, vanilla and honey. Layers of ripe peach with subtle hints of mandarin orange combine with crisp citrus tones, leading to a long, satisfying finish.
Cuvée M appeals to sparkling wine aficionados with a bit of a sweet tooth. It is a soft, off-dry sparkling wine that showcases ripe fruit flavors of Napa.
Mumm, Cuvee “M”, Napa Valley, N.V. $42
Vineyard Notes
Vineyard History : Each harvest, the Cuvée M blend is comprised of the best grapes selected from up to 50 separate vineyards throughout the Napa appellation. The grapes are hand-harvested during the crisp morning hours to ensure they arrive at the winery in pristine condition.
Mumm, Cuvee “M”, Napa Valley, N.V. $42
Producer Notes
Winemaking at Mumm Napa begins with our rich history
In 1979, the legendary French Champagne house of G.H. Mumm began its quest to find the ideal winegrowing area in the U.S. The sensitive project was awarded to Guy Devaux who had more than 40 years experience creating fine still and sparkling wines in France, South America and the U.S.
For four years, Devaux quietly crossed America, surreptitiously buying grapes and small lots of wine he considered prime. His only rule was to find a terroir where he could create wine from the traditional Champagne grapes and use only the highest quality production process, méthode champenoise.
Ultimately, Guy Devaux found his prize in the Napa Valley. The area could provide consistently good fruit in an optimum grape growing climate. The long hot days and cool nights could foster the perfect ripeness and balanced acidity.
The winery he established, Mumm Cuvée Napa, was completed in 1986 embracing all the classic techniques and theories that were invented in Champagne three centuries ago.
While Monsieur Devaux passed away in 1995, the winery remains fully dedicated to his pioneering spirit.
Mumm Napa today
Today, Champagne-born master winemaker Ludovic Dervin leads the way, using his international experience to craft balanced, distinctive wines in the acclaimed méthode traditionelle.
Continuing the long tradition of handcrafted wine, each cluster of grapes is carefully selected and transported in small baskets. The harvest is then gently pressed using only the first, most pure, pressing to go into our sparkling wines. To ensure character in the style of méthode champenoise, every bottle is fermented separately. And, equally important, our grapes are still sourced entirely from Napa Valley.
“J” Sparkling Brut, California N.V. $55
Tasting Notes
The J Vineyards Cuvee 20 Brut opens with nuanced aromas of Meyer lemons and the crisp, clean allure of toasted almonds. Softer notes of honeysuckle mingle with delicate yeast aromas. On the palate, flavors of Asian pear, lime zest, vanilla, and yeasty brioche are framed by lively acidity. A lingering finish is accented by layers of lemon, pear, and toast.
“J” Sparkling Brut, California N.V. $55
Producer Notes
The story of J Vineyards & Winery begins in 1986, when Judy Jordan followed her dream of starting a winery specializing in sparkling wine.
As a 25-year-old Stanford University graduate in Earth Sciences/Geology, Judy understood the land. Her belief that soil enriches the flavors of the fruit of the vine influenced her pursuit of unique terroir and “a sense of place” for growing wine grapes. This journey led her to Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley, known for cool climate grape growing and a great diversity of soils - perfect for Champagne method wines.
After a few years of making critically-acclaimed sparkling wines like her signature J Vintage Brut and J Late-Disgorged Vintage Brut, she came to the realization that her Russian River Valley vineyards would also be ideal for producing site-specific, varietal wines. Judy Jordan, always curious and innovating, launched a single vineyard Pinot Noir in 1994, charmingly named after her eldest child, Nicole. Not one to show sides, soon thereafter she released a second single-vineyard Pinot Noir, Robert Thomas.
With a continuing story that involves a flood as well as new vineyard purchases, the winery has thrived since that first Pinot Noir release. Today, we count estate-grown Russian River Valley Chardonnay and as well as single-vineyard Pinot Gris made from Cooper Vineyard, a location which dates back to 1997, among our wines.
The exploration of terroir in our nine, sustainably farmed estate vineyards, while over two decades in the making, has only just begun. The wide variety of alluvial soils found in our more than 200 acres in the Russian River Valley have been forming for millions of years and are continually revealing their nuances to us. In geologic terms, we are still in the embryonic stage and we look forward to more exploration vintage after vintage.
Gossett, Brut Excellence, Ay, France, N.V. $80
Tasting Notes
Color: A crystal clear, pale golden hue. Persistent fine, lively bubbles.
Aroma: Intense, elegant and inviting on the nose. Fresh floral notes reminiscent of honeysuckle, wisteria and white jasmine seamlessly give way to exotic aromas of pineapple, guava and mango with hints of caramel, gingerbread and cinnamon. A trace of pear liqueur completes the harmonious finish.
Taste: This invigoratingly fresh and refined champagne is characterized by rich density and volume. On the palate, delicate floral notes give way to flavors of sweet peaches and nectarines over subtle notes of spices like cardamom and green pepper. The finish is delicate and smooth, with irresistible and deliciously sensual flavors of candied fruit, cinnamon and licorice.
Gossett, Brut Excellence, Ay, France, N.V. $80
Producer Notes
Founded in Aÿ in 1584 by Pierre Gosset, Gosset is the oldest wine house in Champagne. It also remains one of the most prestigious, considered by many collectors and connoisseurs as the world’s preeminent name in luxury champagne.
Gosset’s reputation for excellence starts on the vines. Its champagnes are composed almost entirely of grapes from Premier Cru and Grand Cru vineyards. Unlike most Champagne producers, this illustrious wine house purposely avoids malolactic fermentation and always performs riddling and disgorging of prestige cuvées and large-format bottles by hand. Gosset Champagnes are made with infinite care and kept in deep cellars for at least three years – and up to five or more for vintage and prestige cuvées – before release.
Perrier-Jouet, Grand Brut, Epernay, France N.V. $82
Tasting Notes
Appearance : A pale and sparkling yellow robe, suggestive of vivacity.
Nose : The Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut is delicate, elegant and balanced. The striking freshness and vivacity of the floral and fruity fragrances (yellow fruits and fresh fruits) take root, before giving way to subtle notes of vanilla and butter, lending the wine a fruity and consistent character. The notes of cherry plum, lemon and bergamot orange emerge first, then make way for the flowers of fruit trees, such as lime and honeysuckle. These are followed by notes of butter, madeleine cakes and vanilla sugar. Lingering notes of grapefruit, white peaches, green pears, apple trees and green hazelnuts round off the taste. Palate : Ampleness and vivacity balance out in the mouth, developing into a flavour of round and vinous elegance.
Perrier-Jouet, Grand Brut, Epernay, France N.V. $82
Product History
Each cuvée is minutely crafted, like silk lace, unveiling the floral, stylish and diamond-cut style of the House. Maison Perrier-Jouët is a Champagne House founded in Epernay in 1811 by Pierre-Nicolas Perrier and Rose-Adélaïde Jouët. Down the decades, this heritage was enriched with discernment and precision, based on the style the family wished to adopt for its wines. The excellence of the raw materials has always been a major preoccupation, and particular attention is given to the noble chardonnays, which lend such particular character to the House wines. A refined and subtle blend of charm and elegance. The multiple facets of each wine reveal a broad aromatic palette and a subtle persistence. Floral, stylish and diamond-cut: the hallmark of wines from the House of Perrier-Jouët. An exceptional vineyard, giving the chardonnays, that are predominant in the House’s champagnes, all the richness of their floral aroma. A style passed down through the years, in the secrecy of the House Cellars by the Cellar Master, expert in their craftsmanship.
Perrier-Jouet, Grand Brut, Epernay, France N.V. $82
Producer Notes
Perrier-Jouët is the first Champagne House to have created a dry champagne, which led to the birth of the famous Brut in 1856. A direct descendant of this tradition, the most widely-drunk wine in the world, Grand Brut exemplifies the House style: floral, elegant and chiselled.
Moet & Chandon “Imperial”, Brut, Epernay, France N.V. $105
Tasting Notes
An elegant colour
golden straw yellow with green highlights
A sparkling bouquet
the vibrant intensity of green apple and citrus fruit
the freshness of mineral nuances and white flowers
the elegance of blond notes (brioche, cereal, fresh nuts)
A generous palate combining sumptuousness and subtlety
the delicious sumptuousness of white-fleshed fruits (pear, peach, apple)
the alluring caress of fine bubbles
the soft vivacity of citrus fruit and nuances of gooseberry
Moet & Chandon “Imperial”, Brut, Epernay, France N.V. $105
Created from more than 100 different wines, of which 20% to 30% are reserve wines specially selected to enhance its maturity, complexity and constancy, the assemblage reflects the diversity and complementarity of the three grapes varietals :
The body of Pinot Noir:
30 to 40%
The suppleness of Pinot Meunier:
30 to 40%
The finesse of Chardonnay:
20 to 30%
Moet & Chandon “Imperial”, Brut, Epernay, France N.V. $105
Producer Notes
Moët has been associated with the sparkle of success and glamour ever since the House was founded in 1743 by Claude Moët. These are the values that we share and the values that inspired the founder’s grandson Jean-Remy Moët to share our champagne with the world. A man with a true spirit of achievement and leadership, it is to him we owe our reputation as the world’s most loved champagne.
Veuve Cliquot, “Yellow Label”, France N.V. $110
Wine Notes
Grapes Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay Geography Champagne, France Appellation Champagne
