Sabering

Posted on April 14, 2020 by melsmosaic

Went to a party. Wine, food…champagne. A discussion started about the fun way to open a bottle of bubbles. That would be Sabering (or apparently Sabrage, per Wikipedia). You basically use a long object, slide it along the bottle until it hits the cork it and, voila, you have access to the fine liquid. I had seen this several years ago in Deer Valley and it was fascinating. Would I ever have the opportunity to do so myself?

Well, there were countless bottles available at the event I was attending, a device available and no takers at the offer to saber. I had to step up! Why would nobody want to saber (open) a bottle of bubbly? It’s one of those small dreams come true. I got a small pep talk, then all the info I really needed (line for the saber, speed, where to start). All cameras were on me. And so it went…

Apparently I did well. It was so much fun. I had the bottle in hand at the end. The cork was found later. Very interesting to see the remains. Would love to open a bottle of bubbles like this each time I’m ready to say cheers!

Treveri Cellars

Posted on May 23, 2017 by melsmosaic

While in the Yakima Valley awhile back, I visited Treveri Cellars, which produces only bubbly. Too bad! Their exact location is Wapato. They have been around for six years and aim to put WA state sparkling wines on the map. They have also been served at US State Department receptions and the James Beard Foundation.

You go to their lovely tasting room and you must sit at a table (vs standing at the bar). They kindly come around and pour your tasting. And, come the end, the tasting is free (so uncommon).

(note on the dosage — a 0 dosage is SUPER dry)

Blanc de Noirs Brut
Small bubbles give way to a delicate color with a hint of strawberries and brioche on the nose. The minimal dosage allows the true palate complexity of this wine shine through, leaving rich acidity with a creamy finish.
Blend: 100% Pinot Noir | AVA: Yakima Valley |Vintage: Non-Vintage | Total Acid: 7.5g/L
pH: 3.32 | Dosage: 8g/L | En Tirage: 23.5 months | PRICE: $20.00
*Very crisp, not overly sweet. Prefer this over the Blanc de Blanc. My favorite.

Blanc de Blancs Brut
The most well-known of sparkling wines, our Blanc de Blancs captures hints of green apple and brioche, balanced out by a cool, crisp finish.
Blend: Chardonnay | AVA: Yakima Valley | Vintage: Non-Vintage | Total Acid: 8.2g/L
pH: 3.3 | Dosage: 12g/L | En Tirage: 24 months | PRICE: $15.00
*Traditional ‘champagne’.

Sparkling Rosé
Crisp and complex, Treveri Cellars Sparkling Rosé boasts hints of berries and citrus, creating a blend of delicious and enticing flavors. Rosé pairs well with any dish, and its versatile profile is sure to lavish your meal with luxury and class.
Blend: Syrah/Chardonnay | AVA: Yakima Valley | Vintage: Non-Vintage | Total Acid: 8.1g/L | pH: 3.32 | Dosage: 22g/L | En Tirage: 24 months | PRICE: $18.00
*Very sweet.

Brut Rose (not on the tasting list)
No details on it other than – Blend: 100% Pinot Noir | Dosage: 6g/L
*Nice and dry!

Sparkling Gewürztraminer
A delightful combination of spice and exotic fruit aromas, Treveri Sparkling Gewürztraminer ignites a spark of variety with every sip. Easy to recognize but hard to put down, this bubbly will captivate your senses and enlighten your experience.
Blend: 100% Gewürztraminer | AVA: Yakima Valley | Vintage: Non-Vintage
Total Acid: 7.5g/L | pH: 3.34 | Dosage: 35g/L | En Tirage: 24 months | PRICE: $17.00
*Almost beer/cider-like.

Sparkling Syrah Brut
With devotion, care, and careful attention, Treveri sparkling Syrah exudes sophistication and elegance, making it a paradigm of perfection. Red effervescence cascades through this sparkling, matched equally by dark fruit and complex yeast tones.
Blend: 100% Syrah | AVA: Yakima Valley | Vintage: Non-Vintage | Total Acid: 7.5g/L
pH: 3.38 | Dosage: 12g/L | En Tirage: 24 months | PRICE: $20.00
*Not as many bubbles as the whites. Very smooth for a Syrah. Light but syrupy. Too grape-y. Not my favorite sparkling red, and I seek these wines out.

This winery has great potential. Many options, fair prices and amazing tasting room if you’re on site. Look forward to seeing them grow and glad I was able to visit them.

Just Bubbles

Posted on January 1, 2017 by melsmosaic

Went to a Champagne tasting recently and found a new bottle of bubbles that was just wonderful. And when it comes in a split, it can be even better when you’re enjoying it solo! You don’t want the stuff to go flat.

This was the Billecart-Salmon Brut Reserve. It’s made of 40% Pinot Meunier, 30% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay. It has some nice fruit notes while still carrying the dry/brut taste. The split was about $20 so it was perfect. Great was to say cheers before the New Year.

Pour Me Some White

Posted on October 28, 2016 by melsmosaic

Love my part time wine tasting gigs. Last weekend during one of them I had all whites. Ironic because it was freezing cold outside because of the 15-20mph winds and mid-50 temps. But, I guess you can sip your pain away, right?

I was sharing the delights of:

La Marca Prosecco — one of my favorites. You cannot go wrong with this stuff. You can find it for $10-$15/bottle. Just crisp and and perfect bubbles with tiny hints of citrus. Need I say more?

Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc — I love the SB from New Zealand. Gimme some grapefruit! This one was a bit milder than my favorite. Awesome notes of citrus all around with a nice finish. Low teens on the cost.

William Hill Chardonnay — if you like (traditional) oaked Chard, this one’s for you. It’s from the North Coast of CA and has some definite tropical fruit notes in it while giving you that oaked, buttery taste. This one runs in the mid-teens per bottle.

Sip on, my friends.

Sofie-Mosa

Posted on September 25, 2016 by melsmosaic

I have a great side job of working wine and beer tastings. You know when you walk into a wine store and get free wine or beer samples? I’m one of the people who stands behind the table. Talk about a great job. I get paid to learn about, drink and advocate this stuff!

So I had to do a training recently about Goose Island‘s newest ‘campaign’ — the Sofie-Mosa. It uses their relatively well-known Sofie Belgian Style Farmhouse Ale and OJ. Hmmm. Where did they get that name? I tried it after the training. That stuff is pretty darn good. And, think about the ABV on beer vs. bubbly…about half. Sofie is 6.5%. I’m not advocating going crazy, but you’re not going to get as tipsy having the Sofie-Mosa.

So you can make this great drink 50/50 of each ingredient or do the ratio of your choice. Definitely give it a try.

Cheers!

A Year in Champagne

Posted on July 28, 2015 by melsmosaic

Sometimes you can catch great movies on the plane. I recently had the pleasure of watching A Year in Champagne, a documentary about the ins and outs of champagne making. It followed several champagne producers and shows how difficult of an industry it is for us to be able to enjoy this bubbly liquid.

Producers/vintners have code to follow, tough seasons, some have small shops (and even crops), but all have one goal — to deliver a delectable bottle with a cork that pops and a liquid we enjoy. It was also wonderful to see how there are still the small family-owned businesses working against the big corporate ones. There is a lot of behind the scenes work and business that happens, from sales to chemistry to timing and more. A quality line in the movie and one or my favorites, perfect for the industry was along the lines of ‘Don’t trust anyone who doesn’t drink.’

Some of the greatest highlights:

-one vintner has 750,000 (yes 3/4 million) bottles they turn by hand (frequently) over the course of a year to deliver the best taste

-vines are restricted to a certain height, otherwise licenses can be revoked

-they have a specific/allocated amount of time in which they can harvest, otherwise licenses can be revoked

(image source: ayearinchampagne.com)

Annual Champagne Expo

Posted on December 17, 2013 by melsmosaic

Last year I accidentally found out about an annual champagne event that takes place at a wine/liquor store in DC when I was just walking by the store. It’s Magruder’s Annual Champagne Expo that features 15-20 bubblies for you to sample/taste/enjoy/leave with or without. People call in advance to find out when this event takes place, bring their own glasses, and have quite the afternoon.

This year there were five table and a total of 18 champagnes. When you walk in, you get your tasting card for the vendors to mark and you’re off!

Table 1

Trouillard Brut — creamy

Roland Champion Aramis — ‘chunkier,’ earthy, mineral, (ugh)

Roland Champion Grand Cru Brut — softer

Roland Champion Grand Cru Rose — unique, nice

Table 2

Perrier-Jouet Brut — apple, citrus, light, crisp (on sale for $32.99 — I know this because I left with a bottle). The box is great! White case.

Mumm Cordon Rouge — less fun

Nicolas Feuillatte Brut — marginal

Domaine Carneros Brut — NICE (on sale for $22.99 — yes, proud owner)

Table 3

Laurent-Perrier Brut — smooth yet sharp, bottled 3 years

Delamotte Brut — chardonnay, good, but not great

Schramsbert Blanc de Blanc — sweet, Napa

Table 4

Andre Clouet Brut Rose — NO!

Voirin Jumel Blanc de Blanc Cramant — unique, nice, 100% Chardonnay

Andre Clouet Grand Reserve Brut — GREAT! #1

Chapuy Grand Cru Blanc de Blanc — 100% Chardonnay, ugh (keep in mind these are my own tastes)

Table 5

Ruinart Blanc de Blanc — ok

Ruinart Rose — smooth, perfect, if only it wasn’t (on sale for) $79

Pommery Brut — high carbonation, true champagne

So come the end, the taste buds were happy and overwhelmed, I left with two amazing bottles and learned more about many bubblies. Until next year.

20 under $20

Posted on December 6, 2013 by melsmosaic

While reading/following Shape magazine, I came across a great article/post about The Best Wines Under $20.

I will say, I love the Ravenswood Zin, any bubbly, will have to try the Terrazas Malbec and the Hahn Pinot. Have tried quite a few of the others on the list and they are good finds!

Cheers to the holiday season!

Caviar, Cheese and Bubbly

Posted on December 4, 2013 by melsmosaic

It was time to celebrate last weekend and it was done in style! To ring in a birthday, we brought out the best. Some nice black roe paired with some wonderful champagne. Also decided to serve it with cheese and the crackers I tested last week. Was definitely a rough way to keep the holiday weekend going.