ALL THE BUBBLES!!!
12/23/2021
ALL THE BUBBLES!!!
Champagne, Cava, PetNat, Prosecco
ALL THE BUBBLES!!!
I've never tried to do this before and it seems kind of crazy but here are all the sparkling wines Devenish has got!
Champagne Tarlant Cuvee Louis
Approx $160/btl
You can find this at Browne Trading and the Lil General Store
The Tarlant family has been growing grapes in Champagne since the late 1600s. at the beginning of the 20th century Louis Tarlant was running the vineyards and also mayor of Oeuilly, a major town in Champagne. Champagne had been internationally famous for at least a century already, but there was no legal delimitation of what Champagne was and was not. While Louis was mayor the price of grapes dropped and grape farmers were struggling. They realized that the large Champagne houses were bringing in grapes and juice from other parts of France or even Portugal, fermenting it, and selling it as Champagne resulting in this extreme drop in the price the large houses were willing to pay for grapes. And so happened the Champagne Revolution. Louis became a leader of it. Farmers blocked roads, blockaded the large wineries, and lobbied the government. Finally in 1911 Champagne was created as an AOC and was required to be made from grapes grown in Champagne. Louis swore he would never sell a single grape to the big houses again and so had to start making wine on his own. He was one of the very first grower producers (along with Clouet).
The farm is currently run by Benoit and his sister Melanie: the 12th generation of Tarlants to farm this land. They work very intensely in the vineyards and farm each small parcel separately to adapt to the specific needs of the land and exposure. They farm naturally and hands on vineyard labor is the only way to really be successful in the relatively cool and variable climate of Champagne.
This is 50/50 Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from a .9 hectare vineyard planted through massale selection (own rooted clones of his old vines) by Louis Tarlant in 1946
"Our father fought for grass in the vines and to stop have garbage from cities being thrown in the vines as a fertilizer. It took five years. That was his fight. Organics seems like the challenge of our generation."
“We don’t buy or sell grapes. We have to work our vines the best we can to have the best wine. "
-Melanie Tarlant
Christmas Wines!
In case you missed it: here's the Devenish Christmas list. I'll start promoting these wines and where to find them at the second half of the coming week. So if you pick up any of these by then I'll be sure to include you.
Christmas Wines
Andre Clouet Grand Reserve Champagne
Approx $40 per bottle
Find this at Now You're Cooking, Bow St Beverage, The Vault, Store Ampersand, Chaval, Lily Lupine, Bleeker and Greer, Hops and Vine, Lincolnville General Store, Maine and Vine, Friends and Family, New Morning in Kennebunk, and John Edwards Market
The Clouet family has been making wine for a very long time. They're actually not sure how long, but they were the royal printers for Louis the 15th and also made Champagne for the royal court as a sideline. This is 100% Pinot Noirs (Blanc de Noirs) from the Clouet family's 20 hectares of grand cru vineyards around Bouzy. The wine has no contact with the skins, ferments at low temperatures, and then spends 48 months aging on the fine lees.
The aroma has ripe fruit of granny smith, fresh orange, a hint of baked apples, and then on the palate it's broader and rich thanks to that Pinot Noir. It has intense bubbles, and golden apple, citrus, a hint of nuts and baking scone and touch of raspberry. It has a fantastic balance.
Boulard Champagne Les Murgiers
Extra Brut 100% Pinot Meunier
Approx $72/btl
Find this at Maine and Loire
Why you should buy this:
Delphine is the 8th generation of their family to make Champagne here. She took over from her father in 2017 and farms a tiny 3 ha biodynamically. That 3 ha is broken into 3 separate sub parcels that she farms differently. This is a brilliant riper more complex expression of Champagne and it has gorgeous aromatics as it is 100% Pinot Meunier. This is hyper hard to get (because very little exists and I have to direct import)
read more here if you're interested:
Champagne Boulard
Andre Clouet Millesime 2013 Vintage Champagne
$75/btl
Find this at Alice and Lulu's, Grippy Tannins, Bangor Wine and Cheese, and Lincolnville General Store
Why you should buy this:
Because it's elegant gorgeous nuanced vintage Champagne for $50! That's a great value!
Aroma: straw, baked apples, a hint of baking bread, ripe pear; it's a clean sunny elegant sort of a champagne Aroma. Not too sharp but also not just lush and opulent. This Aroma is focused and more organized
Taste: very fine bubbles; frothy there's some pretty clementine orange fruit right up front. Then it gets richer on the mid palate. There's more pronounced orange but also a rich flavor that sort of reminds me of French toast! The bubbles give it a really nice dry component. The finish tastes a bit like meringue: elegant toasted egg whites, coconut and sugar. This is not a sweet wine though, bone dry with a little bit more orange lingering after the finish
Victorieux Champagne Brut
Approx $50/btl
Find this at Bow St Beverage, Alice and Lulu's, RSVP, Via Vecchia, Terracotta, High Roller, and Ruby's
The Victorieux comes from Ceric Guyot: a 3rd generation family estate in the Cotes de Sezanne at the southern edge of Champagne. This is 50/50 Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The wine is aged on the lees for an impressive 5 years which really contributes to it's refinement and elegance.
Aroma: sunny hay, lemon, fresh orange/clementine, and just a little bit of toast
Taste: focused ,tart, tightly wound. Toasty- tasty, bit of salt on the finish. This is super well balanced- there's a lovey elegant orange flavor to the finish. The extra age this wine spent on the lees at the winery and then in the bottle after release really shows through in how fine it is.
Jean Paul Baudouin Brut Blanc de Noirs (100% Pinot Noir)
Approx $50/btl
Find this at Via Vecchia, the Vault, Oak Hill, Store Ampersand, Lily Lupine, Bleeker and Greer, Lily Lupine, the Rosemont Markets, and Meridians
Why you should buy this:
Baudouin is a rich lush hedonistic grower Champagne from the southern edge of the AOC. It's golden, sunny, the bubbles are a bit softer, it has a broad finish, toasted bread, and a bit of tropical fruit to the finish.
Champagne Fleury Blanc de Noirs (100% Pinot Noir)
Approx $76/btl
Find this at Blue Hill Wine Shop, Lil General Store, Liquid Riot, and Browne Trading
Why you should buy this:
Because it is delicious and they were the first biodynamic producer in all of Champagne. Champagne Fleury was founded in 1895, and it’s located in the Côtes de Bar, in the south of the Champagne region. In 1929, during the depression, grape prices were so low that Robert Fleury decided to take the then unusual step of bottling his own Champagne.
Aroma: Honey, wildflowers, ripe pear, peach; all those things in a fresh out of the oven tart.
Taste: dry vibrant edgy toasty Champagne; very focused and serious. The bubbles are prickly and persistent. Some ripe apple, a touch of roasted hazelnut (nutty in that sort of meaty savory way - not oxidative or almond at all). The finish lingers with toast and then a hint of gingerbread, lemon, and honey. It's a very serious Champagne. My first thought on tasting it is "wow, this is very good and very serious Champagne"
Vignale di Cecilia Prosecco
Approx $18
Find this at Relish, Maine and Loire, Monte's, Vessel and Vine, Folk, Blue Hill Wine Shop, Novios, and Portland Pottery
Why you should buy this:
This is the best Prosecco I have tasted in a long time. Particularly at this price. It's so pretty and refreshing and clean. I love the PetNats but this is so clean and perfect I can't not love it.
Caneva da Nani
Approx $18
Find this at Maine and Loire, Cafe Louis, Maine and Vine, Nina June, Black Birch, Ada's Kitchen Portland, and the Jewel Box
Why you should buy this:
delicious easy to drink thirst quenching fizzy wine from the heart of Prosecco that is what Prosecco used to be a few generations ago. It's relatively low alcohol and has delicious citrus and salt and super fine bubbles with a slightly savory yeasty mid palate that gives the wine more body.
Mongarda Col Fondo
Approx $18
Find this at Vessel and Vine, Nibblesford, Tipo, Solo Cucina, Cheese Shop of Portland, Craft Curbside, Blue Hill Wine Shop
Why you should buy this:
Also made by an old family, also from old vines in the center of Prosecco. Honestly I can't choose between this and Caneva. Mongarda is a touch lighter and cleaner. Both are made in small quantity so I hedge my bets by carrying both in case 1 runs out.
Furlani Rosso Frizzante
Approx $30/btl
Find this at Alice and Lulu's
Why you should buy this:
Because Matteo Furlani is a wizard way up in the Alps above Trento. This is a mix of local grapes Tyroldego, Marzemino, Turca, Negrara. Spontaneous fermentation in stainless steel. Frozen must added before re-fermentation in bottle during Spring. Minimal added sulfur (if needed) and no disgorgement. It's a nice clean Alpine red with a light spritz.
Via de la Plata Cava Rosado
Approx $20
Find this at Eventide, Vessel and Vine, Maine and Loire, The Rosemonts,
Why you should buy this: Because it's a lovely dry expressive bottle fermented Pinot Noir Rose! That's why you should buy this!
Via de la Plata Cava Brut
Approx $20
Find this at Meridians, Liquor Locker, Maine and Loire
Why you should buy this:
Via de la Plata is quite elegant. It's made from organically farmed grapes. It's made by actual farmers down in Extremadura where most cava grapes actually come from. It's dry and focused and fresh and way better than it's price.
Henry Varnay Brut
Approx $13
Find this at 44 North, Relish, Eventide, Blue Hill Wine Shop, Vic and Whit's
Why you should buy this:
Henry Varnay is a fantastic value. This is 100% Ugni Blanc from old vines out side Saumur in the central Loire. It's creamy, fresh, elegant, a little toasty, and really honestly very well made. It drinks much better than it's price. Production is about 10,000 cases per year, so actually on the small side.
Nicchia Lambrusco di Sorbara
Approx $16
Find this at RSVP, Folk, Monte's Whole Foods, Bow St Beverage, Bow St Market, Blue Hill Wine Shop, Meridians, The Clown, Portland Food Co-op,
This is juicy fizzy red Lambrusco that's a hair off dry. Most of you know it. It's been at the core of the Devenish portfolio for years. It is amazing with red sauce pizza, pasta with tomato sauce, or food with a little heat.
L'Onesta Lambrusco di Sorbara Rose
Approx $16
Find this at Perks, the Cheese Iron, Bow St Beverage Solo Cucina, RSVP, Whole Foods, Honey Paw,
the dry rose counterpart to the Nicchia. This is elegant, fun, pretty, and bone dry. It's delicious with a range of foods but also great just on it's own.
Jean Aubron Muscadet PetNat
Approx $20
Find this at Bow St beverage, Cheese Shop of Portland, and Smalls
This was a star this year: old vine Muscadet made as a PetNat by Jean Aubron. Jean has been making wine organically in Muscadet for a few decades now and he was amused all the kids were excited about PetNat. He said "I can do that". And he did. It's very clean, has a nice citrus, but also a bit of savory texture from the lees and bubbles.
I'd be a fool to not point out that we have all these delicious oak fire grilled Spanish Conservas in stock. They make great gifts and stocking stuffers!
Merry Christmas from The Neds!
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