Champagne, Prosecco, Petnat, Cava!!

Champagne, Prosecco, Petnat, Cava!!




All our fizzy wines and where to find them


















































ALL THE BUBBLES!!!























Here you are: a list of nearly all the exciting sparkling wines we've got and where you can find them! You can of course also order any of these from a wine shop that's local to you; we cover most of the State. 2022 was another crazy year, but here we are at the close of it. Thanks for following along with me through it all. I hope we all get a bit of time to catch up and reflect.

Happy New Years! 

-Ned

 




















Andre Clouet Cuvee 1911

Approximately $112/btl

Available at Browne Trading, Tess Market, Lincolnville General, Weatherbird, Oak Hill Beverage, and The Riverhouse

24 btls came into Maine
 
 

1911 is the year of the Champagne uprising where local farmers revolted and blocked the roads to keep large companies from bringing in wine from other places to blend and label as Champagne. But much more than that this wine is Clouet's flagship. It is inspired by a small cache of ancient bottles that the family found hidden in a cellar that when opened were still beautiful expressions of Champagne from 80 years ago, a link to family members and memories of the past. This is 100% Pinot Noir. 50% of the wine was fermented in stainless steel tanks, the other 50% was fermented in Sauternes barrels. Non-vintage blend comprised of wines from 3 vintages: 50% from 2004, 25% from 2007, and 25% from 2008, all of which are made from Grand Cru Bouzy estate-grown fruit. Even Robert Parker gave it 96 points!

Aroma: wow really pretty peachy, lilac honeysuckle, white rose, fresh baked croissant. This is a beautiful aroma and makes me think of some fantasy of the French countryside in springtime!

And it is gorgeous on the palate! Beautiful racy acidity but it's backed up with depth. White peach, white grapefruit, then some of that brioche underneath

























Here's what the 1911 looks like when it comes out of it's wood 6-pack. 

This is how Champagne was shipped 100 years ago and Clouet still uses straw on the 1911 to make clear how special this bottling is.






















Champagne Tarlant Brut Zero

Approximately $76/btl

Available at Browne Trading, Fog Bar, and Oak Hill

 

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. 

1/3 Chardonnay, 1/3 Pinot Noir, 1/3 Pinot Meunier. This cuvée makes up 70-90% of Tarlant's production and "is my daily obsession", says Benoît Tarlant. Zero reflects the Tarlant emphasis on unadorned terroir, with no selected yeasts and no dosage. The compostion is generally 60% of the base vintage--in this case 2014--plus 40% reserve wines. The organically farmed, hand-harvested fruit comes potentially from all 63 of Tarlant's parcels from across 4 villages (Oeuilly, Boursault, St-Agnan and Celles-lès-Condé), with each vinified separately to give maximum flexibility in dialing in the blend.
 

"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



















Andre Clouet Grand Reserve Champagne

Approximately $52

Available at Riverside Butcher, Monte's, Woodsong Market, Hops and Vine, RSVP, Rosemont, Grippy Tannins, Bow St, Oak Hill, and Bleeker and Greer
 

The Clouet family has been making wine for a very long time. So long in fact that they're not actually sure when they started! 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.  

Aroma: ooh, pretty fresh orange juice and yellow peach. A little bit of brioche. Not like full-on toasted bread...more like fresh baked bread

Taste: delicious lush Champagne with fine and relaxed bubbles. It's definitely fruit driven. Lots of ripe orange across the palate with just a hint of toasted almond or vanilla like praline at the finish.



















Philippe Gonet 2011 Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru

Approximately $100/btl

Available at Novios
 

In Champagne there are 318 classified villages, only 17 are classified as Grand Cru, this wine comes exclusively from two of those Villages, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger and Oger and therefore is a Grand cru Champagne.
 

Aroma: very pretty: bread, straw, very ripe peach fresh apple, dates, a hint of vanilla, and lily of the valley

The wine has nice acidity and very fine but persistent bubbles. It's a very focused Champagne. There's fresh tart apple and peach up front then dry toast on the mid palate. This is very energetic thoughtful and to the point. The finish is long and delicious with toast, cooked peach, and a lovely flavor that makes me think of very good French onion soup. This is a great demonstration of how complex Champagne gets when it has this kind of age.

The wine is made from 13 small Grand Cru parcels fermented separately in small tanks and settled for 6 months. Second fermentation happens in bottle with the lees before disgorgement and dosage. It's aged seven years with the lees in bottle before disgorgement. 5 g/l dosage of grape based sugars. The wine goes through a delicate filtering and fining. Sulfur is not added at bottling, only small amounts at the beginning stages of the fermentation process, less than 60 ppm.

Of the thirteen Grand Cru estate parcels, 12 of which lie in Le Mesnil and 1 in Oger. Three parcels are on top of the hill near the forest in “Les Bascossiers,” and several throughout the hillside going down the hill, east, to “Les Hautes Mottes.” The average vine age is nearly 40 years old and they are hand harvested. Less than 1,000 cases are produced in only the best vintages.

 



















Oyster River Chaos
Approximately $45

Available at Solo Cucina, Smalls, Sawyer's Market, the Vault, Bath Natural Foods, The Alna General Store, and Now You're Cooking

This is far and away the best vintage Brian has made of the Chaos. It's absolutely a legit Champagne quality wine now. It shocks people to hear this comes from grapes grown in Warren Maine!

























Clouet Silver

Approximately $68/btl

Available at RSVP, Bow St, Woodsong Market, Bleeker ad Greer, Blue Hill Wine Shop, Grippy Tannins, and Oak Hill Beverage
 

Aroma: honey, yellow peach, a little bit of toast, .... there's a little bit of melted butter. Lots of fruit and it smells fresh and vibrant but there's also a dimension that's a little creamy. Definitely also some golden raisin and fresh orange

Taste: bright zippy dry and racier than the grand reserve. Dancing energetic acidity that is nicely balanced by a little bit of salt in the mid palate and then a savory baked bread and cooked fruit dimension on the finish. It's sunny and lemony: Delicious and complex!























Andre Clouet Millesime 2015 Vintage Champagne

Approximately $73/btl

Available at RSVP, Oak Hill Beverage, Riverside Butcher, Lily Lupine and Fern, Vessel and Vine, Tess Market, Now You're Cooking, Fog Bar, and Bow St Beverage

 

Why you should buy this:
Because it's elegant gorgeous nuanced vintage Champagne for $47! 100% Pinot Noir: 80% of the wine was fermented in stainless steel, with the remaining 20% occurred in Sauternes barrels. Aged 4 years prior to release. It's an incredible value for vintage Champagne.

Aroma: relaxed and elegant, a little bit of toasted brioche, a hint of vanilla, some fresh orange

Taste: This is delicious! It opens with bright fresh acidity and some lemon, but it's rich and golden at the same time. The bubbles are very fine but there's a real depth of flavor here. Not just straightforward toast or fresh bread, but beneath the peach and lemon and orange there's more depth and a savory sort of cooked food finish. All those flavors are really well integrated.



















Enlightenment "Night Eyes" Sparkling Botanical Mead 2021

Approximately $30/btl

Available at Vessel & Vine, John Edwards, Honey Exchange, Craft Curbside
 

Sparkling mead from the Enlightenment meadery in Brooklyn. So this is of course made from honey, but also with apples and cherries added for the primary fermentation. It ferments for 6 months until it's dry, then foraged rose hips and sumac get added and it ferments for another 6 months. After that they bottle it with a tiny bit more honey and it referments in the bottle. All the ingredients come from NY State and are organic or wild foraged. This is so delicious. I don't think I would identify this as mead if I blind tasted it, and I mean that as a compliment!  

Aroma: fresh wildflower honey, definitely also dry cherry, there's a baked goods kind of smell... like browned butter and cinnamon. Some orange zest in here too

Taste: fine bubbles, fresher cherry flavors at first but then they turn darker and some aromatic herbal spicy flavors come in on the palate; all spice and woodsey and that browned butter and toast. It's so well integrated! There's some more bitter tart cherry on the finish... This is a rare convergence of super interesting and super delicious and satisfying. The flavors are perfect for this time of year and this would make an amazing gift for a wine person!

























Victorieux Champagne Brut
Approximately $52/btl

Available at The Cheese Iron, RSVP, and Bow St

 

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.





























Victorieux Brut Rose

Approximately $60

Available at Bow St and RSVP

Dry and elegant Chardonnay and Pinot Noir blend that is focused, deft, and has dry raspberry and strawberry flavors. The bubbles are strong and give the wine more focus and drive.

Aroma: pretty dry light cranberry, nice strawberry elegant, lemon zest, a little rhubarb. Wow, it smells really pretty

Taste: nice elegant some raspberry, a little savory salt, some toasted baked good in the back end, then some fresh elegant lemon on the finish. It's a very pretty tasty nicely integrated rose with some delicacy





















Andre Clouet Brut Rose

Approximately $69/btl

Available at Woodsong Market, Oak Hill Beverage, Novio's, Rosemont, Bow St Beverage, and Bleeker and Greer
 

100% Pinot Noir and in classic rose Champagne style this is a blend of juice made blanc de Noirs and then a small addition of juice that was vinified as red wine in order to get the color and taste exactly right. 50% Base wine from 2015, 42% “Classic Reserve”, 8% Andre Clouet Bouzy Rouge. Fermentation in stainless steel and oak barrels.

Aroma: pomegranate and pink peppercorn and dried cherry! It's a delicate and very pretty aroma... really interesting and unique as well though

Taste: pretty and citrusy strawberry followed by some dried cherry. The mid palate has a supple sneaky savory deliciousness and then the finish has a little bit more of a round toasty quality. This is excellent and delicious!

5 magnums available for $95.22/btl
 



















Champagne Fleury Blanc de Noirs (100% Pinot Noir)

Approximately $75/btl

Available at Novio's

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"
 

We also have 375 ml bottles for $33



















Billecart But Rose

Approximately $128/btl

Available at Bow St, RSVP, The Vault, Maine & Vine, Sawyer's Specialties, Browne Trading, Oak Hill Beverage, and Whole Foods
 

Billecart Salmon Brut Rose! Billecart is the oldest family owned Champagne house and Billecart is generally regarded as the best non vintage rose Champagne. People know and respect it. Giving it as a present sends a very clear message!

























Vignale di Cecilia Prosecco

Approximately $20/btl

Available at Blue Hill Wine Shop, Warren Wine Shop, Monte's, Weatherbird, Sheepscot, Vessel and Vine, Kennebec Meat Co, and The Riverside Butcher

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

Approximately $20/btl

Available at Black Birch, Alna General Store, Maine & Vine, Warren Wine Shop, and Maine and Loire

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

Approximately $20

Available at the Warren Wine Shop and Bleeker and Greer

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.



























Billecart Brut Reserve

Approximately $78

Available at Bow St, RSVP, Wine Seller, Lily Lupine and Fern, Damon's, Sawyer's Specialties, Whole Foods, Oak Hill Beverage, and Perks
 

Billecart is a fantastic winery that people know and admire. Their brut reserve non vintage is a beautiful elegant expression that uses an unusually large amount of Pinot Meunier. The fermentation takes place at extremely low temperatures over an unheard of 7 weeks in order to preserve all the aromatics.























Pierre Cellier Champagne brut

Approximately $53/btl

Available at Anju, Novio's, Bath Natural, Blue Hill Wine Shop, and Sawyer's Specialties
 

The Prestige wines were started by the late, Philippe Gonet, crafted specifically for a friend and restaurateur back in the 70s. Named after his first-born son, Pierre, and his wife’s maiden name, Cellier.

Lemon, fresh orange, lilac, toasting pastries; elegant and fruit driven

Taste: focused, energetic, elegant, fruit forward. Lemon fruit at first, then very fine friendly frothy bubbles that are playful but not so intense as to be aggressive. Ripe peach comes in and then a little hint of toast on the finish

This is 30% Chardonnay, 60% Pinot Noir, 10% Pinot Meunier, all hand harvested. The 3 different varieties are fermented separately in small tanks. Second fermentation happens in bottle with the lees before disgorgement and dosage. The wine is aged 6 months in steel tank followed by 24 months on the lees in bottle kept at exactly 53° F below ground at the Philippe Gonet estate cellar. Sulfur is not added at bottling, only small amounts at the beginning stages of the fermentation process, less than 60 ppm

The Chardonnay comes from the chalky soils of the Montgueux village, the red grapes are from two villages with more clay based soils in the Vallée de la Marne. The average vine age is nearly 20 years old. 1,600 cases are produced per year

























Via de la Plata Cava Brut

Approximately $20

Available at Cheese Iron, Maine and Loire, Sur Lie, Brooklin General, 

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

Approximately $15

Available at Smalls, RSVP, Blue Hill Wine Shop, Hops and Vine, Alice and Lulu's, Warren Wine Shop, Perks, Table Bar, Friends and Family, 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

Approximately $16

Available at Now You're Cooking, Monte's, Whole Foods, Oh No, Vic and Whit's, The Clown, Hops, RSVP, Oak Hill, Bow St, Alna General Store, Meridians

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

Approximately $16

Available at Whole Foods, RSVP, Perks, Bow St, Stompers, Oak Hill Beverage

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.

 



























Oyster River Morhos Pet Nat 2022

Approximately $21

Available at Solo Cucina, Monte's, Bow St, Treats, Browne Trading, Cheese Iron, LeRoux, Portland Cheese Shop, Bier Cellar, Morning Glory, Rising Tide Natural Foods, Kennebec Meat Co, Alna General Store, Maine and Vine, Weatherbird, Onggi, OhNo, the Portland Food Co-op, Rosemont, Now ou're Cooking, Riversise Butcher, Maine and Loire

Aroma: wow! So much fresh flowers and fruit! It smells like springtime! Like lilacs and viburnum bushes! Like pineapple and mangoes and really ripe pear and fresh apples! Gosh this is lovely. It has just the right amount of aromatics without being too much or too aromatic

Taste: the bubbles are very fine but prickly and persistent. The wine is delicious. The fruit is fresh and bright and uplifting but it's not too acidic. The flavors are sort of lime zesty with a bit of apricot, lemon, and a hint of honey. This is so delicious, thirst quenching, alive, and beautiful!

Only bad news is that yields were down slightly this year so Brian has slightly less wine. We have 4.5 pallets allocated to us but we've already blown through 40 cases in less than a week.










































































































































































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