Monday 27 March 2023

Champagne Anyone?

Wines in a cellar, Indre et Loire, France. Photo by Loire Valley Time Travel.
 

Xavier Fortin, the sommelier at La Promenade, a Michelin starred restaurant in Le Petit Pressigny (population 338 and under 10 kilometres from where we live) periodically announces that his troglodyte cave cellar will be open and purchases can be made. So off I went to pick up champagne (Pierre Legras Orior brut, for €25 a bottle) and other sparkling wine (Domaine Patrice Colin, Les Perles d'Anne-Sophie  €11 a bottle). I bought some as gifts and some for myself. Both wines are very drinkable, affordable and it was a great opportunity to get some classy wine. My friend Bernard was there too, buying for a couple of family events coming up.

Wines in a cellar, Indre et Loire, France. Photo by Loire Valley Time Travel.

Further reading: Pierre Legras Champagne website, in English [link]. The Orior has tiny bubbles and is a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot noir and Meunier.

Wine cellar, Indre et Loire, France. Photo by Loire Valley Time Travel.

Les Perles d'Anne-Sophie is a natural sparkling wine made near Vendome, with no dosage, from a blend of 50% Chenin, 30% Chardonnay, and 20% Pineau d'Aunis, sold as a vin de France because it doesn't fit any AOC rules. It has wonderfully green apple flavours. The vines are 15 years old, growing in flinty clay. It is unusual to see Pineau d'Aunis used like this. It is a very distinctive variety, normally reserved for rosé and unique to the Loire Valley. 

Sparkling wine, Indre et Loire, France. Photo by Loire Valley Time Travel.

3 comments:

Le Pré de la Forge said...

"Les Perles d'Anne-Sophie is a natural sparkling wine made near Vendome, with no dosage, from a blend of 50% Chenin, 30% Chardonnay, and 20% Pineau d'Aunis, sold as a vin de France because it doesn't fit any AOC rules. It has wonderfully green apple flavours. "
That sounds very dangerous stuff!!

potty said...

Would be a delicious gift especially if one were named COLIN.
I have always liked to try the wines that are made for taste rather than for fitting an AOC rules.

Susan said...

Potty: Colin of Colin and Elizabeth, who comments often on the blog said that at least it wasn't a fish, for once.

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