Regardless of the wine category, our mission is to maximize value-for-dollar in every offer. But certain categories have proved to be especially fertile ground in this regard—and Champagne is chief among those. When you think of how Champagne has historically been marketed and consumed—namely, with an eye toward “conspicuous consumption”—it’s sort of hard to believe that genuine-article Champagne can be acquired for less than $40.
But, as we’ve learned firsthand, it can be done. This wine from Bernard Rémy is a phenomenal example, but as our subscribers know, it’s neither the first nor the last one to show up here on SommSelect. We are Champagne fanatics here, and as the holiday season approaches, this is the kind of wine that enables all of us, regardless of income, to elevate our entertaining game and serve “the real thing” at scale. This superb, Pinot Noir-driven sparkler is always a good choice, regardless of the occasion, and it is priced right for all your seasonal party needs. Quantities are robust, so have at it!
But enough geekery: How’s the wine? In a nutshell, it's a crisp, bone-dry style (the dosage is listed at a low 7 grams/liter) with lots of savor and spice from its substantial proportion of Pinot Noir. In the glass, it’s a pale straw-gold with some slight coppery reflections, with a lively aromatic mix of salted lemon, grapefruit pith, red apple, white mushroom, warm spice, and crushed chalk. There’s a biscuit-y, bread-dough creaminess from its 2 years’ aging on its lees, though the overall palate impression is fine-tuned and bright. It isn’t solely an apéritif style, though it will make a great one, especially if paired with starters like salmon rillettes on toast or raw oysters with mignonette. This is a sparkler to have around by-the-case to make yourself look good even on the most spontaneous of get-togethers. Don’t miss it!