Three sparkling wines. One I wouldn't buy again.
My six-year-old knows when I'm not listening.
She repeats herself.
Sometimes louder.
Sometimes standing directly in front of me.
My wife and older daughter are less persistent.
I'm not sure that's a good thing.
I tend to offer answers before people have finished asking their questions.
My youngest hasn't learned to accommodate this.
Fortunately.
Three Bottles. No Champagne.
One from Oregon. One from Spain. One from California.
$19, $16, and under $70.
One I wouldn't buy again. One I appreciated more than I enjoyed. And one I wish we'd had two of.
Areté Brut Blanc de Blancs 2022
Oregon · $19
The bottle I wanted to like.
Chardonnay. Traditional method. Oregon.
Sounded promising.
In the glass, ripe tropical fruit. Almost like an oaky Napa Chardonnay.
Broad on the palate, without enough acidity or mineral tension to balance the richness.
I kept waiting for some freshness.
It didn't arrive.
Would I buy it again? No.
At least it was only $19.
Perelada Centenaria Brut Reserva 2023
Spain · $16
The bottle I appreciated more than I enjoyed.
Perelada released this special-edition Cava to celebrate its centenary, marking a history that began in 1923.
Predominantly traditional Cava grapes, including Macabeo and Xarel·lo, with 18 months on the lees.
Citrus on the nose, with ripe guava and something closer to lime leaf than straightforward lemon.
Pear on the palate. Crunchy, mineral, with good structure and a little bitterness on the finish.
Much better balanced than the Areté.
Still, not quite my preferred style.
I've also had Perelada's 2019 Gran Claustro. Made with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, with considerably more time on the lees, it had the depth and developed character I tend to enjoy in Champagne.
The Centenaria is something different.
Same producer. Different grapes. Different expectations.
Would I buy it again? Probably not for myself. But at $16, there's quite a lot to appreciate, particularly if you enjoy a crisp, slightly herbal Cava.
Roederer Estate L'Ermitage Brut 2019
Anderson Valley, California · Under $70
The bottle we finished too quickly.
We opened this over dim sum.
The wine was particularly good with the fried, fatty, richer dishes. Its acidity cut through the richness without overwhelming the food.
Ripe apple, generous fruit, and a rounder texture than I remember from earlier L'Ermitage vintages.
The 2019 is the first vintage to undergo malolactic fermentation, contributing to its rounder texture. At 6 grams per liter, the dosage is also the lowest in the wine's history.
A notable change from the tauter, more linear style I remember.
I think I prefer the older expression.
But this was beautifully balanced, ready to drink, and deserved more time in a larger glass.
Unfortunately, we finished it first.
Would I buy it again? Absolutely. At under $70, a serious sparkling wine that's particularly good with food.
Next time, a wider glass. Possibly fewer people.
Before the Next Bottle
The grapes offer clues. So does the producer. And how the wine is made.
But sometimes the glass disagrees.
Stay with that disagreement a little longer.
What surprised you?
What were you expecting?
And where did that expectation come from?
A Little Further
For your ears: Blanco White — Olalla
For your attention:
“If you notice anything, it leads you to notice more and more.”
— Mary Oliver, The Moths, Poetry, January 1984
Until the next bottle,
Manj
Know someone who likes discovering new wines, including the occasional disappointment?
Send them this. I've done some of the disappointing for them.
