De Perrier Brut






It's from France, but it isn't Champagne. It also doesn't cost like Champagne. It is a cremante de Bourgogne, a sparkling chardonnay. It's quite good for the price, better than some sparkling wines costing half again or twice as much as this unpretentious offering. In the USA, this wine currently sells for about ten dollars a bottle.

Pale gold in color, and bubbly, this wine has a nose of apples and lime with a whiff of yeast. The flavor follows the apples and bread profile typical of Champagne, but with a bit of pineapple in the background. There is a lack of the depth and resonance Champagne's mix of grape varietals gives, leaving this wine a bit one-dimensional, but it is tasty and well made. The finish is a trifle sour, but not unpleasantly so; think green apple skins, not vinegar.

If you think of this as a white table wine that happens to sparkle, not a festive wine for special celebrations, you will find many things to pair it with. It's a natural to serve with chicken, including (perhaps its best match) fried chicken. The tart finish goes well with oily foods. Or put this wine alongside nuts and cheese, or fried fish. It's a solid value for livening up everyday fare.

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