Perrier-Jouet NV Grand Brut
The Nitty Gritty:
- Vintage: None
- Varietal: Sparkling
- Winery: Perrier-Jouet
- Region: Epernay
- Country: France
- Price: About $45
- Rating: 88/100
- Tags: sparkling
A person who knows better once told me that the difference between fine Champagne and regular ol’ sparkling wine was the size of the bubbles, so I knew I was pouring something special when I popped this baby open and tiny, linear bubbles cascaded through their straw-colored stream, into my cheap Champagne flute.
If you’ve had enough sparkling wine you know to expect a dry, fizzy wine — unless you’re drinking Spumanti or a similar sweeter sparkling. It’s something pleasant to sip with appetizers, but might also accompany a nice risotto or creamy pasta quite nicely.
Perrier-Jouet proved no exception. The initial sip was crisp, dry, fizzy, exciting. But the difference between wines I’ve had before and this was that once the initial sip was gone, the flavor kept on going.
I tasted lemon, brine, chalk, other minerals, and almonds, with a smooth, creamy finish. I couldn’t believe how complex this cold, fizzy wine could be on my palate. The finish just kept on going.
I’ll leave the fate of the rest of the bottle to your imagination, but I’d recommend pairing this with a series of mild to medium goat cheeses, oysters, other seafood, and creamy pastas.
You could also do what I did and just enjoy it by itself… yourself. It’s not a bad way to spend a Saturday afternoon.
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By Lauren McNally
Lauren B. McNally is a communications consultant in Washington, D.C., who spends most of her free time exploring culinary and oenological pursuits with friends. She hails from Maine and graduated from Bowdoin College, completing additional study at the University of Cambridge in the U.K.(where she found the dining hall cuisine rather offensive and repulsive, as opposed to that of the top-ranked Bowdoin Dining Service). Her palate is ever-evolving but she includes California Zinfandels, Cotes du Rhone, and white wines from Burgundy and the Loire Valley among her current favorites. Her least favorite wine-related phrase: “I don’t like _.” Lauren also enjoys cooking Italian and French cuisine, and has an unnatural obsession with Gorgonzola and pancetta.
About The Humble Gourmand
The Humble Gourmand is a monthly online publication edited by Alison L. McConnell, a Washington, D.C.-based journalist and writer. It is designed to offer straightforward lessons and advice to aspiring cooks, oenophiles, and all other eaters and drinkers.
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