Natalie Richard, sommelier from Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, recommends our readers her favorite local wines and spirits and answers your questions. This month bubbles to start the new year!
Domaine St-Jacques Brut 2020
$34.75 – 14,721,888 – 12.3% – 6.9 g/L
An excellent sparkling wine from Quebec made using the traditional method, like champagne. The same blend of Vidal and Chardonnay offers a rich and delicious aroma thanks to the 24 months of aging on the lees. Floral and aniseed notes invite you to a fine, elegant bubble with creamy persistence, with a finish of golden apples. Both delicious and invigorating, an ideal sparkling wine for any festive occasion. Domaine St-Jacques is a family winery in Saint-Jacques-le-Mineur in Montérégie.
Masi Modello Prosecco
$19.30 – 13572729 – 11% – 9.6g/L
Whether you want to treat yourself to the dolce vita, celebrate a birthday or accompany a festive aperitif, the effervescence of Prosecco is sublime thanks to the texture of its creamy bubbles and the sweetness of its fruity notes such as pear and apricot. It is pleasantly aniseed and offers enough length to make the enjoyment last for a long time. The Modello brand is one of the divisions of the Venetian mega company Masi, known for its Amarones and the Campofiorin range.
Questions from readers
Prosecco, Cava, Crémant or Champagne… How do you find your way?
The difference between sparkling wines depends on their origin, their production method and the type of grape used. Crémants and champagnes are made in France using the “traditional method” also used for cava made in Spain. Prosecco is an exclusively Italian product that is vinified in closed barrels, a method also called Charmat or Martinotti after the names of its inventors.
sparkling wine
The champagne is made using the traditional method, which is characterized by a second fermentation and foaming directly in the bottle. It is made primarily from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. If the label says “Blanc de Blancs,” it’s because it’s made from 100% white grapes, i.e. Chardonnay. If it says Blanc de Noirs, it is made from 100% red grapes with white flesh, such as Pinot Noir. Champagne comes exclusively from Champagne, unlike the Crémants of France, which are made in the same way but produced in other regions such as the Loire, Alsace, Burgundy or Jura.
Prosecco
Prosecco is vinified in northern Italy from the Glera grape variety. The foam is collected in large pressure tanks. Its bubbles are creamier, with notes of pear and almond paste and a lemony finish. The Proseccos essentially all have the same profile and quality, the highest quality being marked Cartizze or DOCG Valdobbiadene.
The cava
Like Champagne, Cava is made using the traditional method, but mainly from the Spanish grape varieties Macabeo, Parellada and Xarel-Lo, which provide floral and fruity notes. The bubbles are sometimes more vibrant and it offers excellent value for money in a wide range of styles and qualities, from generic to premium.