2013 Lise et Bertrand Jousset, Exile, Rose Petillant Naturel (Gamay) Vin de France, Loire Valley Sparkling Wine, France.
the Exile, from non estate fruit comes from 50 year old Gamay vines and it a beautiful and fun Rose Sparkler that is set to cheer up your Summer, this Pet-Nat is lively, flavorful, the extra year before bottling really helps give more depth and detail, this is an exciting example. The grapes come fro an organic vineyard in Loire-et-Cher, and Jousset put in the ultra artisan effort to produce a complex and stylish Petillant Naturel, and while it may not be as thrilling as their estate Chenin Blanc version, it certainly will entertain anyone looking for serious bubbly, and it shows a bit more sassy/flamboyant nature with the Gamay really shinning through. The nose has nice lees notes, sour cherry, herbs and a touch of brioche along with a mix of fruit and floral elements leading to a dry, tight moussed palate of subtle citrus, tangy cherry, strawberry, watermelon and the tiniest of hints of blueberry plus a steely mineral core. This is bright, fresh and vivid Rose and it remains zesty and vibrant in the glass, but with a surprisingly decedent mouth feel and wow factor, with Pet-Nat’s all the rage, you’ll want to jump on board the Love them bubbles Train soon, and this one is an exceptionally good place to start these really good Dry Sparklers, these are hand crafted wines that make for great alternatives to pricier Champagne and way better than mass produced Charmat method, these are all natural wines that create their own bubbles and offer superb quality and value along with lots of smiles and joy, if you’ve not caught the Petillant Naturel bug yet, now is a great time to start, it is a real craze, but with serious staying power, and Jousset, imported by Return to Terroir makes some of the finest offerings. Drink the Exile Gamay Rose Pet-Nat over the coming couple of years, it will be a great sipper on warm afternoons and is fabulous pre dinner and with meals, drink from 2015 to 2017.
($21 Est.) 92+ Points, grapelive
