N.V. Domaine de L’Écu,”La Divina” Brut, Sparkling Wine, Loire Valley, France.
Domaine de L’Ecu’s lovely sparkling wine La Divina is a favorite bubbly of mine from the Loire’s Muscadet region, it shows a fine mousse and has a decedent mouth feel with nice brioche richness, but lifted detailing. Fred Niger’s La Divina is done using traditional or Champagne method, with no dosage that gives this Brut it’s studied dryness, though with a generous personality and class. This bottling is all from the 2012 vintage, is crafted using a majority of Chardonnay along with some Folle Blanche, a rare white grape that is more commonly found in fine Armagnac(s) making for an intriguing sparkling wine. The Chardonnay focus gives this La Divina a presence in the glass and has a heady density of form without being heavy and it makes an impact that is quite grower producer Champagne like, showing a real inner brightness and beauty with layers of apple, pear and peach, along with hazelnut, bread dough and toasty/yeasty notes. This all biodynamic sparkler has a hint of floralness with white flowers, wet stones, fig and citrus notes adding to the subtle complexity and overall completeness found here in Domaine de L’Ecu’s well crafted Loire fizz. It matched perfectly some ultra fresh sashimi, Spanish mackerel “saba” and tuna roll sushi as well as a thin sliced marinated octopus and cucumber salad at my favorite Carmel Japanese restaurant Akaoni, a no nonsense place that is a quiet temple of non endowed freshness and purity of flavors. This was a wonderful experience, and Fred Niger’s wines at Domaine de L’Ecu are some of the Loire’s great wines, and this one continues to be a unique and graceful sparkling wine that way over delivers for the price.
($24 Est.) 91 Points, grapelive

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