n.v. Domaine Remy Nodin, Saint-Peray, Extra Brut Marsanne Sparkling Wine, Rhone, France.
This is the first Northern Rhone bubbly I’ve ever tasted, and wow, it is a thrilling 100% Marsanne Extra Brut that shows brilliant detail and leesy class from Remy Nodin, think of this as a grower producer that crafts this sparkling wine from a single estate vineyard. I would have never guessed this was from Saint-Peray, nor that is was Marsanne, I was completely stumped when I tasted this wonderful Extra Brut in a blind tasting, it shows a luxurious and fine creamy mousse, but with wonderful vitality, vigor and tension with apple, waxy pear and light peach notes along with serious mineral elements, as well as wet stones, brioche and crisp lemony citrus. Again this methode champenoise offers refined balance, vibrancy and subtle richness in a complex and pleasing sparkling wine that is not only fun and unique it drinks with verve and is a great food wine. This Extra Brut, with just 5g/L of residual sugar is seriously dry and brisk, it comes from a family farmed plot in their estate lieu-dit La Beylesse and was aged 21 months on it’s lees, which shows in the lovely toastiness found here, this is an exciting and racy bottle to look for!
($25 Est.) 92 Points, grapelive
