Champagne Vollereaux - 2012 reserve brut champagne (France)

I've never been super enthralled with sparkling white wines in the past, perhaps discouraged by free "rail" champagnes at various events or weddings. But that's not to say the whole wine genre is bad - I have encountered a couple of nice examples, such as a 2012 Moet Chandon blanc et noirs that I had a few years back. I'm always open to trying new things, and so when Charles Bissell offered this wine for sale, I just had to check it out.

It's Champagne Vollereaux's reserve brut Champagne, produced in the town of Pierry in the Marne department of the Champagne-Ardennes region of France. And, of course, it is authentic Champagne, having been produced wholly in the eponymous region. Like other specific kinds of wine, true Champagne must be produced under a certain set of stringent guidelines, like location, specific vineyard practices, and the secondary fermentation in the bottle to create natural carbonation. This wine is also a "non-vintage" bottle, which means it's a blend of various years and grapes. There are many kinds of champagne, with "brut" being one of the most common. "Brut" means there's a dryness to the champagne, with no sweetness. Others, like demi-sec or doux, are much sweeter.

I always like hearing the "pop" of the muselet. Since I am staying with my family while I'm attending a conference for work, I get access to the various antique glassware I have collected. You'll notice I am using an authentic coupe, also known as a "Champagne saucer." I don't own any flutes and prefer to have my champers in this fashion.

Lots of little bubbles in there, of course. Initially, there's a slight mineral taste, but otherwise clean, effervescent, and dry. Slight grape flavors develop with an interesting undertone of oxidized sherry flavors that I found rather intriguing. The wine is tart and super crisp on the finish, and warms up nicely over time with more of those white grape flavors coming out.

One downside here is the price - it's on the more expensive end of the spectrum, with a today's bottle (a 375mL "split") costing around $21, and a full-size 750mL costing over $40. Like any bottle of wine at this price, one should have deeper introspection when it comes to buying. I bought a split because I didn't want to spend over $40 on a full-size bottle just to find out I didn't like it. Cost aside, however, I am pleased with this selection. It was perfect for the weather this past weekend - slightly warm, sunny, and breezy. This wine was refreshing and tasty, and will look forward to trying Champagne by this vineyard in the future.