Trapiche Sparkling Extra Brut Wine

[Steve Mirsky]

'Tis the season for tasty accessible sparkling wines! You need not be a purist and only settle for Champagne to celebrate with the bubbly. Cavas and Proseccosare a great start for party wines to toast a grand occasion with hors d'oeuvres, or to finish off an opulent meal with dessert.

But there are many other low to mid-priced sparkling wines that are just begging to be enjoyed. One great example is Trapiche's Extra Brut made from a blend of 70% Chardonnay, 20% Semillon, and 10% Malbec. These grapes are vinified (fermented) at cool temperatures for 10-15 days to extract color, aroma and ripe fruit flavors. The resulting wine is then aged for a short time entirely in stainless steel tanks before before a light filtration. Next comes a second fermentation using the Charmat Lungo method (prolonged contact with residual yeast) for 120 days before bottling. Here are the results I discerned in my tasting:

The bouquet of this vintage from the first waft is full ahead fruity. The mouth feel has an easy-going minerality with faint limestone blossoming into light pear and melon on the palate, then punching straight to the back of the throat. A sweeter edge pokes through on the swallow. Nothing dry or rigid all the way to a smooth finish. Great with cheeses producing a nuttier flavor experience while cleansing the palate for the next bite or an entirely different cheese. Be aware that when imbibing with entrees, this wine will take on the character of the ingredients contained therein.

Photo courtesy of Trapiche. Review made possible by participating in a complimentary tasting