This wine is 70% Chardonnay 20% Chenin Blanc and 10% Mauzac.
¡Salud!
***
Demystifying Wine…One Bottle at a Time from all wine regions around the world.
Read more of my wine reviews:
© 2012 James Meléndez / Jaime Patricio Meléndez / James the Wine Guy— All Rights Reserved. James the Wine Guy also on Facebook, Twitter and most major social medias.
Follow, subscribe, like, browse: 
Yes that was a moniker for “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous” and this article will focus on Sparkling wines and Champagne and less so on caviar–though I do enjoy it and think it nicely paired with Champagne.
But you don’t need to be ‘rich or famous’ to enjoy very well made sparkling wines. In many and most instances it is understandable if sparkling wines are more expensive on average as when compared to still wines. I understand….the process certainly adds to the overall cost. And Champagne stands alone in terms of high demand, the Euro (at least those using the US dollar) and a very finite growing region. There are other sparkling wine on a per litre basis are less expensive (but not always) Cava, sparkling wine, and Prosecco. I enjoy my New Year’s eve with wonderful hand foods and many Champagnes and sparkling wines.
Here are my Champagne and sparkling wishes to ring in the New Year:
Delamotte Blanc de Blancs – 1999
Gramona Cava Brut Imperial Gran Reserva 2006
Ruinart Brut Rosé – NV
Törley Grand Cuvee – NV
Ruggeri Prosecco di Valdobbiandene Guistini Bisol 2008
Sergio Mottura Brut 2005
Piper-Heidsieck Rare 2002
Canard-Duchene Grande Cuvée Charles VII NV
Bollinger Grande Annee Brut 1999
Chartogne-Taillet Brut 2002
Jacquesson Millesime Brut 2002
Chartogne-Taillet Blanc de Blanc Brut Champagne NV
Recaredo Brut Nature Cava 2006
Gosset Celebris 1998
J Brut Late-Disgorged 2001
Mumm Napa DVX Rosé 2006
Iron Horse Winter’s Cuvée 2007
Schramsberg J Schram Rosé 2004
De Cazanove Stradivarius 1998
Charles Ellner Brut NV
Lanson Noble Cuvée Blanc de Blancs 1998
Bruno Paillard Rosé Brut Première Cuvée NV
Ayala Brut Millesime 1999
Jean Lallemont Brut NV
Vranken Diamont Brut
Vilmart Coeur de Cuvée 2002
Deutz Deutz Cuvée William Brut 1998
Bollinger R.D. 1997
Aneri Prosecco
Roederer Estate L’Ermitage 2002
¡Salud!
***
Demystifying Wine…One Bottle at a Time from all wine regions around the world.
Read more of my wine reviews:
© 2011 James Meléndez / Jaime Patricio Meléndez — All Rights Reserved. James the Wine Guy also on Facebook, Twitter and most major social medias.
Follow, subscribe, like, browse: 
I was glad to find out how green the winery is and how Mumm Napa works to make the process even greener. On my visit there I asked if they were going to install solar panels; and after a re-roofing that is in their facilities plan. There is a great desire for continuous green process at Mumm Napa.
The tour is well done and does exemplify how difficult it is to make sparkling wine. The fixture of art work is always present and adds a richer touch.
I have seen Mumm Napa’s product line grow and that is certainly in-line with the many nuances of sparkling wine. Mumm Napa has it is standard bearers and has expanded in the past decade to high light the fine points of sparkling wine. Most of Mumm Napa’s grapes come from the Napa Valley with a small amount coming from the Anderson Valley.
On my recent visit I enjoyed Brut Prestige, Cuvée M (containing a touch of late harvest Muscat), Brut Reserve, Pinot Meunier (100% which is unusual for a California sparkling wine house), Blanc de Blancs (with 10% Pinot Gris), Brut Rosé, Santana Brut (65% Pinot Noir and 35% Chardonnay), DVX 2003 (Mumm Napa’s signature and prestige offering)–the fruit comes from the Deveaux Vineyard which can be seen on the Carneros Highway (121) and DVX is named in honor of Mumm Napa’s founder and first winemaker. I also tasted the sparkling Pinot Noir–a wonderful wine to serve with Thanksgiving, turkey, duck and salmon. Sparkling red wines are not terribly plentiful and especially compared with sparkling Australian wines (chiefly Shiraz but there are also sparkling Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon), I think it would be safe to say that there are fewer than 1,000 cases of quality sparkling red wine produced in the US. I also tasted their Cuvée M Red–this sparkler is 96% Pinot Noir and 4%.
Mumm Napa Winemaker Ludovic Dervin
I enjoyed Ludovic Dervin walking through his wines. He gave a great view and comparison and contrast of Champagne and California sparkling wines. The discipline and heritage of Champagne and California’s ability to craft sparkling wines with fewer restrictions to leverage California’s great climate but the ability to utilize varietals beyond the Champagne set. I look forward to more return visits to this sparkling sparkling winery.
A Gorgeous Assembly of Sparkling Wine
¡Salud!
***
Demystifying Wine…One Bottle at a Time from all wine regions around the world.
Read more of my wine reviews:
© 2011 James Meléndez / Jaime Patricio Meléndez — All Rights Reserved. James the Wine Guy also on Facebook, Twitter and most major social medias.
Follow, subscribe, like, browse:
Varietals:
- 92% Pinot Noir
- 8% Chardonnay
Notes of fresh strawberry, currant, just baked biscuit, pine nut and essence of rose.
¡Salud!
***
Demystifying Wine…One Bottle at a Time from all wine regions around the world.
Read more of my wine reviews:
© 2011 James Meléndez / Jaime Patricio Meléndez — All Rights Reserved. James the Wine Guy also on Facebook, Twitter and most major social medias.
Follow, subscribe, like, browse:
Lively and fresh and yet confident; this wine exhibits notes of red and golden raspberry, flaky biscuit and raw pine nut.
***
¡Salud!
***
Demystifying Wine…One Bottle at a Time from all wine regions around the world.
Read more of my wine reviews:
© 2011 James Meléndez / Jaime Patricio Meléndez — All Rights Reserved. James the Wine Guy also on Facebook, Twitter and most major social medias.
Follow, subscribe, like, browse:
Varietals:
Notes of Biscuit, almond, Italian fig and Kaffir lime.
***
¡Salud!
***
Demystifying Wine…One Bottle at a Time from all wine regions around the world.
Read more of my wine reviews:
© 2011 James Meléndez / Jaime Patricio Meléndez — All Rights Reserved. James the Wine Guy also on Facebook, Twitter and most major social medias.
Follow, subscribe, like, browse:
This wine expresses Mendocino County fruit and delivers superb dryness and character; almond, Passionfruit, Kaffir lime, and Brioche
***
¡Salud!
***
Demystifying Wine…One Bottle at a Time from all wine regions around the world.
Read more of my wine reviews:
© 2011 James Meléndez / Jaime Patricio Meléndez — All Rights Reserved. James the Wine Guy also on Facebook, Twitter and most major social medias.
Follow, subscribe, like, browse:
Italian white fig, freshly baked biscuit, pine nut and hint of fennel.
¡Salud!
***
Demystifying Wine…One Bottle at a Time from all wine regions around the world.
Read more of my wine reviews:
© 2011 James Meléndez / Jaime Patricio Meléndez — All Rights Reserved. James the Wine Guy also on Facebook, Twitter and most major social medias.
Follow me:
Aptly dry, passionfruit, fresh Adriatic fig, Spanish almond and hint of sweet spice.
¡Salud!
***
Demystifying Wine…One Bottle at a Time from all wine regions around the world.
Read more of my wine reviews:
© 2011 James Meléndez / Jaime Patricio Meléndez — All Rights Reserved. James the Wine Guy also on Facebook, Twitter and most major social medias.
Follow me:
A great expression of a sparkling Rosé; balanced, bold and yet nuanced. Notes of violets, Brioche, pine nut and hint of Cardamom.
¡Salud!
***
Demystifying Wine…One Bottle at a Time from all wine regions around the world.
Read more of my wine reviews:
© 2011 James Meléndez / Jaime Patricio Meléndez — All Rights Reserved. James the Wine Guy also on Facebook, Twitter and most major social medias.
Follow me:
