With or without the bubbles!

It’s one minute to midnight and as I write these lines, the international import scene is in slowdown mode. Retailers, such as the SAQ, are hoping that the stocks ordered will arrive in time to be on the shelves for the strong demand experienced during the Holiday Season…for bubbles, in particular.

What’s more reassuring, however, is that the historically low yield of the 2021 harvest will not affect the availability of champagnes and other bubblies, in view of the large production figures for the three prior years.

Patrick Piuze non dosé Méthode Traditionnelle

A Montrealer by birth, Patrick Piuze headed first for Australian and South-African vineyards, finally settling in Chablis.

In 2008 the self-taught wine-maker created the wine house Piuze and stared making wine from grapes bought on the vine. Chardonnay is the only grape used to create an un-sugared bubbly coming from the fermenting house located between Chablis and the Côte des Bar in Champagne.

First aged in steel to increase its freshness, then on abundant lees to add richness, the wine is then bottled and matures on racks in the traditional way. The gold colour of the liquid announces its fullness and with that, the acidity redoubles its efforts and sustains extremely well this aromatic generosity of white fruits.

Nice fine bubbles to pair with your tray of shellfish on ice.

Reinisch Pinot Noir 2019

There are more than 200 labels of Austrian wines in the SAQ repertoire.

The Grüner Veltliner grape is largely responsible for this wine region which is known chiefly for its white wines. But Austria also boasts a climate suited to red wine grapes. And that’s what the Reinisch house offers.

On soils quite similar to those of Burgundy, with clay on the lower slopes and the others being chalky, the family grows high quality pinot noir grapes. On opening, there’s cherry, then aromas of venison and a light smokiness. The mouth is fresh and juicy, with bursting fruitiness, a rich texture and a sophisticated, well-bred woodiness.

Pairs simply with a crepe stuffed with ham, brie and mushrooms, or with the festive roasted turkey.

Brancaia no 2 2019

The Brancaia family project started in 1981. The wine-making adventure began in Tuscany with seven hectares of vines. Forty years and 80 hectares of vines later, the successes and the labels have multiplied.

Half of the estate’s production is under the DOC Maremma Toscana appellation, which is a real playground for the producers in this winemaking area where almost all grapes are permitted.

With an ample, elegant mouth followed by a long, spicy finish, and slight woodiness on good, fairly rounded tannins, no 2 2019 is a single-cultivar cabernet sauvignon in which the scents of red fruit with stones are quite seductive.

To drink now, it will pair beautifully with duck tournedos with foie gras…just before your New Year’s resolutions.

More from this author by clicking on his photo below.