Sparklefest 2025!

July Wines of the Month

Spirited Gourmet’s 4th annual SPARKLE-FEST!!!

                    Regular$/Tasting$

2023, Trere, “Gioja” Pagadebit Romagna Frizzante, Emilia-Romagna, Italy                                                         $16.99/$14.44

“Paga what?” Yeah, we never heard of it either until recently, but we’re so glad we did because this wine is delicious and delightful with the kind of price tag that made us do a double take. Trere farms this little-known grape varietal to make a lightly effervescent or “frizzante” style of white wine that’s great with dinner or just as a quaffing/aperitif wine.  On the nose, the sparkling Pagadebit reveals a delicate and fresh bouquet with notes of jasmine & hawthorne, green apple, and a slight hint of citrus. On the palate, this shows a little juicy citrus in a light-as-a-feather package. 

NV, Zanotto, Col Fondo Bianco, Veneto, Italy                                                                                                              $26.99/$22.94

Prosecco made the old way by fermenting in the bottle in the ancestral Pet Nat method. Creamy and a bit cloudy from being unfiltered. The aroma recalls toasted bread crust with delicate notes of apple and citrus. On the palate, the wine is dry, complex and pleasant with its typical notes of yeast and fruit. Lightly salty and very mineral on the finish. Can be served clear by leaving the lees deposited or with a slight shake of the bottle for a more rustic, decisive flavor.

NV, Alta Alella, “Mirgin” Brut Nature Cava Reserva, Penedes, Spain                                                                    $24.99/$21.24

Alta Alella is a family-run estate perched just outside Barcelona, where their commitment to organic farming and low-intervention winemaking sets them apart. Aged for more than 30 months on the lees and bottled with zero dosage, it offers the kind of depth and refinement rarely found in traditional Cava. Ripe orchard fruits are balanced by an earthy, savory undertone typical of the region. This gives some champagnes a run for their money.

NV, Paltrinieri, “Sant’Agata” Lambrusco di Sorbara, Emilia-Romagna, Italy                                                         $19.99/$16.99

The Paltrinieri estate makes this Sant'Agata Lambrusco from Sorbara. Lambrusco from Sorbara is more ruby red and lighter in color. The aromas are more driven by cherries and raspberries. What we love about this Lambrusco is that it finishes with a dry, mineral finish.

2021, Francois Chidaine, Brut Nature Methode Traditionelle, Montlouis-Sur-Loire, France                            $36.99/$31.44

The Chidaine Brut Nature is a traditional method sparkling Chenin. It’s a carefully made, cleansing aperitif style. Grown biodynamically, it is then naturally fermented in demi-muids before undergoing its second fermentation in bottle and resting on its lees for 18 months. The result is a bone-dry bottling, taut and lively with an assertive fizz. Rich apple fruit flavors are joined by lightly savory notes and subtle pastry characters derived from time on lees.

NV, Sebastien Girost, Brut Reserve, Champagne, France                                                                                         $52.99/$45.04 

According painstaking attention to the blending process, each of Sébastien Girost’s 22 plots of vines in the village of Congy is vinified separately, partially in oak casks sourced from the very best producers of Burgundy and Champagne. In his flagship Brut Reserve, the quintessentially Champagne yeast character of gently warmed brioche leads the way in the nose, and waves of quince, poached pear and Meyer lemon follow on the palate. Silky and luxurious with a rich, persistent mousse, Girost attains sophisticated textural finesse and a bubbly that punches well above its weight class.

July Wines of the Month

Spirited Gourmet’s 4th annual SPARKLE-FEST!!!

NV, Santome, Extra Dry Treviso Prosecco, Veneto, Italy                                                                                           $19.99/$16.99

Just the right balance of fruit, acidity, and bubbles. Aromas of apples and acacia flowers are followed by a clean, refreshing taste, soft bubbles, and a smooth, well-balanced finish. Perfect on its own before dinner as an aperitif or with appetizers and lighter fare.

NV, Moillard, Cremant de Bourgogne Blanc, Burgundy, France                                                                              $25.99/$22.09

Lightly floral on the nose. This is precise and well defined with crunchy citrus fruit flavors and refreshing acidity that doesn't overpower but keeps things lively and mouthwatering in the mouth. This is a well-balanced and easy drinking fizz with tons of appeal.

2023, Mas De Daumas Gassac, “Rose Frizant” Vin de France, Languedoc-Roussillon, France                         $31.99/$27.39

A sophisticated Rose made using the Champagne method from Pinot Noir grapes. Pale rose in color with a medium-body and fine bubbles. The bouquet and palate feature cherry and strawberry notes with a dry creamy finish. Superb with salmon, shrimp and lobster.

NV, Eric Maitre, Brut Tradition, Champagne, France                                                                                                 $47.99/$40.79

Eric & Daniella Maître farm 20 acres of sustainably grown Pinot Noir with the help of their three sons in the Côte des Bar region of Champagne. Aging a minimum of 36 months on the lees, the Brut Tradition well exceeds the 15 month requirement for non-vintage Champagnes, bringing a richness of flavor and texture rarely found at this price! Classic notes of brioche, baked apples and honey are balanced by a freshness and vibrancy making for a Blanc de Noirs that is equally well-suited to aperitif or alongside dinner.

NV, Gonet-Medeville, “Tradition” Brut Champagne Premier Cru, Champagne, France                                    $62.99/$53.54

Gonet-Medeville's NV Brut Premier Cru Tradition offers up an expressive bouquet of honeyed peach, oatmeal, Meyer lemon and subtle hints of the nutty complexity to come with further aging. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, fleshy, and generous, with terrific concentration, racy acids, and a pinpoint mousse. Not only is this an excellent Champagne, but it's a remarkably good value, too.

NV, Lingot Martin, Bugey-Cerdon, Savoie, France                                                                                                      $23.99/$20.39

Cerdon is a single fermentation sparkling wine (méthode ancestrale), made with the Gamay grape varietal. The wine ferments slowly and naturally in the bottle, producing the carbon dioxide that makes it sparkling. It’s so cheerful and sparkly, and bursting with cheerful red berries, baking spice, notes of brown sugar and a lifted finish make this the cranberry to your turkey, the cream soda to root beer.