WINE OF THE WEEK - Bernard-Massard Cuvée de l’Écusson Brut Sparkling Rosé

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Feb 5

(NOTE: Scroll to the bottom of this post to watch a video review of this wine!)

It’s always a great day for some bubbles, wouldn’t you say?

In theory, I think sparkling wine should be enjoyed all the time, and not just saved for special occasions. Having said that, I have to confess that I often leave my sparkling wines for days that I am celebrating….until I remind myself that I can enjoy something fun whenever I feel like it. So, why not on a Wednesday, I say? Especially when you’ve got a wine in your cellar that is really pretty unique!

This week’s sparkling wine comes from a very small wine producing region in Europe and it’s a stunner. Let’s get into it!

Bernard-Massard Cuvée de l’Écusson Brut Sparkling Rosé

This week’s wine comes to us from Luxembourg, which is definitely a smaller wine region on a world scale and not one that many people outside of the EU will necessarily know about. Having said that, the producer of this week’s wine actually exports wines all around the world and is therefore well known by a lot of wine lovers globally. Read on to learn all that you need to know about this week’s wine.

What does this wine cost?

$19.95.

Where does this wine come from?

As I’ve already said, this wine comes from a Luxembourg-based producer. However, the label on the wine indicates that the grapes are sourced from the EU, which suggests to me that the grapes may not be wholly from the producer’s estate but rather, that some may be purchased from other growers. Without full knowledge of the matter, I hesitate to say that the grapes for this wine are entirely sourced from Luxembourg per se, but the producer is certainly from there. Maybe this is something I’ll look into at some point if I have more time.

(As a side note - it is not at all uncommon for wine and grapes to be purchased from somewhere and either vinified (turned into wine) or blended, or simply bottled by a producer.)

Why is this wine unique?

A sparkling wine from Luxembourg is certainly not a common sighting anywhere. The country makes very little wine compared to other countries that we are used to drinking wine from.

Furthermore, this wine is made in the “traditional method”, which is the same way that wines are made in the Champagne region - but it is far, far more affordable than the average Champagne.

Who makes this wine?

Bernard-Massard is the foremost producer of traditional-method sparkling wines in Luxembourg. The company was founded in 1921 by a man named Jean Bernard-Massard who returned home to Luxembourg after being a cellar master in the Champagne region of France for many years. He wanted to apply his learnings to make amazing wines in his home land and now his vision has turned into a massive enterprise with multiple holdings that is now five generations in and still a family business.

Click here to learn more about Bernand-Massard.

A few Wine Geek “essential facts” about the wine (feel free to skip this if you don’t care about detailed wine-making information!):

Variety - 100% Pinot Noir

Soil Types - granite and schist

ABV - 12.5%

Residual Sugar - 14 g/L

My tasting notes:

A salmon pink colour with a light mousse and a lovely, fine persistent bead, this sparkling wine has a nose that is redolent with an abundant bouquet of red fruit, florals, wet stone and green herbs. On the palate, you’ll get notes of strawberries cake, cantaloupe, orange pith, a hint of lemon and cream. This is a delicious, lightweight, silky sparkling wine that has good minerality, a long and zesty finish and a macaron-like quality.

Aging potential:

Drink now.

Recommendations to Wineitupanotch:

Enjoy this wine withe brunch. It has the profile to match a range of brunch dishes and has the right weight for a morning tipple. It would also be a lovely aperitif.

Wineitupanotch Wine Score: 90 points

This is a lovely sparkling wine, suitable for many different occasions and available at a very reasonable price point.

If you’re located in Ontario, you can find this wine at the LCBO under Product #369074.

FINAL VERDICT:

I would highly recommend this sparkling wine. It is light but layered and nuanced, with a kiss of sweetness that is nicely balanced with minerality and zest! And it’s from a lesser known region whilst also being quite affordable. Stock up now and save this one for Mothers Day and/or other celebrations this Spring/Summer!

If you’ve tried this wine already, or decide to pick it up and try it after reading this post, I’d love to hear from you and hear what you think of it! Please do drop me a line.

Until next time, wishing you love, light and of course - good wine! :)

Cheers,

XOXO