Today’s Fizz Friday find is from a small champagne cooperative discovered at a recent tasting that I just fell in love with: Champagne Collet Demi-Sec.
Now Champagne Collet is not to be confused with Real Housewife of Orange County star Heather Dubrow’s Colette Brut. Heather’s Colette is a sparkling wine made in Napa Valley in the method champenoise style by the Bello Family Vineyards. I have yet to try it, but if you’re reading this Heather please feel free to send a bottle…and invite me over to your palatial manse to sip it by your pool…
Champagne Collet is what’s known as a “champagne cooperative.” A cooperative is a group of growers–usually families–who produce champagne under their own brand.
Here is how the champagne house itself describes the champagne’s blend:
25% to 30% Chardonnay exudes elegance and finesse.
15% to 20% Pinot Noir supplies structure.
50% Pinot Meunier creates rounded fruit flavor.
I don’t know about you, but that description alone makes me want to drink it. Hopefully my tasting notes will make you want to go out and pick up a bottle to try it for yourself.
TASTING NOTES
“Roses and raspberries–yes!” was literally my 1st thought verbatim when I took a whiff of this wine. It has a lovely golden lemon color and soft, tiny bubbles.
The profile of the palate was just, well, so pretty with its full range of flavors: red, ripe,juicy raspberries and red currants; green fruits {apple and pear}; peach and figs {yes, figs!}; hazelnuts; floral notes; and lemon zest. There was elegantly restrained sweetness and balanced acidity that made it such a super pleasurable sparkler to drink.
Because it’s a smaller production house, you probably won’t be able to find it at your grocer’s–you’re going to have to seek it out a little bit at wine shops. I promise you, though, that the search will be completely and totally worth it. If you’d just like to point, click, and buy instead, order it online from one my favorite good bubbly purveyors, Premier Champagnes.
Cheers to another Fizz Friday Find! Au bon weekend, my darlings and dears!
#ChampagneCollet
#FizzFriday