Méthode Champenoise (New Mexico)

You're in Albuquerque, New Mexico and you're on your way to the artsy capital of Santa Fe and its shopping mecca of Canyon Road when you suddenly have a craving for Champagne. What do you do? Of course, you take a very slight detour and get yourself good old New Mexico sparkling wine made in the Méthode Champenoise. No, we're not talking about a detour to France; we're simply getting off the interstate on to the "frontage" road and making a slight right turn for the finest value sparkling wine made in the Méthode Champenoise in the world, at least in my opinion.

How do I know about this place? Well, we were driving from Albuquerque to Santa Fe, had a hankering, saw a sign, pulled off the interstate on to the frontage road and stopped to see what they had.

Why would anyone find this quality wine in a place like this? Part of one of the families that has run one of the old world champagneries for more than 400 years emigrated to the American southwest. Settling just outside of Albuquerque for reasons entirely unknown, the land and the climate, to them, seemed ideal for growing the classic Burgundian grapes -- Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. 

The soils here absolutely bone dry as we are in the high desert, slightly more than one mile above sea level. The winds, mostly from the west sweep through constantly keeping away vineyard pests and naturally thinning the vineyards to bring out greater flavor. The extreme temperature changes between day and night produce a far more acidic 

Following the Méthode Champenoise, grapes are picked early ensuring higher acidity. After harvest, the wine goes through the so-called first fermentation just the same as any other wine. The juice is blended (from different vbineyards in the case of a cuvee and from various vintages in the case of a non-vintage or NV wine). The wine is then fermented a second time in the bottle or en tirage for at least 15 months in the case of non-vintage or 36 months in the case of a declared vintage. After being aged on lees (the dead yeast cells), the wine is racked at an angle of 35 degrees pointing downward, gradually increased to remove the lees until the bottle is vertical in aprocess called riddling in the case of the racking and disgorgement in the case of lees removal. Finally, very small amounts of sugar are added before the final corking in a process known as dosage. 

We are presented with several wines to taste, a blanc de blanc (100% Chardonnay), a a blanc de noir (100% Pinot Noir) and a blanc de blanc sauvage (100% Chardonnay that has not gone through dosage so that it is bone dry).

While each is slightly different in character, all have significant minerality the sauvage in particular, green apple, a touch of lime, and are topped off with hints of almond and toasted brioche. Pair these wines with traditional champagne pairings, including lobster perhaps with risotto, or oysters Rockefeller.








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