Monday, May 27, 2013

Domaine Gramenon Vin de France Tout'en Bulle


This sparkling white wine comes from a tiny French village called Montbrison sur Lez in the southern Drȏme province. The winemaker is a bit quirky and when the wines are available, they go quickly.
A number of months ago I stopped into Walt Churchill’s Market Maumee location and wine manager Austin Beeman clued me in to Domaine Gramenon. The vineyards are meticulously organic and are sprayed with bio-organic preparations. No new oak barrels are ever used and natural (wild) fermentation is the rule.
The Tout’en Bulle (All Bubbles) de Gramenon is a pale yellow wine and the bottle is sealed with a curious crown-style closure. The nose is a bit closed, which is not unusual for sparkling wines.
It is a mix of Clairette and Viognier grapes made using “traditional and ancestral” winemaking methods. The Gramenon dances on the tongue and displays some light tropical fruit. It is a superb mineral experience with a mouthwatering finish.
Our group of tasters loved the bubbly texture of the wine. Perhaps because of the methods used, the bubbles didn’t seem to last long – but our delight with the wine certainly did.
Grab it when you can. The handcrafted, uber-natural winemaking and small output means Domain Gramenon will always be in demand. This is a unique and tasty wine for about $30.
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