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As Expected
Is “expectation” a wine term?
In a direct sense it is not, of course – “expectation” is not the name of the grape, not a wine descriptor, and not the name of the winemaking process. And nevertheless, for anyone who proclaims “serious affection, a.k.a love, a.k.a obsession” to the simple beverage produced from the grape juice, I would argue that “expectation” is a wine term, or at least, a wine-related term.
Expectations start from the very first look at the bottle – even before we see the label, the bottle’s shape and overall appearance initiate a thought process regarding the bottle’s content. Obviously, once we carefully look at the label, our expectations are enhanced further. Okay, young Barolo, I need to get the decanter ready. Ohh, this Sauvignon Blanc is too warm – I need to chill it before the guests arrive.
But then these are not even real expectations. Once you recognize the region, the grape, the producer – this is when the mind games of expectations start. Looking at the bottle of Opus One, Petrus, Penfolds Grange, or Dom Perignon, I’m sure that the mind of an average wine lover goes ballistic – “this is going to be amazing”. The brain would not accept anything less. Even after you try the wine, the brain will interject into the message from your palate if it is anything less than “oh my god, I love this”. But before I mount my favorite horse it appears that there is an idiom “to mount a hobbyhorse” (I hope there is a saying like this in English, as there is one in Russian), let me change the direction to where I’m actually trying to arrive.
As we are discussing the meaning of the wine term “expectations”, it is interesting to see how your expectations are built. Let’s say you tried a bottle of wine from an unknown producer, and you liked it. Then you tried another one. And another one – and I don’t mean in one sitting – slowly over time. As you keep liking the wines, your expectations are being built. You try new vintages, new wines from the same producer and your expectations keep growing. Once you become really familiar with the producer, you take a bottle you never had before, and before even opening it, you are confident that this will be a good wine – you expect nothing less. You might not love each and every wine from a given producer after you try them, but at least in terms of expectations, your ways are set. Just to give you an example, I expect excellent wines from La Rioja Alta, Lopez de Heredia, Field Recordings, Turley, Carlisle, Masciarelli, and lots of others – and yet while I’m writing this post, I’m drinking the wine from Carlisle that I don’t really enjoy at this moment (just opened the bottle, the wine needs to breathe). The fact that I don’t enjoy one particular wine doesn’t affect my general expectations – next time, holding a bottle of Carlisls in my hands, I would fully expect that I will like the wine “at hands”.
A “circle of expectations” is not cast in stone. As we taste wines from the new producer, we build confidence and our expectations are growing to the point of this unconditional trust. Today, I want to share with you one of my latest additions – Domaine Bousquet from Argentina.
Domain Bousquet is not even 30 years old – it was founded in 1997, so in the wine world this is a very short period of time – but take a look at this simple picture above, which perfectly summarises Domain Bousquet’s achievements – Certified Organic with multiple designations, biodynamic Demeter certified, 1st in Argentina and 4 th in the world regenerative organic winery – you can continue researching this very impressive list on your own. But this is the wine we are talking about, so all of the certifications take a back seat to the content of the glass. What’s inside of glass matters – does it give you pleasure or not. And Domaine Bousquet produces damn impressive wines.
I was introduced to the wines of Domaine Bousquet exactly 3 years ago, and that introduction started with their Charmat method sparkling wines – organic, delicious, and inexpensive. Next, in August of the same year, 2021, I had an opportunity to taste an extended lineup of Domaine Bousquet wines, that were also excellent. Earlier this year I was blown away by their unoaked organic wines containing no added SO2, and then one more time in December when I tasted their Classic method sparkling wines which were world-class superb and an absolute steal at $18.
Now, I had an opportunity to taste some of their very best wines. These wines perfectly speak to my obsessed oenophile mind, as they are not even single-vineyard, but rather single-plot wines – and they are produced only in exceptional years. You know that I don’t like quoting the original winery notes, but I feel that in this case it is appropriate:
“Named for Domaine Bousquet co-owner Labid al Ameri, Ameri is not just“single vineyard” but “specific cluster,” and made only in exceptional years. At 1,257m/4,125 ft, the highest of the estate, the certified-organic vineyard, located in Gualtallary in the Andean foothills, gets a perfect combination of near constant intense daytime sunlight and huge day/night temperature differentials. The result is fruit with increased levels of sugar AND acid, flavor, and aromatics.”
Yes, I had expectations regarding these wines. I expected these wines to be well-made and tasty. And my expectations were met. Fully.
Here are my notes:
2020 Domaine Bousquet Ameri Malbec Gualtallary Mendoza Argentina (14.5% ABV, $37, 100% Malbec, 12 months in French oak)
Dark garnet, almost black
Cherries, plums, eucalyptus
Cherries, espresso, firm structure, good acidity, good balance
8, excellent
2020 Domaine Bousquet Ameri Red Blend Gualtallary Mendoza Argentina (14.5% ABV, $37, 60% Malbec, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon,10% Syrah, 10% Merlot, 12 months in French oak)
Dark garnet, almost black
Plums, fresh raspberries, mocha
Cherries, a hint of cassis, eucalyptus, sweet oak, perfectly integrated tannins, firm structure, excellent balance
8, delicious.
Both wines were just perfect from the get-go, but both also lasted for at least 5 days on the counter with the air being pumped out – a testament to the quality.
Here you are, my friends – all-organic, delicious, top-shelf wines from Argentina – delivering the pleasure.
As expected.
Brilliance of the Bubbles
Champagne, anyone?
Well, I’m not in the mood to celebrate anything going on in the world right now. But I still drink wine, and while Champagne = Celebration is deeply ingrained in our minds, here I’m just talking about Champagne as a type of wine, the same as white, red, and Rosé. And I need to further correct myself – I’m not even talking about Champagne, the sparkling wine produced only in the Champagne region of France. The subject of today’s post is generic “bubbles”, the sparkling wine produced elsewhere in the world.
Simplistic on the surface, “bubbles” is an interesting wine category. Nobody is born craving wine, wine is an acquired taste. Bubbles might be the next level of acquired taste compared to wine, especially if we can exclude social pressure from consideration. Classic Champagne typically boasts cut-through acidity and is expected to be devoid of any traces of fruit for the joy of purists. And god forbid any sweetness can be detected in the glass… Not the wine someone intuitively craves. But this is not the biggest issue with the “bubbles”. The bigger problem is that people are well-trained to recognize the word Champagne, and once they hear that word, whether they truly love the liquid in the glass or not becomes irrelevant – “ahh, it is Champagne!”.
As anecdotal evidence, my favorite example is Kevin Zraly’s Windows on the World wine classes. The last class in the series of 8 started with Champagne. 4 wines were poured blindly to the group of roughly 120 students. After tasting all 4 wines, we were asked to have a show of hands for our favorite Champagne. I don’t remember details about wines #1, #2, and #3, but there was a somewhat equal spread between these three wines. Wine #4, however, had barely any hands raised. As the wines were revealed, Kevin Zraly said “and this is why, people, you shouldn’t drink vintage Champagne” – wine #4 was Dom Perignon, creme de la cream of Champagne world. Have we known that we were drinking Dom Perignon, I guarantee that wine #4 would be adored by everyone.
Before you get any wrong ideas, let me assure you – this is not a Champagne-bashing post. I love good Champagne as much as any other hard-core Champagne aficionado is. 2002 Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchill Champagne was my wine of the year in 2016. I have enjoyed immensely Krug, both vintage and non-vintage. Champagne Lanson, Duval-Leroy, Piper-Heidsieck, Bollinger, and on, and on, and on. But the point I’m trying to make here is that when looking for bubbles, you shouldn’t hang up on Champagne and only Champagne – sparkling wines are made everywhere today, and there are lots and lots of very worthy bubbles you can enjoy, as long as you are willing to accept that great sparkling wines don’t have to come only from Champagne.
For an example of the great bubbles from outside of Champagne, let’s take a trip to Argentina. On a world scale, Argentina arguably didn’t reach yet the status of a world-class sparkling wine producer. And for me as a wine lover, this is very good news – it means I can still enjoy sparkling wines from Argentina at reasonable prices. Just to give you an example, we can look at the sparkling wines of South Africa, known as Cap Classique. Back 3 years ago, Graham Beck Brut Rosé Methode Cap Classique, one of my favorite sparkling wines from South Africa, could be found at my local wine shop for $16.99. The price two weeks ago? $30.99. So before it happens to Argentinian bubbles, let me bring you into the know.
Please meet Domaine Bousquet. Well, this might not be the correct way to introduce Domaine Bousquet here – if you are reading this blog regularly (are you??) then you already met Domaine Bousquet on multiple occasions. If you look at the Domaine Bousquet website, you will see that they present themselves as the #1 organic, regenerative and sustainable winery in Argentina. When I think of Domaine Bousquet, especially after tasting their wines, my first thought usually is “how do they do it???”. As an example of “how do they do it”, Domaine Bousquet offers USDA-certified organic wines (!) called Virgen that taste great and cost only $13 as the suggested retail price. And my latest discovery in the “how do they do it” category is two of their classic method sparkling wines.
I wrote about Domaine Bousquet sparkling wines before. Those were excellent wines produced using the Charmat method (secondary fermentation in the tank), the same method that is used in the production of Prosecco. These two new wines I’m talking about are produced using the classic method, with the secondary fermentation in the bottle – the same way classic Champagne wines are produced, hence the name Classic Method, a.k.a. Méthode Champenoise, a.k.a. Méthode Traditionnelle.
From the very first whiff, both wines were just spectacular. NV Domaine Bousquet Brut Organic Méthode Traditionnelle Mendoza Argentina (12% ABV, $18 SRP, 75% Chardonnay, 25% Pinot Noir, 6 months on the lees) had a perfect nose of freshly toasted bread, brioche and apples. The palate was followed with the same toasted bread notes, perfectly fine mousse, crispy profile with just apple notes, just a pure delight.
And NV Domaine Bousquet Brut Rosé Organic Méthode Traditionnelle Mendoza Argentina (12% ABV, $18 SRP, 75% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay, 6 months on the lees) was even better – the wine had an absolute precision that only the best Champagne and sparkling wines possess. Salmon pink in the glass, freshly baked, just out of the oven toasted bread on the nose – I couldn’t and didn’t want to put my glass down for a few minutes. After appropriately admiring the bouquet, the first sip perfectly matched the expectations – fine mousse, cut-through acidity, brioche, green apples, perfect structure, impeccable balance.
If I were to pair dinner with these two wines, I would have fresh oysters and seafood with the Brut, and then a steak with the Brut Rosé – you can keep the salad.
Here are two brilliant sparkling wines from Argentina – organic and delicious. In a blind tasting, these two wines can safely challenge any Champagne or sparkling wines – and I would definitely put my money on the Domaine Bousquet wines to win the popular vote.
Taking the price into account, and the holiday season upon us, these are definitely case-buy recommendations – these wines are perfect as a gift and perfect to enjoy at any moment, knowing that you didn’t have to break the bank to get the pleasure.
Have you had these wines? What are your favorite sparkling wines outside of Champagne? Cheers!
Virgen Wines – No SO2 Organic and Delicious
No added SO2.
Organic.
Delicious.
Simple, right?
Organic seems to be the word of the town. Four years ago, in 2019, 6.2% of the vineyards in the world were certified organic. In absolute terms, it doesn’t sound impressive. However, we need to take into account a few factors. First, many vineyards practice organic farming but are not inclined to undergo an official certification process due to the high cost. Second, and probably more important, is that from 2005 till 2019 the organic vineyard plantings increased by 13% per year, compared with non-organic vineyard plantings’ growth rate of 0.4% per year, according to the article in Drinks Business. I have a feeling that the organic vineyard growth could even have accelerated over the last four years, but we will need to wait to see the official data.
But grapes from organic vineyards don’t automatically mean that the wine can be called organic too – this gets a bit tricky, as every country has different rules for what wine can be called “organic” – this is why you can see on many labels the statement “made with organic grapes” instead of simple “organic”.
SO2, an abbreviation for Sulfur Dioxide, is an essential element in winemaking. It is used literally at every stage of the winemaking process because of a few important properties. SO2 is an anti-microbial agent, regulating harmful yeast and bacteria growth in wine. It also has anti-oxidative properties, protecting the wine from oxidation. It is important though that the use of SO2 is not excessive for a variety of reasons – one of such is an allergic reaction it can cause.
So here is the culprit – if you want to import your wine to the USA, and you want to be able to simply state on the label “organic”, you are not allowed to add sulfites (it is okay to add sulfites to the organic wine in Europe and Canada). This doesn’t mean that the wine will have no sulfites – sulfites are a natural by-product of fermentation, and they are always present in wine – but they will be present in minuscule quantities in the organic wines. However, not adding sulfites is not for the faint at heart – considering how many things can go wrong in the winemaking process – this is why today you see the majority of wines labeled with “made from organic grapes”.
Domain Bousquet was founded in 1990 in the high-altitude desert in Tupungato Uco Valley in Mendoza, Argentina, on the pure vision, passion, and conviction of its founder, Jean Bousquet. Jean was told that he is making a mistake of his life when he purchased 1,000 acres of nothing but dry, empty, arid land. Today, Domain Bousquet sustainably and organically farms 667 acres of vineyards, produces 50 million liters of wine, 95% of which is exported to 50 countries around the world, and ranks among the top 20 Argentinian wineries in terms of export. Domaine Bousquet also just extended its leadership in organic winemaking by introducing the wines produced without adding any SO2 – and this is exactly what we are talking about today.
Three new wines were just added to Domaine Bousquet’s collection, under the name of Virgen – Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Malbec. All three are certified USDA organic, unoaked, and have no added SO2. To ensure the proper handling that these wines require, Domaine Bousquet even decided to ship them wrapped in a blanket.
When I received an invitation to review these new wines, my instant inclination was a simple “nope, not doing that”. No USDA organic wines made me excited so far. But the next thought was … well, these are just the samples, it might be interesting – especially if I can compare them with the same wines made in the traditional way – and this is pretty much what I was able to do.
Winemaker Rodrigo Serrano. Source Domaine Bousquet
In my mind, producing wines without SO2 requires a leap of heart. So even before I got the wines, I decided to ask Domaine Bousquet’s winemaker, Rodrigo Serrano, a few questions about his inspiration and goals – here is our short conversation:
[TaV]: You had been farming organically since the beginning, so your wines have always been made from organic grapes. Getting USDA Organic certified is another test, as you now need to certify the entire winemaking process. Why did you decide to opt for this certification?
[RS/DB]: We did it because we had the opportunity to experience it in 2018. Little by little I moved away from the use of SO2, until I suggested trying a wine without using it. I felt like an innovator, without knowing the real magnitude of this.
[TaV]: Virgen wines do not have SO2 added, so special care must be taken during the transport of wines. How did you come up with the idea for a blanket? How does it help protect wines?
[RS/DB]: The theory says that the temperature is very harmful, so in a wine like this, in which there is no protection, extreme care is taken. Today with experience, we understand that both in Virgin and in the rest, the temperature is harmful, so we put the blanket in all shipments. It helps by generating an air chamber between the wall of the transport container and the wine box, obtaining less impact from the outside temperature on our bottles.
[TaV]: What is the expected shelf life of Virgen wines?
[RS/DB]: Initially I was not optimistic, today with more than 5 years of experience, we still have 2018 stock, and it remains correct.
[TaV]: Somewhat related question: Once virgin wines have arrived at someone’s home, how should they be stored? How long can they be stored before having to consume them?
[RS/DB]: It must be stored like the rest, away from light, with a temperature no higher than 20°C and no less than 5°C.
[TaV]: Can “SO2-free” wines age? Did you experiment with that?
[RS/DB]: It is a challenge that we have ahead of us, to work with sulfite-free wines for aging, we are working on it, but for the moment they are only projects.
[TaV]: I see that Domaine Bosquet is not only organic, it is also certified Organic Regenerative. How is Regenerative Organic different from just Organic? What did you have to do to obtain the Regenerative Organic certification? How long did it take you?
[RS/DB]: ROC is something incredible, and for this I recommend watching KISS the Ground. He will answer better than anyone. It took us a few years to certify it, but I don’t work extra, considering that our philosophy coincides 100%
[TaV]: Last question. Far beyond viticulture, Domaine Bosquet is also a certified B Corp. Why did you decide to become a B Corp? Why is this important for you?
[RS/DB]: As with ROC, the coincidence in our philosophy, measuring the social and environmental impact, led us to this certification in a natural way.
Obviously, the proof is in the pudding glass, so next I tasted the wines, and – spoiler alert – was blown away. Here are my notes in the exact order I tasted the wines:
2021 Domaine Bousquet Virgen Natural Cabernet Sauvignon Tupungato Uco Valley Mendoza Argentina (14% ABV, $13, no added SO2)
Dark garnet
Chocolate and tobacco on the nose, a hint of berries
Blackberries, a hint of cassis, black plums, minerally driven, rich and luscious, good structure, crisp acidity.
8, outstanding on its own, and a great surprise as the wine is unoaked.
2021 Domaine Bousquet Virgen Natural Malbec Tupungato Uco Valley Mendoza Argentina (14% ABV, $13, no added SO2)
Dark Garnet
A hint of barnyard upon opening. On the second day barnyard smell disappeared, leaving behind only dark fruit.
On the palate, the wine is just spectacular. Imagine taking a load of perfectly ripe, perfectly crunchy, perfectly fresh berries – blueberries, raspberries, and wild strawberries, and sending it into your mouth – now you know how this wine tastes. Perfect structure, perfect balance, perfect acidity.
8+/9-, kudos to the winemaker.
2022 Domaine Bousquet Virgen Natural Chardonnay Tupungato Uco Valley Mendoza Argentina (13.5% ABV, $13, no added SO2)
Light golden
Asian pear, herbs
The palate is matching the nose, Asian pear, a touch of honey, herbs.
7/7+ first day. The wine somewhat improved on the second day, but overall didn’t go anywhere near the reds
And here is my “Frame of reference”:
2021 Domaine Bousquet Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Tupungato Uco Valley Mendoza (14.5% ABV, $19.99)
Garnet
Dark berries, cherries
A touch of cassis, eucalyptus, clean, classic, perfectly balanced, good acidity.
8, very good
2021 Domaine Bousquet Malbec Reserve Tupungato Uco Valley Mendoza (14.5% ABV, $19.99)
Garnet
Dark fruit, espressoFresh berries, salivating acidity, medium body, playful, perfectly balanced.
8+, delicious.
Let’s discuss our tasting.
First, both of the no SO2 reds were outstanding. The unadulterated fresh berries are really something to experience when they are delivered in a fully balanced, perfectly structured way. No SO2 Cabernet Sauvignon was perfectly on par with the reserve Cabernet Sauvignon; I liked no SO2 Malbec even more than the reserve version, even though I wouldn’t complain about either. Second, I managed to get the answer to the question about the aging of the no SO2 wines. I left both no SO2 Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec on the countertop, closing back the screw cap, and the wines were perfectly delicious on the second and third days. In my book, that means that the wines have at least another 10 years of life easily. Not that I’m suggesting that you should age these wines, but it is good to know that you really don’t have to consume them the same day you got them from the store.
Here you are, my friends – organic, no SO2, and delicious. These wines are worth seeking out, whether you care about sulfites or not. And if you have friends who complain about headaches and sulfites – they might love you even more after they will taste these wines. If you had a chance to taste these wines already – let me know what you think!
Made With Organic Grapes: Domaine Bousquet
Today we will be talking about two subjects we already discussed in the past. The first subject is the wines made from organic grapes. Organic grapes are becoming more and more available, and winemakers around the world are more eager to use organic grapes in winemaking, especially as wine consumers happily embrace the trend.
The second subject is the wines of Domaine Bousquet in Argentina. Last time we talked about unpretentious and delicious Domaine Bousquet bubbles, sparkling wines well suitable for every day. Today we want to continue that conversation and talk about few more wines.
The organic viticulture is fair and square a centerpiece of Domaine Bousquet winemaking. The picture below perfectly summarizes it – these are all the certifications that the domain already has:
Source: Domaine Bousquet website
Organic viticulture is only a stepping stone for Domaine Bousquet – the goal is to convert to biodynamic farming in 2021/2022, which is not an easy task, considering the sheer size of Domaine Bousquet’s vineyards (more than 500 acres) and the fact that biodynamic viticulture is 30% more labor-intense compared with traditional methods, and 15% more intense than sustainable. But once you get on this road, there is no turning back.
Organic/sustainable/biodynamic is an important part, but still only a part of the story. The terroir is essential, and it is a classic combination of the soil and climate which contributes to the quality of the Domaine Bousquet wines. Many of the Domain Bousquet vineyards are located in the Gualtallary region of Uco Valley, at an altitude of about 4,200 feet. The high altitude by itself doesn’t guarantee the quality of the wines, but it helps. Domaine’s vineyards are located on the patches of sandy soils, which are great for the vines as they limit the spread of the disease, provide good drainage and force the vines to work hard to get to the water.
Gaultallary offers a desert-like climate, with constant winds blowing for the Andes, and less than 8 inches of rain being total precipitation for the year. In such conditions, it is important that Domaine Bousquet vineyards are located in areas with access to the ground water – not everybody in the Gaultallary is that lucky. And then there are Zonda winds (Zonda in local dialect means “The Witch’s Wind”, which are showing up in the spring, and they are dry (relative humidity of 0), strong, and unpredictable – but they help to reduce the crop size and concentrate the flavor.
Domaine Bousquet produces about 10 different lines of wines. I was able to taste wine belonging to the 4 different lines (samples). Below are my notes.
First, 2 wines from the Premium selection:
2021 Domaine Bousquet Sauvignon Blanc Tupungato Uco Valley (12.5% ABV, $13)
Straw pale
Ultimately inviting nose, a touch of fresh grass, lemon, uplifting intensity.
Crisp, clean, lemony, grassy, tart, fresh, pure delight.
8+, perfect, delicious.
2019 Domaine Bousquet Cabernet Sauvignon Tupungato Uco Valley Mendoza (14% ABV, $13, no oak – unusual)
Dark Ruby
A touch of bell pepper, dark berries, medium-plus intensity
Bell pepper, eucalyptus, mint, blackberries, good acidity, fresh, good energy, good balance
8-/8, easy to drink. And I have to say that unoaked Cabernet Sauvignon is mind-boggling.
Next were two wines form the Reserve line:
2019 Domaine Bousquet Chardonnay Reserve Tupungato Uco Valley (14.5% ABV, $18)
Straw pale
Vanilla, a hint of butter, inviting, generous
Crisp, vibrant, a touch of butter and vanilla, tightly weaves around the citrus core. Excellent balance, delicious.
8+, superb. If this wine can age, it might be amazing, if this bright acidity will evolve into the honey note as it works with the best Chardonnays.
2019 Domaine Bousquet Pinot Noir Reserve Tupungato Uco Valley (14.5% ABV, $18, 6-8 months in French oak)
Dark ruby
Not very expressive, a hint of tart cherries
Tart cherries, bright acidity, crisp, tart
7/7+, not my wine, but should be okay as food wine or for those who like austere, bone-dry wines.
Next was the wine from the Gaia line – the wines dedicated to the goddess of Earth, Gaia, sporting a very attractive label. This is the second time I was able to taste the wine from the Gaia line – the first was Gaia Rosé, which was excellent. 
2019 Domaine Bousquet Gaia Cabernet Franc Gualtallary Vineyards (15% ABV, $20, 8-10 months in French oak)
Dark garnet
A touch of barnyard, earthy notes, dark berries
Dark fruit, explicit minerality, a distant hint of bell pepper, mint, dense, good structure
8-, not the most striking Cab Franc, but interesting on its own
And the last one for today – the wine from the Gran series:
2018 Domaine Bousquet Gran-Malbec Valley de Uco (14.5% ABV, $25, 85% Malbec, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 5% Syrah, 10 months in French oak)
Dark garnet, almost black with purple hues
Dark fruit, eucalyptus, cassis, intense, powerful
Beautiful fruit on the palate, firm structure, big, brooding, perfectly balanced
8+, outstanding
Here you are, my friends – more organic wines you can choose from. As an added bonus, with Domaine Bousquet, you don’t have to break the bank to enjoy delicious organic wines any time you want. Cheers!
Everyday Bubbles – Domaine Bousquet
In my wine lover’s journey, bubbles were never essential. I grew up with only sweet sparkling wines available, and I still have no idea if those wines were even made out of grapes. Plus, the bubbles were strictly associated with only a celebration – New Year, maybe a big birthday, and a wedding. I have no idea what was the first Champagne I ever tasted, but the first Champagne I actually appreciated was vintage Krug, and ever since I have a full appreciation for a tasty glass of bubbles – and no, I didn’t become “Krug or nothing” zealot.
I can imagine drinking Champagne every day. No, let me take that back. I can imagine drinking Champagne on any day I crave bubbles – yes, this is a better way to put it, as drinking Champagne every day would quickly become really boring. However, while I have no issues with the imagination, drinking Champagne at will is hardly practical. I can find a tasty bottle of still wine for around $10 – no matter what “premiumization” trend dictates – but most of the drinkable Champagne today pushes the $40-$45 boundary (unless you find your success on WTSO) – and this is hardly an “at will” range for me. If you are craving bubbles but want them to be reasonably priced, you can find better luck with Prosecco or a Cava, but you better know producers by name.
And here I come, extending my helpful hand, to bring to your attention delicious bubbles which you really – and I mean it, really – can afford to drink on any day. And not only to afford but also to enjoy. Cue in Domaine Bousquet Charmat-method sparkling wines from Argentina, made from organic grapes and priced at a whopping $13 – and this is the suggested retail price, which means you can probably even find them in the stores for less.
Before I will share my impressions of the wines, let’s take a quick look at the Domaine Bousquet, the product of vision, obsession, and dedication. “Vision, obsession, and dedication” are not just words. In 1990, during his vacation, Jean Bousquet, a French third-generation winemaker, fell in love at a first sight with the high altitude remote area in Argentina – Gualtallary Valley in the Tupungato district of the Uco Valley in Mendoza. You really need to have vision and dedication to leave your country and buy 1,000 acres of essentially a desert (real estate broker told Jean Bousquet that he is making a mistake of his life) – you would probably think so too if you will look at the picture below:
Source: Domaine Bousquet
Jean Bousquet had a vision and dedication, and most importantly, he knew what he is doing, he knew the importance of water and proper irrigation. You would never tell that the picture below represents the same land today (also note that today Gualtallary Valley represents one of the most expensive farmlands in all of the Mendoza):
Source: Domaine Bousquet
Fast forward to today, Domaine Bousquet sustainably and organically farms 667 acres of land, produces 50 million liters of wine, 95% of which is exported to 50 countries around the world, and ranks among the top 20 Argentinian wineries in terms of export and a leader in the organic wine.
The winery produces a large range of still wines from traditional Argentinian varieties – Chardonnay, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, etc, and it also offers a series of sparkling wines, both traditional method and Charmat. I got samples of Charmat-method wines, both white and Rosé, made from the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in different proportions.
NV Domaine Bousquet Brut Tupungato Uco Valley Mendoza (12.5% ABV, SRP $13, 75% Chardonnay, 25% Pinot Noir, certified organic, vegan friendly) offers a nice fresh nose of golden delicious apple, crisp, fresh, energetic on the palate with cut-through lemony acidity. It is definitely enjoyable by itself and will play nicely with a wide range of dishes (Drinkability: 7+).
NV Domaine Bousquet Brut Rosé Tupungato Uco Valley Mendoza (12.5% ABV, SRP $13, 75% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay, certified organic, vegan friendly) is a beautiful Rosé in its own right. It is not only the color, but it is also the wine which presents itself as a classic still Rosé would, with a nose of fresh strawberries and a full range of strawberry flavors on the palate, from tart to candied, perfectly balanced, fresh, vibrant, and full of life (Drinkability: 8-/8). Out of the two, Rosé was definitely my favorite.
At $13, these are the bubbles that you can consume any day without feeling guilty. You should, actually, feel guilty while drinking these wines, as the amount of pleasure you will derive is unproportionally more than what you are paying for them. But I will let you deal with your conscience, while I’m off to look for more values. Cheers!
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