An old Champagne House

During this month’s wine club meeting that I started at my company we decided that just after the New Year is the perfect time to buy some bubbly and do a tasting. Already the wines are discounted and retailers are trying to get rid of their inventory, a great time to stock up on vino.

One of the Wines we tried was the Deutz Brut Classic Champagne NV. Deutz is made in the village of Äy, nestled between the slopes of the Montagne de Reims and the river Marne. Äy claims to have been renowned for longer than any of Champagne’s other famous wine-producing villages. The grapes, which are sourced mainly from vineyards that are owned by Deutz, come from the village Äy in Montagne de Reims, the Côte des Blancs, and the Vallee de la Marne. In Champagne the only grapes allowed by law are Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir. While the exact Cuvée changes from year to year, depending on the yield and the quality of the harvest, this wine relies heavily on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

The Deutz Champagne house was founded in 1838 and was family owned and managed for five generations. With all of the upgrades of modern technology, Deutz currently makes approximately two million bottles per year.

As a general rule, I am not the biggest fan of sparkling wines (although Muscato D’Asti tickles my sweet tooth). My guess is that the bubbles add a slight harshness to the taste that I am not fond of, however I am always willing to give things another chance.

And this sparkler came through and surprised me! It was so fresh and pleasant without being overly citrusy, bitter or with that yeasty taste. On the nose was some soft kiwi, apple, pear, with a nice floral perfume. When I put the wine in my mouth it was a little bready, but not too much. There was some lime and a smooth creamy feel. One of the people tasting with me said marshmallow, and I would have to agree. Really, quite pleasant.

Just another lesson that my mother would be ashamed if I had not learned it yet: Always give something a try, it may turn out to be green eggs and ham.