Time to refresh your dinner playlist? Pop the cork from Cuvaison 2019 Brut Rosé Méthode Champenoise (sent as a sample) and start sipping. Of course, this sparkling wine from Winemaker Steve Rogstad and the Cuvaison team can certainly be enjoyed at any time of the day or night, but how about pairing this beauty with pan seared salmon under a flavorful citrus mustard sauce and served with mashed potatoes, farmer’s market vegetables and fried leeks? Mouthwatering combination, right?
If you’ve never tasted wine from Cuvaison, add a few bottles to your collection. Cuvaison has produced estate grown wines from the cool climes of Los Carneros region of Napa Valley since 1969. It continues to be family owned and operated by the latest generation of the Schmidheiny family of Switzerland. In 1979, an additional 400 acres north of San Pablo Bay, where fog and wine from the Bay help grapes thrive, were purchased. At Cuvaison, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are stellar examples of what terroir and an accomplished winemaker can offer. For more about the story, team and portfolio of wines, check out their website here.
Photo Credit: Cuvaison
Cuvaison 2019 Brut Rosé Méthode Champenoise ($60) is a blend of estate grown 68% Pinot Noir and 35% Chardonnay. The base wine was fermented for 25 days, then for 2 years of tirage (the process in the making of a sparkling wine in which fermentable sugar and yeast are added to induce secondary fermentation) via Méthode Champenoise. “Embodying the charm and diversity of our estate,” the sparkling wine is included in Cuvaison’s “Small Lot” collection. Each wine in the collection is “crafted to express the character and complexity of the vineyard, offering different expressions of terroir and each individual vintage.”
Ballet slipper pink in the glass, dancing bubbles delighted throughout each sip. Soft, bright aromas and tastes of strawberries, juicy watermelon, snappy grapefruit and crushed raspberries were enhanced with laser-beam acidity.
Lush fruit notes from the Pinot Noir and structure and body from the Chardonnay are notable. Together, they provided a memorable counterpoint to the flavor sensations of the pan seared salmon with all of its accoutrements. The brilliant acidity and fresh palate profile of the Cuvaison 2019 Brut Rosé Méthode Champenoise played well with the tangy citrus mustard sauce (find its recipe here) and the sparkling’s texture held up to the weight of the pan seared salmon.
Perfect to serve at an elegant dinner party or during a casual weeknight dinner under the stars, a bottle of Cuvaison 2019 Brut Rosé Méthode Champenoise is what you need.
Cheers! ~ Cindy
For more Grape Experiences and a free infographic “4 Keys to a Stellar Wine Pick” click here.
