Domaine du Closel Demoiselle Sous la Pluie sparkling wine – 2020

This fascinating sparkling wine is a blend of 87% Chenin Blanc and 13% “Verdelho de Madère”, a grape rarely planted in this area any more. It was made in the “Methode ancestrale”, the very traditional way of producing sparkling wines which is different from the “methode champenoise”. About half way through the first fermentation, once around 50% of the grape sugars have been converted into alcohol, the partially fermented must is moved from tank into bottle, where it is left to undergo the second half of its fermentation. After a year of so, it is disgorged off its dead yeast cells (lees), rebottled, and then stored for a further 6 months in the winery’s underground cellars before being released for sale.

The resulting sparkling wine tastes bone dry, although it does have a very small amount of residual sugar (5mg/ml). It is crisp and mineral with floral notes and gently exotic fruit flavours.  

This wine is certified biodynamic and has no sulphites. Only 5,300bts were produced.