Bubbles come in many incarnations. Have you ever had one from Rhone Valley?
Rouanne Brut Nature 2019
Rouanne Brut Nature 2019 is a blend of red grapes that typically comes in a still form from this region.
Rouanne Brut is a Mourvedre dominant blend with addition of familiar grapes Cinsault, Syrah, Grenache and less common Marcelan. Having tasted many blends of these grapes, we were intrigued when we saw a sparkling version in the store.
On top of being unusual sparkling, the other two features excited us. It’s a Millesime, meaning all grapes come from one vintage, and Brut Nature – no added sweetness during dosage.
In the Glass
The aromas of pear, apple, and strawberry-raspberry candy were followed by succulent red apple, cotton candy, blueberry, and Montgomery cherry flavors. The fruit-forward character was balanced by a light bitter note of peach peel.
Finish
Being Brut Nature, we expected Rouanne to be close to bone dry wine, but thanks to the fruity character and creamy mousse, it tasted like regular Brut and even had a distant sweet sensation.
The aftertaste is best described as a strawberry-cherry-raspberry-cranberry cider. Yeah! The tingling sensations combined with berry flavors made us think of this drink popular in North-Eastern Europe.
If you are a Bubbly connoisseur, like we are, there’s a good chance you’ll enjoy Rouanne Brut Nature 2019, a relatively rare sparkling incarnation.