Toad Hollow Vineyards Sparkling Wines, Ooh La La it’s holiday time

Risqué, Methode Ancestral, Sparkling Wine

Looking for a fun and tasty sparkling wine for this holiday season? Found in most mega-mart wine retailers, Toad Hollow’s Risqué fits that bill nicely and a price tag of $12 makes it even more appealing. The flip top and naughty Can-Can girl on the label would have won me over immediately. However, I had the pleasure of receiving as a sample and boy am I glad I did.

Faint yeasty and apple aromas mix with creamy apple and sweet peach flavors. Crisp and clean with a nice level of natural sweetness made from 100% Mauzac. The low alcohol (6%) makes this a safer bubbly to serve to guest that may sometimes imbibe in the holiday “spirit” a little too much. The lack of alcohol does not indicate this is a “shy” or mellow sparkling. It’s bold with intense bubbles that wash over the palate. Nothing more to do at this point than fill the glass again.
Methode Ancestral is pretty much as it sounds, an ancient method of making sparkling wines. Risqué is bottled and produced in by Les Vignerons du Sieur d’Arques in Limoux, France and imported by Toad Hollow. The method has had a French resurgence over the past ten years. When produced in this method, the fermentation process takes place in the bottle. This process is what causes the carbon dioxide or those fun, tiny bubbles.
This would pair well with a spicy Indian Curry or spicy BBQ. Me, I’m feeling like I need to escape the Urban Concrete Jungle, so I’m going to grab a French Baquette, my Risqué, a bicycle with a basket and pretend like I’m riding in the French countryside.

Amplexus Crémant Brut Sparkling Wine, Limoux, France
A lot of you already know, I’m a sucker for labels, well not only does Amplexus Cremant Brut sparkling wine have a great label but also a wax seal of Dr. Toad, which really makes me happy. Not only does it have great bottle appeal but the juice is quite tasty too. Priced at $15.99, still very affordable for holiday enjoyment.
Flavors are a bit tart at first with a hint of Granny Smith apple, dry with a smooth and elegant finish. Tiny bubbles that go on forever just scream holiday festivities. The blend of grapes are Chardonnay, Mauzac and Chenin Blanc.
The Limoux region of France has been producing sparkling wine in 1531, prior to production in the Champagne region.
My only complaint with this wine is my husband who normally does not care for sparkling wine, enjoyed this bubbly and shared the bottle with me so I didn’t get to have it all to myself this time.
I have a lot more bubbly reviews for the upcoming holiday season. It’s a tough gig I have here, all that sparkling wine to drink and share but I’ll get through it somehow.

2010© Kellie Stargaard. All Rights Reserved.
http://winechicksguidetoeverydaywines.blogspot.com/

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