Patrick Bottex Bugey-Cerdon 'La Cueille' NV

Robert Parker 90
"This cuvee may qualify as the 'wine bargain of the year.' A Champagne-like sparkling rose from the largely forgotten area of Bugey (which only received appellation status in 2009), this low alcohol (8%) offering is made from 90% Gamay and 10% Poulsard (an indigenous grape of the region)."

"An unmatchable conglomeration of red and black fruits soars from the glass and floods the palate along with a fine mousse, and a lip-smacking hint of salt and citrus zest in the finish. Keep some on hand in the fridge for enjoying anytime the mood strikes..."
~David Schildknecht

"In La Cueille, one of seven high-altitude hamlets surrounding the historic medieval town of Ponsin, Patrick and Catherine Bottex are farming the limestone slopes above the Ain River. They have been working five hectares of land since 1991 and produce only a small quantity of their beautiful, intriguing sparkling wine. As a former part of the Duchy of Burgundy, it stands to reason that several Burgundian grape varietals have found a home herenot the least of which is Gamay. The Bottexs blend consists of ninety percent Gamay and ten percent of the native Poulsard. They bottle this low-alcohol wine using the methode ancestrale, a rare technique that experts believe predates the methode champenoise. The wine first goes through a primary fermentation in cuve, but is then bottled before all of the residual sugar has converted to alcohol. After going through a secondary fermentation in the bottle for at least two months, the wine is ready Champagnes dosage is not permitted! The resulting wine is delightfully refreshing with bright fruit, a beautiful rose hue, and a touch of sweetness.

Kermit had never heard of Bugey until Marcel Lapierre uncorked a beauty at one of his after-tasting parties. His best memory of drinking it, however, was from an ice chest at a hamburger barbecue on a beach in Hawaii. From Bugey to Waimanolo!" ~Kermit Lynch Wine Merchants