Domaine Muré, Cremant d'Alsace Prestige (Brut)

Bright straw. Piercing aromas of lemon jelly, dried flowers and yeasty bread. Rich, full and dense but fresh, offering exotic fruit flavours complicated by notes of vanilla and wild fennel. Finishes broad, gentle and very long, with repeating sweet spice and floral notes. This blend of mostly Pinot Blanc, Auxerrois and Pinot Gris, plus small amounts of Riesling and Chardonnay, is a truly outstanding sparkler. Those who find Champagne too acid-driven at times should definitely give this complex beauty a try. René Murè was among the first to believe in Crémant production; actually, given the abundance of limestone in their vineyard soils, his grandfather Oscar had long pushed him to start production of a sparkler. Judging from the results the Murés have achieved over the years, I would have to say he was right. 93 Ian D'Agata, Vinous (2018).