Champagne Vollereaux

Champagne Vollereaux is a sparkling wine listed with a Massachusetts appellation in the United States, and that origin is the main thing that sets it apart. Real Champagne comes only from France, so this bottle belongs with American sparkling wines. No grape blend, dosage level, production method, vintage or ABV is given for it, so the tasting notes below describe what the style usually delivers, not measured figures for this bottle. Expect fine bubbles, a crisp, citrus-leaning acidity, and flavors in the green apple, lemon and pear range. If it was made with extended lees contact, you might also find a light bread or brioche note. Sparkling wines in this category are typically light to medium in body, have little to no tannin, and rarely see noticeable oak, so the finish tends to be clean and fairly short to medium in length. Serve it well chilled, around 42 to 47°F, which takes roughly three hours in a refrigerator or thirty minutes in an ice bucket filled with half ice and half water. Colder than that mutes the fruit, and warmer makes the bubbles feel coarse and the wine flat-tasting. Decanting isn't appropriate here, because it would strip the carbonation. Open the bottle gently by holding the cork and twisting the bottle so it releases with a sigh instead of a pop. For glassware, choose a tulip-shaped flute or a small white wine glass. Either keeps the bubbles lively while leaving enough room for the aromas to gather. The old wide, shallow coupe lets the fizz and the aroma disappear quickly. At the table, high acidity and effervescence cut through fat and salt, so fried chicken, potato chips, oysters, soft cheeses like brie, smoked salmon and buttery shellfish are all natural partners. It also works as an aperitif with salted nuts. Unless the producer states otherwise, treat this as a drink-now bottle. Most non-vintage sparkling wines are made for current enjoyment and don't gain from long cellaring, so store it cool and upright for a short time and open it within a year or two of purchase.