Gold Sparkling Brut

Gold Sparkling Brut is a dry sparkling wine from Massachusetts, made by Esplanda and sold in a 750ml bottle. "Brut" is the dry end of the sweetness scale. It generally means very little residual sugar, under about 12 grams per litre, so expect a crisp, clean impression rather than a sweet or fruit-syrup one. The listing doesn't name the grape varieties or the method of sparkling production, so those details aren't claimed here. Wines in this style usually show tart orchard and citrus fruit such as green apple, pear and lemon, sometimes with a faint bread-dough or toasty note. Acidity is normally the backbone, and the body is light to medium. Because sparkling wines are made without tannin or heavy oak influence, the texture comes from the bubbles and acidity, and the finish tends to be short to moderate and dry. Treat these as the typical profile of a brut, not a measured description of this particular bottle. Serve it well chilled, around 6 to 8°C (43 to 46°F), which means roughly three hours in a refrigerator or thirty minutes in an ice bucket of half ice and half water. Colder than that mutes the fruit, and warmer makes the bubbles coarse and the acidity sharp. It does not need decanting, since that would only release the carbonation. Open it gently by holding the cork and turning the bottle, so it exhales with a sigh instead of a pop. A tulip-shaped flute or a small white-wine glass works best, because the narrower opening keeps the aroma and the stream of bubbles concentrated better than a wide coupe does. The high acidity and dry finish suit salty and fried foods. Raw oysters, fried chicken, potato chips, tempura and buttery popcorn all work well, because the bubbles cut through fat and salt. Soft-ripened cheeses, smoked salmon, and eggs-based brunch dishes are also good partners. It also works as the base for a spritz or a mimosa, where its dryness balances the sweetness of juice or liqueur. Non-vintage brut sparkling wines are made to be enjoyed on release rather than cellared. This one is best opened within a year or two of purchase and kept upright in a cool, dark place until then.