Not with a guy - the one who's gonna steal my hart still hasn't shown up yet, at least not that I know - but with a lovely and lively Blanc de Blancs, a 2004 made by Californian wine house Gloria Ferrer in the Carneros region (Sonoma).
What a palette of flavors for the palate! What a fantastic progression of sensations on my tongue and taste buds! Just like French kissing with a VERY good kisser, but then the California way. And with a hint of Spain, since the "Gloria Ferrer" house belongs to the Freixenet family, world renowned cavas producers from Catalonia.
It's been love at first kiss... uh, sip, no doubt about it.
Too bad it's going to stay a one-night stand, at least for the time being, since this wonderful wine doesn't seem to be available in the Netherlands yet. It was a lucky shot, one of those that happen just from time to time, like when you meet a guy whom you think is TOO young and TOO handsome to want to date YOU and yet he DOES date you. ;)
Lucky shot or not, I guess we could all learn from the French, as far as dealing with bubbles on a regular basis is concerned. That means that bubbles should ALWAYS be in our fridges, just like they usually are in lots of French homes, and not only when there's something to celebrate. What the heck, if I feel like drinking bubbles I always find something to celebrate! (as if I needed an excuse to pop a cork...) Having that special bottle in my fridge, for example. Ain't THAT a great reason already?
This particular bottle, though, was not laying in the wine rack of my own beautiful vintage looking red Smeg but in my friend Pascal's little silver coolthing. He is French - bien sûr - and always serves champagne or other sparkling wines to his friends as apéritif before dinner as he did last night. This time he opened for us a very special bottle he personally brought from the States not so long ago. And how much am I thanking him now for doing that? A LOT, since I hadn't had fantastic bubbles with such a great personality as these in quite some time.
This 100% Chardonnay Blanc de Blancs (the French definition indicates a méthode traditionelle made with this variety of grape only) with its appealing straw yellow hue is zesty, slightly and extremely pleasantly tart with a fantastic citrusy explosion after the first taste. The bubbles also bring up the sweet smell and flavor of bread crust that makes me think of DAMN GOOD bread, mouth-watering, crunchy and golden brown outside with a moist, soft "heart". And the end notes... wow. I close my eyes and taste tarragon and star anise, first just subtle hints and then fuller and warmer, with a lovely sweet and fruity aftertaste that calls for more. What a marvelous combination of aromas! And that paired to the "round" taste of the Chard without the - sometimes too - obvious characteristics of this very eclectic grape.
The somehow bigger bubbles typical of some Spanish cavas - bigger compared to those of lots of other sparkling wines made with the traditional method - are the only thing that makes me link this wine with its Catalonian Freixenet brothers. For the rest, this wonderful liquid gold has its very unique "signature" that makes me wish I could lay my hands on more bottles VERY soon...
Now, to compensate for not having another bottle of this gorgeous B de B to accompany tonight's dinner, I want a date.
Be warned: I won't go for anything less than an outrageously handsome younger guy.
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