If you’ve never had the pleasure of tasting any or all of Pindar Vineyards’ trio of sparkling wines, you need to remedy that oversight immediately. They’re very good.
In particular, if you can go get yourself a bottle of the 2020 Cuvee Rare, it’s the ticket to some pretty happy holidays, whether you sip it solo or enjoy it with full-on cheese and charcuterie to pair with your mains.
If you think of the Champagne region when you think of bubbles, you might consider turning your gaze closer to home. Sparkling makes a lot of sense here.
“Sparkling is a perfect fit for Long Island. Fruit retains acid and flavors develop while the sugars/brix slowly increase,” says Erik Bilka, winemaker for Pindar Vineyards. “We produce Cuvee Rare using methode Champenoise, so it’s important to pick at a lower brix than a still white or rosé wine, as the secondary fermentation in bottle to produce the carbonation also increases the alcohol content.”
A quick little catchup: still wine (aka without bubbles) is made when the sugar from grapes and yeast get together, the yeast gobbles up that sugar and the result is alcohol and carbon dioxide. But with sparkling made in methode Champenoise (often referred to outside the Champagne region as methode traditionnelle), that fermentation starts off in a large tank or vessel, like any wine, but is then transferred into individual bottles, where a tiny little magical mix of sugar and yeast are added back to make the bubbly part (from that CO2 we mentioned before).
Not only does that second fermentation create the bubbles, but even after the yeast is done making alcohol it continues to play an important role in a sparkling wine’s aromas and texture. Take a sniff of the 2020 Cuvee Rare — it’s like toasty, yummy brioche bread! On your tongue, the time the wine hung out with the lees (what you call the yeast after it’s done feasting on sugar) balances the energetic, zippy bubbles with a fullness and richness to the juice’s texture. Mmmm-hmmmm!
THE WINERY Pindar Vineyards
THE WINEMAKER Erik Bilka
THE WINE 2020 Cuvée Rare Sparkling Wine, 12% abv
THE PRICE $39.99
The Grapes 100% Pinot Meunier
What’s in your glass Pop the cork and listen for a second: snap, crackle, pop! Those bubbles are rarin’ to go. Pour it out and notice the color, a beautiful hue of rose gold. The red pinot meunier grapes (one of the three traditional grapes used in the Champagne region) are whole-cluster pressed, so you’re getting a little of that color here — and it’s gorgeous. The rich toastiness is the first thing you’ll get on your palate, but then come lingering notes of tart cherry, Meyer lemon cream and a whisper of nougat.
Pairs with “Cuvée Rare is versatile,” says Bilka. Indeed, its texture and acidity make it equally wonderful as an apéritif or with a multitude of dishes. For Bilka? “Spicy marinated grilled shrimp is one of my favorite pairings.” Noted.
To hold or not to hold “2020 Cuvee Rare is ready to drink when purchased,” says the winemaker. “As it ages, longer flavors evolve; some prefer to let it cellar. I recommend drinking within a year of purchase, as I enjoy the crisp and fruitful impact.”
