Gruet Brut

Gruet is an exciting brand of sparkling wine made in the state of New Mexico.  The bottle is a traditional blend of 75% chardonnay and 25% pinot noir.  The bottle itself is very heavy green glass which, while not doing any favors to the wine’s carbon footprint, is aesthetically appreciated.  I have had a few bottles of the Gruet and there is usually not problem in the opening process; however, this particular bottle had a bit of an issue.  On removing the foil and protective cap beneath the cork immediately flew out of the bottle.  I soon discovered that the cork was much shorter and stumpier than a usual champagne cork.  Just goes to show that you should always point the bottle away from you when opening.

The wine itself is quite light in color and very clear.  The bubbles are small and come up in steady streams.  The nose is quite yeasty and has a hint of green apples.  At drinking there is an explosion of acidic fruits on the palate.  The finish is long and remains on the back of the palate.  There is also a musty grape flavor in the mid palate that serves to balance out the acid in the front.  Generally this sparkling wine is crisp and clean.  The bubbles are tightly packed and explosive on the tongue.

This wine is usually sold in the high 20s.  I think that it is good buy for the quality and it is nice to have a quality sparkling wine made in the good ol’ US of A for a change.  Let’s hope that Gruet expands in the future to bring us more high quality beverages of the bubbly persuasion.