The Story
The Louise d’ Estrée Brut is an $8.99 Trader Joe’s exclusive Sparkling wine produced somewhere in France with undetermined grapes. The label has virtually no information except that this Bubbly is made with the Traditional Method (same technique as Champagne) and it is Brut or Dry (not sweet). In France where the grapes are grown and the wine is produced is more important than which grapes were used. For example, Red wine from Burgundy will display the village where the vineyards are located but have no mention of Pinot Noir.
The wine classification is also extremely important, AOC, IGP, or Vin de France are mentioned on every French wine label, but not here. Which is odd for a French wine, they all have some sort of classification. The producer named on the back label is Marcel Martin, which is a company and not a person, located in the Loire Valley and is part of a very large French wine company.
Marcel Martin does make a well regarded Cremant (the French term for Sparkling wine or Bubbly that is not produced in Champagne) from the Loire Valley using the Chenin Blanc grape. So, Marcel Martin does have a track record of producing excellent Sparkling wines. Still, I am puzzled by the lack of information on the label, maybe because this wine is made for the US market it is not subject to French labeling laws. But still where the grapes were grown and which grapes are included should be standard info for any wine. The alcohol content is 11%.
The Tasting Notes
The color is a pale golden yellow with a splash of tiny bubbles. The nose is crisp and clean, lemon, melon, citrus along with apple and pear, ripe peach and faint spring flowers. This is a balanced and tasty value-priced Bubbly, not complex by any means, but enjoyable. It starts with a mix of ripe peach, slightly tart lemon, and slap of minerality, pear, and grapefruit follow. The mid-palate adds that salty, cashew “on lees” thing, along with a juicy apple. The acidity is well focused, lets the flavors unfold, but does not bite. The finish is nicely full and long.
The Summary
- The Louise d’ Estrée Brut Trader Joe’s is a first-class New Years’ Eve 2020 party wine.
- It is relatively cheap ($8.99), tasty (cool mix of sweet and sour flavors along with some wine snobs attributes like minerality and “on lees”).
- Why drink a Bubbly toast only at midnight when you can have your Bubbles all night long.
- This Trader Joe’s Bubbly is satisfying enough work for the midnight 2020 toast.
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This is a Vin de Table, so French law provides for no geographic information beyond “Product of France,” and of course the bottler listed on the back label.