Pale gold color; green apple, citrus, pear, minerality, brioche, almond, white flowers on the palate and nose.
Brut; vigorous tiny bubbles; good acidity. Light-medium body. Blend of 40% chardonnay, 40% pinot noir, 20% aligoté. Grapes are hand-harvested. The must is fined and clarified after 24 hours and vinified in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. The wine undergoes traditional in-bottle fermentation and aged 12 to 16 month prior to release.
Chard and pinot are classic sparkling grape varieties in sparkling wine made in Champagne. Aligoté is a white grape primarily grown in Burgundy. It is notable for high acidity and is used to add structure and freshness. It is the second-most white grape grown in Burgundy after chardonnay. It is especially known for its use in crémant de Bourgogne—this wine. Aligoté is a cross between pinot noir and gouais blanc. 12% ABV
The Briday estate began in 1976 when Michel and Lucette Briday rented about 15 acres of vineyard in the Rully, part of the Côte Chalonnaise region of Burgundy, immediately south of the Côte d’Or. Reality struck quickly when an August hailstorm virtually destroyed their first crop. They produced their first vintage the next year. In 1983-1985, Stéphane Briday began working with his father. Stéphane worked at vineyards outside Burgundy for the next several years and joined in the family operation in 1988. Expansion began, including vineyards just south of Rully—Mercurey.
In 2014, the estate was certified Terra Vitis, a sustainable-development label certified by an independent body. Expansion continued and reached more than 37 estate acres. Today, Stéphane and his wife, Sandrine, carry on the family tradition and expand upon it. The website notes: “The estate’s approach has always been to use as few inputs as possible. As early as 1996, the decision was taken to stop using weed killers and to return to full soil cultivation. ‘The soil must be alive to nourish the vine and give the grapes the constituents that will make a great wine,” explains Stéphane. Each terroir can then express its unique character. Thus respected, it can offer complexity, richness and minerality through its expression: the wine.’”
Domaine Michel Briday Crémant de Bourgogne NV is fresh, light, delicious, refined with effusive bubbles. Crémant is made using the same techniques as sparkling wine made a few kilometers north in Champagne, but cannot use the name. It is excellent alternative where you get the value of the wine without the expensive baggage of the name.
Works very nicely as an aperitif and celebration-toasting wine; pair with shellfish; lobster; lean fish; chicken; salads; vegetarian fare; appetizers and snacks; caviar. The wine’s subtle sweetness means it can pair with light, airy desserts—meringue, pineapple flambé. As a sparkling wine with good acidity, this wine will pair with almost any cheese you enjoy. $28
There are no useable photos on the Domaine Michel Briday website.