BY CHRISTOPHER CREE, MW
e holidays are when I like to step it up a
little, moving from everyday affordable
wines to something a little more special.
With all of the celebratory festivities of the
season, there's no better place to start than
Champagne! While sparkling wine is made
worldwide, only those produced in the
strictly defined and regulated Champagne
region in the north of France can legally
use the name. It is the result of a cool
climate producing Chardonnay, Pinot
Noir, and Pinot Meunier grapes that are
high in acidity, soil that is mainly chalk,
marl, and limestone, adding a minerality
and tension, and a traditional method of
fermentation–first to make the wine and
then, to make the sparkle.
One of my long-time favorites is Champagne
Michel Gonet Blanc de Blancs Les 3 Terroirs,
a small family Domaine we have worked
with on our by-the-glass program since we
opened. e family moved to the
Champagne region from Beaujolais in the
15th century and founded their Champagne
house in 1802. It's 100% Chardonnay,
grown in three estate-owned vineyards in
the Côtes des Blancs, made with zero
dosage. It is bone dry, racy, and mineral
driven, something I love if done right. It
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