So last night we had our delayed corned beef and cabbage. Not an easy
match, I tend to go for off-dry Riesling. But since I had Riesling
night before, I felt like something else. Off-dry, rose, and bubbly
are often attributes that can help with hard matches. I did actually
contemplate a lighter red, then thought "what do I have that is pink,
bubbly, and a bit sweet?" Ah, the NV Renardat-Fache "Methode
Ancestrale"*Bugey*
Cerdon. Low (7.5%) alcohol, frothy, fun. Strawberry soda with a shot
of cran-raspberry juice. Nice light bitter edge on finish, but overall
just light and easy. It would be easy to dismiss this wine, and it's
not "serious", but it is fun, and did quite well with the cb&c. B/B+

Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent
wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't
drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no
promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.
*

On Mar 19, 9:36*am, Mike Tommasi > wrote:
> Dale wrote:
> > So last night we had our delayed corned beef and cabbage. Not an easy
> > match, I tend to go for off-dry Riesling. But since I had Riesling
> > night before, I felt like something else. Off-dry, rose, and bubbly
> > are often attributes that can help with hard matches. I did actually
> > contemplate a lighter red, then thought "what do I have that is pink,
> > bubbly, and a bit sweet?" *Ah, the NV Renardat-Fache "Methode
> > Ancestrale" Bugey
> > Cerdon. Low (7.5%) alcohol, frothy, fun. Strawberry soda with a shot
> > of cran-raspberry juice. Nice light bitter edge on finish, but overall
> > just light and easy. It would be easy to dismiss this wine, and it's
> > not "serious", but it is fun, and did quite well with the cb&c. B/B+
>
> I usedto likethis wine for the reasons you describe, fun bubbly. Until
> one year it turned out tasting like somebody had dropped too much
> strawberry aroma in it, with sugar levels way high...
>
> --
> Mike Tommasi - Six Fours, France
> email linkhttp://www.tommasi.org/mymail

Actually, I think there are lot numbers on this, I should have noted.
I had the same reaction to one lot that was in NY 3-4 years ago
(possibly a lot of 2003?). Although not sure if it was actually more
sugar, or less acidity.
This bottle was on the levels of good Loire demi-sec or a classic
Spatlese- clear RS, but balanced by acidity