United States of Wine

New Mexico

Jacqueline Leonne – Brut – French-inspired, American-Made Sparkling Wine

Purchased: Total Wine

Price: $16.99

In my first taste of an American wine after starting this blog, I chose a French-inspired sparkling wine from Albuquerque, New Mexico. Opening this bottle coincided with the Vanderbilt University football team’s unprecedented win over the #1-ranked University of Alabama. Vanderbilt’s quarterback is a young man by the name of Diego Pavia, born in Albuquerque.

Not much is known about this winery, except for their standard press text: “Jacqueline Leonne grew up in Champagne, watching her father perfect his craft: making sparkling wine. Now more than 25 years later, she runs the family Champagne house in France while her siblings run the winery in the U.S.”

This brut was made of 75% Chardonnay and 25% Pinot Noir grapes.

The first thing I noticed upon opening the bottle is how quickly the cork flew out of the bottle, as if it had been waiting it’s entire life for this moment.

The wine is a very clear with a slight pale yellow. It had an obvious light flavor to it, not heavy like a regular prosecco you’d mix with juice for a brunch. The delicate crispiness of this brut would surely get lost. I was very impressed that it wasn’t sweet, and still, not too tart.

There was indeed an earthiness in the flavor, but not in a mineral type of way, as if the dirt the grapes were grown in would get muddy and enrich the crop. It also isn’t much of a “fizzy” wine, so some stomach ailments were avoided.

Unfortunately, I was having this wine with a Chipotle bowl, a meal so undeserving of this beautiful French-inspired sparkling wine. But, I can say that at least this brut does not clash with pseudo-Mexican food.

• Score: 9.2/10