Albert Sounit Crémant de Bourgogne – Blanc de Noirs Brut 75 CL
Maison Albert Sounit – Côte Chalonnaise
Burgundy
The wines from the communes of Rully, Mercurey, Givry and Montagny have previously stood in the shadow of the better-known appellations from Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits; – but that is precisely why there are particularly good purchases to be made from here. In many blind tastings, the quality has proven to be on par with even great wines from the Côte d’Or, – and the price is in a much more sympathetic range! The town of Rully, together with Nuits-St.-Georges, was the first in 1822 to produce Crémant using the Méthode Traditionelle – copied from the Champagne district.
Domaine Albert Sounit
Maison Albert Sounit is located in the charming wine town of Rully in Burgundy. The winery has been Danish-owned since 1993. The house makes a wide range of Burgundy wines: Crémant de Bourgogne as well as white and red Burgundy from the Côte Chalonnaise. The house’s motto is quality above all else, and the grapes for all the house’s wines are harvested manually (by hand). Only the natural yeast of the grapes is used. The white and red wines are aged in French oak barrels, and bottling takes place without filtration. In 2005, Maison Albert Sounit took over the Domaine Bernollin vineyard in Montagny. The vineyard currently covers 12 ha. vineyards and a fully modernized cuverie. Since 2005, all of Sounit’s wines have been vinified at Domaine Bernollin – both grapes from own fields and purchased grapes.
Crémant de Bourgogne Blanc de Noirs Brut is made exclusively from Pinot Noir grapes from Sounit’s own vineyard: Domaine Bernollin. Most of the grapes come from the Châtaignier plot, which takes its name from the large real chestnut trees that grow around the field. The grapes are harvested by hand and fermented with the grapes’ own yeast. The wine’s fine and persistent bubbles come from the second fermentation, which takes place in bottles (Méthode Traditionelle) and the Crémanten is aged on its lees for 18-20 months before disgorging. The law stipulates that Crémant de Bourgogne must age for at least 9 months before disgorging, and thanks to the long aging time, Albert Sounit’s Crémant Blanc de Noirs has a very fine and persistent mousse. During disgorging (removal of sediment, dosage and insertion of champagne cork), a small dosage (0.5%) is added. Although this Crémant is made exclusively from the red grape Pinot Noir, which usually adds strength, structure and a bit of hardness, it is vinified here as white, and this brings out the freshness and fruity sweetness of the grape very much. This results in a very harmonious and charming Crémant.
Vinification: Méthode Traditionelle. 18-20 months aging with lees before disgorging.
Tasting notes: Charming, harmonious and fresh Crémant made from Pinot Noir grapes.
