Jean-Louis Denois "Tradition" Extra Brut Reserve

Whether in art, film, literature or wine, I've always been strongly attracted to iconoclasts, those who forge their own path through life's coombs and brambles, basing their decisions on an intuitive feel for what fits and arriving at a place where they know they belong. Call it 'sense of terroir' or what have you, but Jean-Louis Denois exemplifies this philosophy of place as well as anyone I've met in the wine world. The dust on his boots are the embodiment of his long journey from his native Champagne to Burgundy to South Africa and back again, and finally to the southwestern corner of the Languedoc, where he planted his vines in the foothills of the Pyrenees to create his signature red and sparkling wines. Keeping to the rhythms of nature have led him to adopt both organic and biodynamic precepts in the vineyards, and his brilliant sparkling wines express this with clarity and exuberance— the 'Tradition' Extra Brut is a fifty-fifty blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, created in a refreshingly crisp and lightly toasted style, with notes of red apple, orange blossom and brioche, the perfect sparkling for all festive occasions and dining without the high price of a Champagne. Stock up on this one for the long summer and beyond, it will never let you or your thirsty guests down.

Looking for a super deal on bubbles, this sparkler offers a whole lot of bang for your buck! Elegant enough to toast any occasion and perfectly priced for parties, this is crisp, clean drinking balanced by a lovely layer of fruit that shines through nicely. Super recommended!

It is fascinating that once you get outside of the Champagne appellation and into other areas of France that produce "sparkling wines" in a similar method, the price for those wines seems to de-escalate substantially. Of course, there is the question of quality comparisons, which can be a realistic appraisal, but once in a while you will find a sparkler from those other regions that will rival its much more expensive cousins in Champagne and at one-third the price or less. Such is case with this beautifully created sparkler from the Languedoc region of Southwestern France. We have been importing Jean-Louis Denois wines for well over ten years, and have found his productions to be of superb quality in general, and when the price is taken into consideration, ridiculously ‘cheap’ vis-à-vis the outstanding quality level. Produced from equal amounts of estate grown Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, this lovely sparkling wine spent eighteen months on yeast (Cremant style), yet in its rich-smelling aromatics and lush flavors, this Gem behaves as if it has been on yeast for five to six years. Creamy, nutty, toasty, and pronounced both, again, on the nose and in the mouth, this finely beaded, dry, clean, and mouthwatering Gem provides tons of elegant and delicious flavors, which do defy the low price. The Bean has ordered me to bring home cases of this wonderful Gem and strongly recommends that you do the same. An Incredible Value.” ***** 12.0% ABV *****

The “Tradition” is almost technically a Cremant de Limoux, but since Jean-Louis does his own thing, he blends 50% Chardonnay with 50% Pinot Noir, which doesn’t conform to appellation rules. Always one of our best crowd-pleasers, it spends about three years on the lees, giving it a wonderful mousse with toasty biscuity notes.

As one of the first sparklers that we direct imported from the south of France, Jean-Louis Denois' Brut Tradition has gained quite a following over the past 10 years. Composed of 50% each Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and vinified in the traditional method aged 18 months on the lees, this super value sparkling wine can give many wines from Champagne a run for their money!

Champagne in all but name? Aged 18 months on it lees, just like NV Champagne. Made by a wine maker trained in Champagne. Grapes grown, well not in Champagne but that's why we can sell it for $15! Toasty, nutty and dry with just a hint of red berries. Buy this buy the case and drink it every night.

If you are looking for quality sparkling wine that is produced in the image and style of Champagne but more budget-friendly, try this brut from the Languedoc. Made from classic Champagne grapes Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, harvested at low yeilds to preserve quality, this French sparkler is crisp, dry and refreshing, with green apple and citrus flavors backed by a leesey texture, creamy mouthfeel, and delicate mousse. The finish is long and clean. Perfect for a wedding or other celebratory occasion! Your guests will thank you.

Easily our best sparkling wine under $20, this is as close one gets to real Champagne without paying $30. Denois is a brilliant producer, and it shows in the Tradition: a crisp, focused, slightly yeasty, entirely beautiful Southern French sparkler.

We tried this bubbly at a recent staff tasting and it blew me away. A blend of 50% chardonnay and 50% pinot noir done in the traditional Champagne method, this sparkler from the Languedoc could easily pass itself off for Champagne. It was crisp on the nose and palate with limestone and slate minerality, apple fruit and a generous texture from attack to finish. A recent convert to bubbles, I’m going to keep plenty of this on-hand for impromptu celebrations.

Light straw color. On the nose, bread dough, and apples. Moderately creamy mousse with tiny, delicate, dispersed bubbles that dissipate somewhat quickly. On the palate creamy, dry, and crisp, with good acidity with pear, apple, hazelnuts flavors along with a touch of minerals. Medium finish. Very good QPR. Would buy again!

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Clear, straw color...

The Nose is crisp with notes of minerals, yeast, and just a bit of sour apple...

The palate confirms the minerality of the nose...a bit of fruit, perhaps lime mixes with the same apple notes from the nose...there is also a slight "perfumey" note that I cannot identify and just the faintest bit of orange oil...the bubbles are small and tight, but this wine's acidity seems to show through the effervesence...

the finish is dry and full of green apple essence...

My husband was looking for a little celebration after finishing a really tough job. I found this in our fridge, and couldn't remember how much we paid for it. It was fruity, full, with little dryness. I drank far more of it than I would usually do with champagne which I'm not that fond of [usually because it is too dry]. I would have guessed it sold for about $40 -- and finding it's $16, I will be buying a case!

We served this sparkler along with the Boillot Cremant Rose to for a wedding cocktail party of 50. The guests were uniformly raving about these wines saying they don't usually receive this kind of wine quality at a large party...one guest asked me if I was able to keep my bottle price under $45! These are exactly the kinds of compliment I hope to hear...and why I shop often at K&L.