2018 Antech "Cuvée Eugenie" Brut Crémant de Limoux

Smells like elderflower-scented cream. Pretty and girlish. It makes me think of the lacy clouds of Queen Anne's Lace growing along the roadsides and hedgerows in May. Ripe white peaches. Touch of shortbread bringing subtle autolytic complexity. Soft but well structured. And there are hidden depths to this wine! Françoise Antech suggested pairing it with a ceviche prawn, avocado and grapefruit salad, which I was a bit dubious about, thinking that the wine would not hold up to the strong, sweet-citrus acidity of the grapefruit, let alone the lemon juice, tobasco and chives. But the pairing brought out a new dimension in the wine, a depth I hadn't noticed before, and it made the simple salad taste vividly bright. Up there with one of the best food and wine pairings I've had! 17/20 points (TC)