Looking to expand their operations beyond Champagne, France, the Gruet family scouted the US and decided to make their sparkling wine in – where? – not California? not Washington? not Oregon? But New Mexico. The low price made Gruet attractive from the get-go. And as more people tried it, they realized that price was a not the only thing to like. It’s a really tasty sparkler. This bottle of bubbles does not bear the Gruet name on its label, although a lot of people refer to it as “Gruet Domaine Saint-Vincent” and refer to it as “Gruet’s entry-level sparkling wine,” because it costs less than the “regular” Gruets. So I tried a bottle. Frankly, I was genuinely surprised by how much the wine tastes like Champagne; even more so than a good Cava or Prosecco. One reason why: The Gruets make the wine from a “Champagne blend”; a 50-50 split of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir made in the methode traditionnelle. You MUST give this wine a try. You will be blown away, especially at the price point: under $11/bottle.
