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| GRAHAM BECK BRUT ZERO CAP CLASSIQUE 2014 Traditional method, WO Western Cape, South Africa |
| Vintage Assessments Tasting Note |
Producer |
GRAHAM BECK |
| Assessed from a bottle purchased at the LCBO. For more tan two decades I have been extolling the remarkable value of South African sparklers made in the Classic French tradition Cap Classique). With only 4 exceptions, of the 65 Vintages Cap Classique releases tasted since 2001 - 49 (over 80%) were Recommended and/or Best Buys. This 2014 blend of 85% Pinot Noir (Stellenbosch) and 15% Chardonnay (Robertson) were both harvested the same day in January 2014, co-fermented and tiraged in June. The bottles were disgorged in September 2020 (appears on the back label) meaning they were on the lees for 75 months. This mature light golden yellow sparkler has gentle streams of tiny bubbles. The nose is very attractive, fairly intense and slightly spicy with complex, gently toasty, ripe lemon-apple-meringue fruit plus some mineral notes. On the palate it's dry, medium bodied, well structured, slightly spicy, complex, very faintly honeyed,ripe, rounded, lemon-apple meringue flavours with a lingering, fairly high acid finish with good effervescence. Lot number L20331 on the back label means that it was labelled on November 26, 2020. I believe that this batch is better than the one tasted last year by Anthony Gismondi which has less lees aging and appears in the Vintages Catalogue. |
CSPC |
435453 |
| Type |
Sparkling Wine |
| Agent |
Vin Glo |
| Country |
South Africa |
| Region |
 |
| Rating |
***(90 points)
Dry, Ripe, Harmonious, Complex |
| LCBO Text |
Status |
Recommended by Vintage Assessments!
A Best Buy |
| TASTING NOTE: From a specialist Cap Classique producer, the Graham Beck Brut Zero is the ultimate no make-up sparkling wine. With no dosage or no added sugar, all that remains is the purest form of sparkling wine, in this case, an 85/15 mix of chardonnay and pinot noir from the limestone-rich Robertson Estate and the decomposed granite soils in Stellenbosch. The secondary fermentation takes place in the bottle, and the wine rests on its lees for an impressive 60 months. Expect a subtle nose of red-blue fruits, almonds, and a light hint of spice that spills across a bone dry, creamy palate. The finish persists quietly with a salty mineral undertow. Score - 89 (Anthony Gismondi, gismondionwine.com, Nov. 23, 2020) |
Price |
$ 25.95 |
| Bottle Size |
750 mL |
| Tasting Date |
vintages release - April 3, 2021 |
| Cases bought |
179 (6 bottles per case) |
Check LCBO Availability |
|
Score:
- Not Presented * Below Average
*+ OK
** Good
**+ Excellent
*** Outstanding
***+ Exceptional
|
