TN: Domaine Poulet et Fils Clairette de Die

[Tran_Bronstein]

Berserkers,

It’s been a while since I’ve had a Clairette de Die but the LCBO finally brought another one in and I wasted absolutely no time picking one up. Once I had my first taste of a Clairette de Die, I literally swore off Moscato D’Asti permanently. Call it French wine snobbery if you must, but the fact is that a Clairette de Die whips a Moscato D’Asti any time, any place, any which way.

The most interesting aspect about this particular sparkler to me is the method in which it gets its bubbles. Web research shows that it isn’t done in the traditional method as the yeasty biscuit flavors would kill the lightweight floral Muscat flavors but the wine’s producers have come up with what what must be the second best method – they start the wine’s fermentation but then bottle it before it is completed but still ongoing. Why this wine isn’t more popular is completely beyond me. Let’s rectify this:

DOMAINE POULET ET FILS CLAIRETTE DE DIE:

SUMMARY: A French Muscat-based sparkling wine that is far superior to the far more popular Moscato D’Asti in every way. More bubbles, more body, more fruit, more alcohol and less sweetness.

The cork comes off much easier than from a Champagne bottle indicating to me there is much less pressure than I would find in a bottle of traditional Champagne, but it still has a very satisfying pop when removed. In the glass, a pale straw gold color and quite a foamy mousse that is more akin to a Traditional than a Charmat method wine. Certainly more substantial than that from a frizzante level Moscato D’Asti from Italy.The foam head does settle and dissipate rather quickly, though.

The superior vinification method becomes quite evident as very small bubbles continue to rise from the bottom of the glass to the surface of the liquid. Aromas are all peach blossom with a slight touch of sour yeast. Almost smells like a pale blonde beer, actually, until the peach goes up your nostrils.

On the palate, lightly sweet flavors of peaches and lemons in an extremely clean body. Despite the touch of yeast on the nose, the wine is all fresh fruit flavor with not a touch of yeast or biscuit flavor. Resultingly, it understandably is not very complex as a wine but it’s clearly not meant to be. The body is light, contrary to the more medium body of a Moscato D’Asti which tends to make them syrupy. The wine is strikingly less sweet than a traditional Moscato D’Asti as well, relying more on alcohol than sugar to give it body. At 40 g/L of RS and 9% ABV, though, it has a body very similar to that of a Kabinett or Spatlese of similar sugar and alcohol levels. Resultingly, the wine is very refreshing and it’s quite easy to have more than one glass at a sitting as I did.

This is a really fun and fruity wine. It’s not a demi-sec Champagne and it’s not trying to be. It’s sweet, fruity and refreshing. It went great with a Thai Basil Turkey Stir-Fry for dinner as the food cut down the light sweetness even more making the wine very ethereal on the palate and the bubbles did a good job cleansing my palate. RECOMMENDED. Ditch your Moscato for this instead. Cheers.