Carlos Serres Rioja Brut 2020

Region: Rioja, Spain

Grape Varieties: 47% Viura, 35% Chardonnay & 18% Tempranillo Blanco

I think this may be my best sparkling wine discovery since Sabine-Godme three years ago, and it comes from Rioja, Spain. While this area is best known for oak aged red wines, there are a few producers now experimenting with sparkling wine, from grapes grown at very high elevations. As we have come to expect with the Vivanco family, who own Carlos Serres, this wine is exceptional quality and a great value, just in time for Mother’s Day.

The blend for this wine is 47% Viura, the traditional white grape of Rioja, with 35% Chardonnay and 18% Tempranillo Blanco. Each variety was fermented separately, the blend was made, then placed in the bottle for fermentation and aging for 2 years. On the palate it is quite dry and surprisingly focused, with good mid-palate texture. What surprises me most is the subtle austerity it displays at the finish, one of my requirements for serious Champagne. Drink over the next year with peel and eat shrimp, oysters or baked brie.