Sparkling Wine
Loxarel Sàniger Classic Penedès Brut Nature Reserva 2019, 12.5 percent, $15
It’s hard to imagine a better deal in sparkling wine than the Loxarel Sàniger Brut Nature Reserva, a Spanish sparkling wine made with the classic grapes — xarello, parellada and macabeo — all biodynamically grown. Loxarel (an anagram of xarello) has been farming biodynamically for almost 20 years, and the quality shows up in the clear, pure herbal and floral aromas and flavors. Loxarel is one of those producers who no longer use the term “cava” because of its connotation of poor quality. Instead, it uses “Classic Penedès,” which comes with strict rules requiring organic certification, 15 months of aging on the lees and vintage dating. (Classic Wines, Stamford, Conn.)
Punta Crena Colline Savonesi Lumassina I.G.T. 2020, 11 percent, $22
Lumassina is a white grape grown rarely in Liguria these days because it ripens late and is not as assertively aromatic as vermentino. But Punta Crena maintains the tradition of growing lumassina, using it to make this excellent sparkler. It’s fresh, delicately floral and subtle, dry and, at 11 percent alcohol, it goes down easily. The Ruffino family, which has tended vineyards in Liguria for centuries, farms, the family says, the way every farmer did when “organic” simply meant farming. (Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, Calif.)
Jean-Paul Brun Domaine des Terres Dorées F.R.V. 100 Rosé NV, 8.5 percent, $22
Here’s a different spin on a year-end sparkler, a lightly sweet rosé pétillant naturel that is balanced, playful and refreshing. Jean-Paul Brun, an excellent Beaujolais producer, makes this wine entirely with gamay. It’s low in alcohol and tastes like red berries and apples. Serve with fruit or dessert, or, really, any time. By the way, the name F.R.V. 100? Give each letter and the number 100 their French pronunciations — eff, ehr, vay, cent — and it comes out like “effervescent.” (Louis/Dressner Selections, New York)
Anima Mundi Camí Dels Xops Penedès 2021, 12 percent, $25
Agustí Torello Roca is the winemaker at AT Roca, an excellent cava producer in the Penedès region of Catalonia. One of his side projects, Anima Mundi, makes small lots that explore the terroirs of the Penedès through pétillant naturel, all, as with AT Roca, made using organically grown grapes. Camí Dels Xops is a blend of macabeu and xarello. It’s deep and resonant, with aromas and flavors of flowers and citrus. (José Pastor Selections/Llaurador Wines, Fairfax, Calif.)
