Antech 2017 Reserve Brut

PRODUCER INFO

• Limoux is the world’s original birthplace of sparkling wine, with the first bubbles produced here in the year 1544, some 150 years before Dom Perignon began making sparkling wine in Champagne.
• Only 24 wineries exist in Limoux and Antech (pronounced “An-tesh”) is by far the region’s most celebrated producer, known for the purity and elegance of the sparkling wines they produce.
• The estate was originally planted to 150 acres six generations ago, and 24 acres have been added over the years.  In addition to their estate grapes, for the last 90 years the family has purchased small amounts of fruit from several friends who have plots on the top of the mountain that sits north of them.  These high altitude conditions contribute added freshness to the finished wines.
• Both their Cremant and Blanquette bottlings are aged in bottle for over twice the legal minimum prior to release, and are markedly lower than most of their peers in terms of dosage.
• Strong women have been the driving force behind Antech for the last three generations of the winery and current winemaker Francoise Antech is one of France’s more vocal and gregarious female winemakers.

ABOUT THE WINE

• Francoise Antech is attached to the traditions of the region, which is the reason for the name of this wine and the reason that they use mainly Mauzac in it.
• Mauzac vines have white hairs on the underside of their leaves and stems and when the wind blows there the vineyards can appear white/snowy.
• Mauzac is only grown in two small areas within the Limoux AOC and this low acid grape is known for producing complex, creamy green apple driven aromas and flavors.  The Reserve was made from the best selection of this varietal.
• Grapes are picked by hand – no machine picking is permitted in the appellation

Vintage: 2017 | Wine Type: Sparkling, Blanquette de Limoux
Varietal: 90% Mauzac, 5% Chenin, 5% Chardonnay
Origin: France | Appellation: Limoux
Elaboration: Entirely handpicked in the morning, cooled and directly pressed and fermented separately in stainless steel. Lot selection of wines, blending and second fermentation in bottle for 15 months in temperature controlled cellars.
Winemaker: Francoise Antech and her winemaking team

TASTING NOTES

Pale yellow color with golden reflections and fine bubbles. The nose expresses the spring flowers and the fresh tree fruits.  The palate is lively, harmonious and round.  You get the sense that you just bit into a very delicate Granny Smith apple.

TECHNICAL DATA

Production: 10,000 cases | Alcohol: 12% | TA: 3.48 g/l | Dosage: 10 g/l | pH: 3.21

PRESS & POINTS

Jancis Robinson: “Good Value. Refreshing…Super clean and long.”