What Do Dukes and Diplomats drink? 🥂
Today’s offer is about as exclusive as it gets; a stunning, small production sparkling wine, from a tiny country, that simply does not export wine… except to us!
We’re always curious about what lies over the next hill, what they’re doing in the next town, or country in this case. It’s what has led us around Europe discovering unique and delightful wines from unexpected places. In some cases, these wine regions are not well known abroad because, well… they keep it all to themselves. But when we show up, and show genuine interest and appreciation for what they’re doing, and ask nicely… sometimes they share a little with us!
Luxembourg is a tiny duchy of just 650,000 people, sandwiched between France, Germany, Belgium, and Holland. It’s also Europe's highest latitude wine appellation—more north than Champagne, and the German Mosel. Why doesn't anyone know about Luxembourgish sparkling wines, or any of their wines at all for that matter?
Well, 98% of all Luxembourg-produced wine (about 1/3 of which is sparkling wine) is sold and consumed, you guessed it, in Luxembourg. Turns out, the main obstacle is the thirsty local population.
Yet, we’ve managed to make inroads, and friends, with a couple of producers, who are quietly making top quality, expressive, and delicious wines in this overlooked region. I’ve been so taken with this little country, and the wines coming from here, that I made a special effort to stop over there on my recent trip to France.
After landing at Charles de Gaulle airport, I picked up a quick coffee and my rental car, then drove 4 hours east. While Luxembourg City is a dense urban mix of historic and modern buildings, it’s a quick drive out of the city into the pastoral landscape and charming villages like Remich, along the Moselle river, home to Domaine Claude Bentz.
It’s there that I sat down with vigneronne Carole Bentz, in a gleaming contemporary building (designed by her Architect sister) that houses the winery and tasting room, surrounded by the incredible extensive garden planted by her mother over the past 30 years.
On the wall, a royal patent caught my eye — Carole supplies wine to the Luxembourg royal court! When I mentioned that, as the sole US importer of Luxembourgish wines, we supply her wines to the Consulate as well, she lit up. Dukes and diplomats, it seems, know something the rest of the world doesn't — and now so do you.
Domaine Claude Bentz
Crémant de Luxembourg Brut
Thisis exactly whatwelookfor in a sparkling wine: a lively, aromatic, fresh, DRY wine, with a fine mousse. Something as well suited to an aperitif before a meal, or to accompany a wide range of dishes, straight through to dessert.
Carole keeps most of the production of this wine for their tasting room, and the raft of private events they host at the winery. However, she is tickled to hear we’ve built an audience here on this side of the world for her wines, and can also supply the consulate. She’s held back 10 precious cases of this sparkling wine exclusively for us.
A blend of three important Moselle grapes—45% Pinot Blanc, 45% Riesling, and 10% Auxerrois
18 months aging in bottle before disgorgement for rich, complex texture
A fine light straw color with a persistent bubble and round texture
Aromas of tea, rose hip, bergamot, white flowers, peach and an underlying savory note to tie it all together
About 4000 bottles produced per year, with most of them sold or consumed at the winery. Just 120 bottles exported--all of them to us!
This truly is my favorite sparkling wine, and the most unique we bring in. I always like to stock a healthy amount of bubbly in my cellar—I live by the words of Napoleon "In victory, one deserves it; In defeat, one needs it,” and this is the one to have! I hope you'll grab a few bottles of this fantastic sparkling wine. Prost!