Wines of the week | summer treat

Summer dessert rhymes for me with seasonal berries. Whether in a pavlova or a summer pudding, the wine par excellence to accompany them is the Bugey Cerdon: a joyful, effervescent and off-dry wine, made according to the ancestral method and full of flavors of berries. The other two suggestions are just as pleasing.

Veronique Rivest
Sommelier, guest collaborator

Bright scents

There is no Bugey Cerdon at the SAQ right now, but watch for the arrival of one from excellent producer Renardat Fache next fall. In the meantime, that of Patrick Bottex, another exceptional winemaker, is offered as a private import, so at checkout. Stock up, or find friends to share! The wine, mainly Gamay-based, is irresistibly delicious with dazzling aromas of small red fruits. Semi-dry, it remains light and crisp thanks to a fresh acidity and fine bubbles. Served chilled, it is perfect for low-sugar berry desserts, but it is also ideal for brunch or a picnic!

Patrick Bottex Bugey Cerdon La Cueille, $30.25 (private import, La QV agency), 8%

Laying down: to drink

To beat the heat wave

In the same spirit as the previous one, a gourmet and joyful sparkling wine, but completely dry, simpler, and also less expensive. The 2020 was $20.40 last year! Made from a blend of Zweigelt, Blaufränkisch, Saint-Laurent and Pinot Noir, it has a deep pink color. The discreet nose offers delicate aromas of red apple, cranberry and rhubarb. Dry, light and very fresh, the wine is simple, but delicious and well put together, carried by fine and tonic bubbles. Perfect for an aperitif in hot weather, it will also accompany fish rillettes, grilled prawns, tempura vegetables or a fennel and citrus salad.

Meinklang Prosa 2021 Frizzante Wine from Austria, $18.75 (14651824), 10.5%, organic

Laying down: to drink

Burgundy meets Germany

Bassermann-Jordan is a historic house, established in the XVIII^e century, which is among the best in Germany. Ruppertsberg is one of the most famous villages in the Pfalz region, where the grapes come from. It is pinot blanc (weissburgunder), vinified dry (trocken). And what a wine! To be tasted blind: I wouldn’t be surprised if many thought of Burgundy. The nose is fine, ripe and fresh, with accents of pear, mirabelle plum, hard peach, with delicate notes of cream and fresh almond. Very harmonious, with a ripe and caressing substance on the palate, it is carried by a fresh acidity and stretches on a finish with a mineral impression. Complete and elegant, with finesse, it evolves a lot in the glass. Fish grilled or in cream sauce, seafood risotto.

Bassermann-Jordan Ruppertsberg Weissburgunder Trocken 2020 Pfalz, $32 (14951940), 13%, organic

Aging: 4 to 5 years