08 Jun For celebrations or just for fun – Gruet Brut
Fans of Champagne/sparkling wine don’t believe
one needs a special occasion to enjoy a glass of bubbly.
It’s difficult to argue with that.
But if you’re looking for excuses to indulge in some effervescence,
June is overflowing with them.
It’s a month to toast Dads.
It’s a month to toast Grads.
June also brings us anniversaries…birthdays…and we can’t forget Flag Day.
There’s another special June occasion that has already slipped past us.
Last Saturday, June 3, was National Bubbly Day.
Pop a cork.
We have some catching up to do.
It’s Wine Thursday!,
our weekly look at a good wine that sells at a reasonable price
and is easy to find at the store and online.
This week, we’re checking out a perennial best-buy sparkler
that’s produced in an area more known for gila monsters than wine.
Where it’s from
While few associate wine with New Mexico,
the state actually has a long history in viticulture.
Grapes were first planted there over 400 years ago.
In the late 1800’s, New Mexico was producing
nearly a million gallons of wine annually.
A Frenchman with experience in Champagne production,
Gilbert Gruet, planted Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in New Mexico
in the early 1980’s. Now, the Gruet family has produced
over 30 vintages of New Mexico sparkling wine.
What it is
The word “brut” is French for dry. Gruet’s Brut is just that…
a dry, very refreshing sparkling wine with just a hint of sweetness.
It has zesty mineral notes, a medium finish and high acidity.
The flavors include lemon, apple and a touch of toast.
There’s an abundance of bubbles here.
Gruet Brut would be an ideal base for mimosas
but is terrific on its own. It would be difficult to find a
better sparkling wine buy in the sub-$20 category.
Where to buy it
Gruet Brut can be found at Total Wine where it sells for $14.99.
QFC has it for $15.99.
The price at Target is $16.99.
It’s $17.99 at BevMo.
Ralphs has it for $18.56.
It’s $18.99 at Vons and Albertsons
and $19.99 at Safeway and Fred Meyer
You can order it from Wine Library for $11.99
The price at Empire Wine is $12.95
Shoppers Wines sells it for $12.99
and it’s at Garnet Wine for $13.29