Patrick Bugey-Cedron “La Cueille”

The Patrick Bugey-Cedron “La Cueille” is an unusual sparkling wine from Eastern France close to the border with Switzerland.

Today, Cerdon is considered one of three crus within the appellation of Bugey, and the only one whose entire production consists of sparkling wine. As a geographical crossroads between the Savoie, the Jura, Burgundy, and the Rhône, Bugey is one of the few regions where one can see both palm trees and snow within eyeshot. In La Cueille, one of seven high-altitude hamlets surrounding the historic medieval town of Ponsin, Patrick and Catherine Bottex farm the limestone slopes above the Ain River. They have been working five hectares (about 12.3 acres) of land since 1991 and produce only a small quantity of their beautiful, intriguing sparkling wine.

As a former part of the Duchy of Burgundy, it stands to reason that several Burgundian grape varietals have found a home here—not the least of which is Gamay. The Bottex’s Bugey-Cerdon is a blend of 90% Gamay and 10% of the native Poulsard. They bottle this low-alcohol wine using the “méthode ancestrale,” a rare technique that experts believe predates the “méthode champenoise.” The wine first goes through a primary fermentation in cuve (a vat), and is then bottled before all of the residual sugar has converted to alcohol. After going through a secondary fermentation in the bottle for at least two months, the wine is ready—Champagne’s dosage is not permitted! After secondary fermentation the wine is racked off the lees and recorked to prevent further fermentation (and exploding bottles). The resulting wine is delightfully refreshing with bright fruit, a beautiful rosé hue, and a touch of sweetness.

This wine is part of Kermit Lynch Wine Merchants’ portfolio. Anthony Lynch, son of Kermit Lynch, describes this wine thus: “No doubt about it—this (Bugey) is serious terroir. And yet, Bugey-Cerdon is anything but a serious wine. Its seductive deep pink glimmers in the glass, emanating ambrosial fragrances of alpine strawberries and roses. It dances over the palate, just sweet enough, perked up by a fine bead and a crystalline finish crisp as a mineral spring. Great wine does not need to be thought-provoking or meditative—Patrick’s Bugey-Cerdon is proof that a top terroir can manifest itself in the most festive and carefree of ways.”

This delicious sparkling rosé can be served on its own as an aperitif. It will complement Asian cuisine—Vietnamese, Thai, Indian—very nicely and pair well with light deserts like a hazelnut cake or a strawberry tart.