Cuvee Jean Philippe Brut (2007)- cheap bubbly!

After a seemingly endless bout of sickliness, I made my triumphant return to drinking, only to hate the two wines I had planned on tasting/blogging about. Finally, I have something at least worth mentioning: The 2007 Cuvee Jean Philippe Brut. This bubbly is from the Limoux region of France and, as such, cannot be called “Champagne” though it is made in the traditional method (it’s also not going to be as expensive as Champagne- haaay.) Though I can’t say this is the most elegant, incredible sparkling I’ve ever tasted, for $10.99, this is a pretty good bet if you’re looking for something to serve as an every day bubbly or if you have to buy several bottles for a party. As far as tasting notes go, it was rather tart with a heavy, somewhat inconsistent perlage (fancy word for bubbles) with notes of meyer lemon, green apples, a tiny bit of vanilla, and a tiny bit of mint. Generally, there was a pretty crisp acidity and a nice brightness to it, though I didn’t find it to be as dry as most champagnes (bummer for me, but maybe not for you.) All in all, it didn’t blow my socks off, per se, but it’s definitely a decent option if you’re looking for a cheap alternative to Champagne for a large gathering or if you want to make some mimosas on a lazy Sunday. I had it with popcorn and a PB & J on a Monday night, but that’s just the classy broad I am…