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The Burlwood Cellars Extra Dry Sparkling Wine is a $4.99 ALDI wine produced by E & J Gallo, the largest family-owned wine company in the US. While this is a five-dollar Bubbly at ALDI, it sells for between $10 and $12 in states where ALDI does not have stores.
This Sparkling wine is sourced from grapes in California and is made with the Charmat Production Method. This is a technique to produce Bubbly that was invented in the late 1800s. After the wine is fermented for the first time, it is blended and transferred to a vast pressurized enclosed vat.
The Burlwood Cellars Extra Dry Sparkling Wine is a non-vintage wine, so the blending can include mixing different grape varietals and wine from other vintages. A measure of yeast and sugar is added to the pressurized vat, the pressure is turned on, and in a few weeks to several months, the bubbles are incorporated into the wine.
Champagne Sparkling wine takes a minimum of 18 months for the second fermentation to add the bubbles correctly. The Charmat Method is more efficient, but the Champagne Method is seen as a more superior technique. But, when you talk about value-priced Bubbly, how the Bubbles got into your glass is less critical.
This is an Extra Dry Sparkling wine which indicates that the wine is slightly sweet, and it isn’t apparent; Brut means dry, and extra dry means sweet. Since these designations came from France, I think something was lost in the translation. It is never a good idea to intentionally confuse your customers.
The Burlwood Cellars Extra Dry Sparkling Wine line seems close to Gallo’s Barefoot Bubbly brand of Sparkling wine. Gallo does not offer production details on these brands, so I do not know if the grapes used are similar. Both use the Charmat Method.
Prosecco from Vento in northern Italy is the most noteworthy wine to use the Charmat Method, and 2/3s of Prosecco is made Extra Dry. In Champagne, a dry Bubbly is a favorite, while the Charmat Method may be the better for slightly sweeter wine. The alcohol content is 10.5%.
The Burlwood Cellars Extra Dry Sparkling Wine Tasting Notes
The color is a pale golden yellow, with plenty of active bubbles. This wine has a metal twisted-off top which is not as much fun as popping a cork. The nose is peach, pear, apple, lemon chiffon, faint spice, lightly floral, with the subtle scent of tropical fruit. The Burlwood Cellars Extra Dry Sparkling Wine has enough acidity to balance the higher sugar level and has an unexpected flavor profile.
It tastes like hard lemon candy, apple, peach, ripe pear, dried pineapple bits, and soft apricot. The mid-palate brings a salty sensation, a short slap of spice, and a sweet green apple candy flavor (but not too sweet). There are sweet candied flavors in the mix, but the acidity does an excellent job of knocking the sweetness level down to nectar sweet and not candy sweet.
The Summary
- The Burlwood Cellars Extra Dry Sparkling Wine is a fun Sparkling wine, it does mot take itself to seriously and it delivers on what it promises.
- I would not pair this Bubbly with the Thanksgiving meal, but it would hit the spot when accompanying a slice of pumpkin pie with whipped cream on top.
- Your “wine” friends may not be impressed with the Burlwood Cellars Extra Dry Sparkling Wine but wine novices will drink a glass and ask for more.
