The Korbel California Champagne Brut is a Sparkling wine that should be found for under $14. Korbel has the legal right to call itself a Champagne since it was grandfathered in after the French enforced their trademark a few decades ago.
The Story
Korbel was founded by three Korbel brothers in the Russian River region of Sonoma in 1882. They have been owned by the Heck family since 1954, boasting a long history.
They offer a full line of Champagne wines, mostly affordable options under $20, but also include some high-end bubbles.
The Korbel California Champagne Brut is produced the the Traditional Method, the same as French Champagne.
The grapes are picked 2 weeks early, since Champagne grapes must be fermented before they are ripe and then brought up to the desired sweetness level at the end with dosage. (a measured amount of sweet still wine)
Bubbly had been a labor-intensive production. For example, the riddling process is where each bottle during the second fermentation must receive a quarter turn every other gay for months. There is someone constantly turning a bottle somewhere at the winery (Korbel makes 750,000 cases of the Brut). Korbel invented a way to mechanize the process, helping to make Champagne/Sparkling wine production affordable. Don’t tell Champagne.
The grape blend for the Korbel Brut is Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, French Colombard, and Pinot Noir. The alcohol content is 12%.
The Korbel California Champagne Brut Tasting Notes
The color is gold with a hint of peach. The nose is lemon, grapefruit, brioche, cashew, cherry, and spice. The Korbel California Champagne Brut has aninteresting flavor, balanced and with personality.
This Champagne tastes like lemons, licorice, hard candy, grapefruit, stone fruit, spice, peach, and vanilla, tasty and not the same old thing.
The acidity is balanced and gives the flavors a bright nature.
The Summary
- The Korbel California Champagne Brut is fun, tasty, and real Bubbly.
- With Champagne-style wines, you are often paying for the reputation, not what is inside the bottle.
- Korbel makes good Bubbly!
