Antech, Our Favorite Sparkling Wine from Limoux, Is Back!
One of our great long-standing Direct Import partners is Famille Antech. Proprietor and sixth-generation winemaker Françoise Antech-Gazeau has been a dear friend for many years, and her son Baptiste joined the winery a few years ago. There have been some great initiatives at the winery over the last couple of years that are now coming to fruition. They have been certified sustainable since 2013 but recently shifted over to organic practices (Baptiste’s strong influence here) and will be certified organic in the near future. One other big transition: the classic wines we have loved for years have undergone a slight transformation. The Eugenie and Emotion Rosés are now undergoing longer lees aging before disgorgement and are Extra Brut styles. This means that the added texture from aging on their lees requires the wine to receive less dosage to create a balanced wine—they are bone dry but maintain a supple texture. This lower dosage gives better balance to the riper fruit from the region as France continues to see warmer vintages. I always enjoyed these wines, but they have more lift and poise now.
The 2022 Antech "M le Mauzac" Brut Nature Blanquette de Limoux $14.99 is the only wine to undergo a significant label change. For fans of the Brut Nature, this is the same wine it has always been, but Françoise and Baptiste want to highlight the indigenous grape Mauzac and have created a special series called “M le Mauzac” to highlight this grape variety. They have also vintage dated the wines now; they always did use vintage dating, but did not previously feature it on the label. In the glass, the familiar scents of lemon, green apple, and lime blossom emerge. The palate is racy and there is a lovely salinity that makes this such a great aperitif. This is the Brut Nature I have always loved.
The 2022 Antech "Cuvée Eugenie" Extra Brut Crémant de Limoux $15.99 has really taken a leap forward. The last time I remember a shift like this, the winery had moved to a lower dosage (from 10g/L, the higher end of Brut, to 8g/L). When Antech made that change, the wines became more nuanced and the acidity added more lift. Now with the Extra Brut, we are at or around 5g/L dosage, and it is a revelation! The fruit speaks with more clarity; the Golden Delicious apple notes are surrounded by light yeasty tones, ginger, and more minerality. Crunchy and inviting, this is a superb sparkler to have for your holiday parties!
The 2022 Antech "Emotion" Extra Brut Rosé Crémant de Limoux $16.99 is a blend of 60% Chardonnay, 20% Chenin Blanc, and 20% Pinot Noir. This has always been a little fuller on the palate thanks to the Pinot Noir, and this year there seems to be more Pinot than ever. White and red cherry fruit give way to Fuji apple notes. There is a hint of strawberry on the palate accompanying a light biscuity tone. This will pair well with bigger holiday meals for those of you (like myself) who are happy to drink bubbles throughout dinner. What a delight!