Grape varieties: 60% Chardonnay, 30% Chenin Blanc, 10% Pinot Noir
Style: Brut sparkling wine
Vinification: Traditional method, with secondary fermentation in bottle and maturation on lees.

Toast and butter lead the way, quickly joined by citrus blossom, ripe pear and a flash of wild strawberry. There’s a lovely generosity to the aromas, but the palate changes gear: dry, vivacious and beautifully fresh, with fine bubbles and driving acidity carrying the fruit through a long, energetic finish.

This is classic Crémant de Limoux, and it comes from a region with a remarkable claim to sparkling-wine history. In 1531, the Benedictine monks of the Abbey of Saint-Hilaire near Limoux recorded the production of sparkling wine from secondary fermentation in bottle – more than a century before Dom Pérignon’s famous work in Champagne.

That heritage feels particularly relevant here. Chardonnay brings finesse and citrus-edged fruit, Chenin adds freshness and drive, while Pinot Noir contributes body and that attractive hint of wild strawberry. The result is serious enough for the dinner table but far too delicious to save only for an occasion.

Serve well chilled as an apéritif or alongside oysters, seafood, smoked salmon, creamy cheeses and canapés. A cracking expression of France’s original sparkling-wine country. Think Champagne quality for a fraction of the price.