Philippe Michel (France) Cremant du Jura 2004
Many wine-pages visitors have cottoned on to this absolutely terrific bargain sparkling wine since I first made the 1998 vintage ‘Wine of the Month’ several years ago. The 2004 vintage is just as good as ever, and although the price has crept up to 5.49, that is still a ludicrous bargain for a 100% Chardonnay wine from Eastern France, made by the expensive traditional method as in Champagne. It spends 24 months in bottle to gain richness and complexity before release and has a mouthwatering pear and apple nose, with creamy, seductive yeasty notes. There are plenty of tiny bubbles and it has a good, fresh but luxurious mousse on the palate. It delivers a dazzling array of crisp, tingling, apple and lemon fruit flavours, but broadens out with some nutty richness and a hint of tropical sweetness, before plenty of incisive acidity kicks in. This is perhaps slightly less dry than previous vintages, but it is beautifully balanced and very stylish fizz. Well done again Aldi. 5.49, all Aldi stores.
