Maison Laudacius "Laudacius" Brut Nature Montlouis Methode Traditionnelle

This sparkling wine pleases and focuses the senses. Ripe golden-fruit aromas lift from the glass buoyed by muddled yellow apple, quince and bruised yellow pear. Rich flavors on the nose repeat on the palate along with hints of white tea and white raspberry. (RS)

It’s been a couple of years now, but I still remember when the Laudacius first crossed my desk. I personally love good sparkling Chenin Blanc, and the drier the better. Montlouis lies just across the Loire River from Vouvray, the more esteemed appellation, but there are some outstanding wines coming from this slightly more obscure region. The “Laudacius” is dry but never austere. Aromas of roasted apple, pear nectar and freshly baked biscuits emerge from the glass, with plenty of freshness keeping everything lively. When I first tried it, I was so excited by what was in the glass that I pulled in half a dozen of my colleagues just to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating. They all agreed—this was a startlingly good bottle of bubbles! Once we factored in the price, it quickly became one of the biggest no-brainers in our Direct Import program. We’ve now gone through a few batches, and the Laudacius hasn’t lost a step. Every time I come back to it, I’m still impressed by how much character it delivers for the money. It remains one of the best additions we’ve made to our sparkling wine Direct Import program—and I don’t see that changing anytime soon.