Auxerrois – Glass Of Bubbly
For this issue of Unusual Sparkling, I went back to my Belgian roots, and almost all the way to my birth region. An hour’s drive south from the region of Bruges, where I grew up, you find the Flemish wine region of Heuvelland. Here, the use of the right varieties has made it possible to grow grapes in this colder climate and they lend themselves perfectly well for the production of sparkling wine. The Auxerrois grape is a variety that has gained popularity in northern wine-growing countries due to its early ripening character.
In a lot of northern European countries, we see a high usage of what we call hybrid grape varieties because these are better equipped to withstand the colder temperatures and are better resistant to different diseases that could harm the vine. A hybrid variety emerges when two more grapes from different Vitis species are crossed, which is very different from the usual crossbreeds we encounter in the world of wine, where two varieties of one Vitis species (the Vitis Vinifera) are crossed into a new variety. The big difference will be the difference in quality. Overall, the classic varieties of the Vitis Vinifera will display a higher quality than the hybrid grapes. In the total wine landscape of Belgium, we see both hybrids and classical varieties being planted, with a bit more focus on the classical varieties. In the wine region of Heuvelland, you do find plantings of different grape varieties such as Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Auxerrois.
The grape of Auxerrois is a French variety that, as a lot of varieties, have a bit of an unclear origin. The name does refer to the city of Auxerre, which can be found somewhat between Paris and Dijon, but has no plantings of the grape whatsoever. Highly likely it travelled from there towards the Alsace area and the south of Germany. Further DNA research needs to determine where the grape is coming from, some state it to be related to the Chardonnay, Pinot Gris or the Pinot Blanc, while others state it to be the result of a crossing between Pinot Blanc and Heunisch Weiss (Gouias Blanc). The grape displays notes of ripe yellow fruit, like a touch of peach and further some roasted almonds, but has its fair amount of citrus fruit and a lively, refined acidity as well. This profile lends itself to be the perfect blending partner with (it’s maybe cousin) Chardonnay, along with the lively acidity, enhanced with the early picking and the cooler climate, an obvious choice for local sparkling.
Entre Deux Monts refers to the two hills of ‘Rodeberg’ and ‘Zwarteberg’ in the heart of Heuvelland, in Westouter. This is a small Village down south of Ieper, touching the border with France, where the First World War was fought. At the winery of Entre Deux Monts, which roughly translates means ‘Between two mountains’, even though there are no real mountains in the region, but hills, perfect elegance and finesse are obtained in their sparkling wines. Apart from the usage of Chardonnay and even Pinot Noir (!), a percentage of the aromatic Auxerrois is used as well, to add fruity aromas and enhance the lively acidity. The winery has chosen to use the Méthode Traditionelle, where the second fermentation leads to more ageing notes and a touch of bread yeast and if you’re lucky, some brioche. In that sense, many of the sparkling wines produced by Entre Deux Monts can match with different Crémant and Sekt and in some cases even top it! The sparkling of course is a perfect choice to serve with an aperitif but can also be served with light crisp fish dishes such as the Fruits de Mer, ceviche, blue eyed cod or fresh garden salads.
When visiting this vineyard, you can make long walks beside the grape vines and have different tastings on the property. Next to that, make sure you visit the city of Ieper with a beautiful selection of fine dining restaurants, but also to soak in the history of the First World War.
Image credit belongs to Anthony de Beir. Glass of Bubbly was granted permission to use it.
