Review: NV Bricoleur Vineyards “Flying by the Seat of Our Pants” Brut
Bricoleur Vineyards is a new Sonoma-based winery and “hospitality retreat,” and clearly the proprietors have a sense of humor. The winery’s nonvintage sparkler (63% chardonnay, 34% pinot noir, 2% “Reserve Wines,” 1% pinot meunier) is called “Flying by the Seat of Our Pants,” a reference to the English translation of the winery’s name.
Made in the Champagne style, the wine is a bone-dry expression of California terroir, featuring classic notes of toasted brioche, lemon curd, and some hints of dried tropical fruit. The creamy body and fruity palate are undone somewhat by the wine’s aggressively yeasty profile, which left me desperate for some brightness to lighten up what emerges as a fairly weighty experience. On the finish the wine sees flavors of banana and peach, with a grassy, hay-like element that lingers for some time.
B / $45 / bricoleurvineyards.com
NV Bricoleur Vineyards "Flying by the Seat of Our Pants" Brut
$45
