Americans are testing the limits of dry champagne, said Eric Asimov in The New York Times. At virtually all price points, sweet sparklers are losing market share, with bruts pushing aside all stickier wines. True wine geeks take the battle a step further, seeking out “extra brut” or “brut nature.” But choose wisely, because barely sweetened bubbly can be “punishingly austere.”
Bérêche & Fils Extra Brut Réserve NV($57). This is an impeccably balanced extra brut—“taut yet plush,” with “tangy citrus flavors.”
Georges Laval Brut Nature Premier Cru NV($70). This “lively, pure” wine offers lingering flavors of “flowers, herbs, and chalk.”
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Benoît Lahaye Brut Nature Grand Cru NV($58). “Generously fruity but precise,” this one has surprising energy.
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