Washington Brut Prestige vs. Champagne

The Tour de France wrapped up with the usual parade to the Champs-Elyses featuring another day for the sprinters to put their speed on display.  Even though this is the final stage of the race, there is an unspoken rule among the racers that the previous day is the last day to attack for the race lead.

Stage 20 of this year's Tour provided plenty of drama.  An uphill time trial that would pit each rider against one another - mano a mano!  Primoz Roglic came in to the day with a 57 second lead over his Slovanian compatriat Tadej Pogacar.  Roglic was expected to protect his lead and ride into Paris in the leader's yellow jersey. 

Sadly, fate was not on Rogilic's side.  He had a bad day on the bike while Pogacar had an amazing day.  The result was a stunning twist of fortune with Pogacar taking the yellow jersey  and the overall Tour victory.

Typically, there is lively celebration with Champagne at the end of each stage and the end of le Tour.  I don't recall seeing much spraying of Champagne at the end of this year's stages.  And with the World Championships taking place the week following the end of the Tour de France, there was not much time to savor the victory.

Lucha Vino is taking time to slow down and celebrate with a matchup of Washington Sparkling wine and French Champagne.

Treveri Cellars 2015 Brut Prestige vs. Copinet Blanc de Blancs

Coloring Outside the Lines at the Seattle Wine & Food Experience

If you are careful, and stay inside the lines, you will color a pretty picture.  That is what my Mom used to tell me when I was a kid.  Straying outside the lines used to mean you were sloppy and lacked coloring skills.  Now, as a grown up, coloring outside the lines has become a metaphor for creativity, innovation and making new discoveries.

I took my sloppy coloring skills to the SWFE  at the end of February and had a blast.  This was my first year attending and I can say with confidence that I will be back again next year.  The event was a delight for all your senses and I put mine to the test sampling food and wine pairings that attempted to break out of the “that’s the way we always do it” mold.

Washington Bubbles V. Euro Bubbles

Ringing in the New Year with bubbles!

This week features two matches turning up the heat on the Luchadors like being dropped into a bubbling caldron of pain.

Match #1

Treveri Cellars Blanc de Blanc v. Duval Leroy Brut Champagne

You may have heard that Treveri Cellars sparkling wine was selected to be served at the White House.  That leaves high expectations for our Luchador from Washington in this matchup with the Grandaddy of sparkling wine - Champagne the Real Deal from France.

Treveri Cellars Riesling Blanc de Blanc

From the Columbia Valley featuring 100% Riesling.

The nose is showing smokey pear and melon with some hints of fresh baked bread.

The palate is tangy green apple with some hints of honey.

There are load of bubbles sparkling across your tongue like pop rocks gone wild!







Duval Leroy Brut

From Champagne featuring Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

The nose is smokey melon.

The palate is tart citrus notes of lemon with light hints of melon.

The Real Deal also show loads of excitement with bubbles galore ricocheting around your mouth like millions of flubber molecules.







This match lasted nearly as long as the last UFC heavy weight fight.  Which means not very long. The Treveri Cellars laughed in the face of the Real Deal, entering the ring with confidence and swagger most likely achieved by hanging out with Obama at the White House.

Treveri demonstrated bold character on the nose and palate.  The Duval Leroy was bitter, bordering on sour.  Perhaps this Luchador was harboring ill will for the aclaim this relative new comer has garnered.

Both Luchadors showed plenty of bubbles dancing across your tongue like rogue river dancers.  However, the bubbles were not enough for The Real Deal to rise to the occasion suffering a TKO in the first round.  Treveri Cellars takes match #1.

Match #2

Treveri Cellars is sending another Washington State Luchador into the ring.  This time it is the Syrah Brut sparkling wine taking on a Lambrusco from Tenuta Pederzana that likes to go by the name Italian Stallion.

Treveri Cellars Syrah Brut v. Gibe Lambrusco

Treveri Cellars Syrah Brut

From the Columbia Valley AVA featuring 100% Syrah.

The nose shows dark sweet plum and blackberries.

The palate shows similar dark notes of plum and blackberry along with some notes of dried leather and brambles.

This Luchador is showing split personality.  One moment sweet and innocent the next dark and brooding.  This combination of characters is boiling over barely keeping a lid on the bubbles.  All of this adds up to one wicked competitor in the ring.



 Gibe Lambrusco

From the Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro DOC featuring 100% Grasparossa.

The nose shows dark sweet currant and black cherry with some notes of brambles and underbrush.

The palate shows light raspberry and rhubarb tartness on the finish with a sense of lightness in the bubbles prancing across your tongue.

This Luchador puts up a big front with a bold, dark and punishing nose.  Yet, has a sense of finesse that comes through in the lightness expressed on the palate.



This matchup was much closer than the first.  Both of these Luchadors are hard to read, showing a variety of personalities that were harder to decipher than a bad Stephen King movie.  The Italian Stallion from Lambrusco may not have lived up to the "Italian Stallion" moniker, but it did certainly display character and substance worthy of a top contender.

The Treveri Cellars did not fall for the Italian Stallion misdirection taking the fight directly at the Lambrusco.  In the end the battle was close, but the Treveri Cellars took the slim victory by showing unmatched strength and stamina.

Treveri Cellars also takes match #2 for a clean sweep.  These bubbles from Yakima are really impressive.  There is little wonder that the White House has selected this sparkler to represent the U.S. of A.