J.Laurens Les Graimenous Cremant de Limoux

“Incredible value and a seriously delicious alternative to Champagne”.

Wow, when the Decanter magazine tasting panel says this about a French fizz for a snip over $25 you’d better sit up and take notice!

Champagne might be France’s most famous sparkling wine but it ain’t the oldest – or the most affordable! They reckon that title goes to the monks of the Saint Hilaire monastery in Limoux in the Languedoc region of southern France, who discovered the secret of creating fizz some 150 years before Dom Perignon (another monk, now quite famous, you might’ve heard of him?).

Limoux is where this little beauty comes from and made by the crew at J.Lourens. Using grapes from the 2020 vintage and made in the traditional method (aka methode traditionelle, the same way as Champagne) and aged for 12 months on lees, a technique used to add richness and creaminess and then 15 months in bottle before release.

This is 60% Chardonnay, 30% Chenin Blanc, 5% Pinot Noir and 5% Mauzac. Mau-what?! Pronounced ‘mow-zack‘ this is Limoux’s most famous grape – and some reckon could be the grape used in that very first sparkling wine!

This absolutely smokes most entry level French Champagne brands and for the price, pound for pound, it takes some beating.