2020 Weinbach - PCC Chasselas Petillant Naturel (750ml)

This rare sparkling wine comes from Domaine Weinbach's flagship vineyard, the Clos des Capucins, a monopole established in 1612 by Capuchin monks, whose name gave rise to the estate's own title, "Weinbach," meaning "the stream of wine," a reference to the brook running through the property. The Faller family has owned the estate since 1898, and it is now led by Catherine Faller alongside her sons Eddy and Théo, farming both organically and biodynamically.

Made from Chasselas, an old, unassuming white grape more commonly associated with easy-drinking still wines, this cuvée is produced as a pétillant naturel, using the traditional méthode ancestrale. In this process, the grape must is bottled a few days after harvest, right after native yeasts begin fermentation, so the wine finishes fermenting in the bottle and naturally retains its bubbles, with no dosage or additions along the way. The result is a dry, light-bodied sparkling wine with a rustic charm distinct from Alsace's more polished Rieslings and Gewurztraminers.

Expect fresh, crunchy fruit character and a gentle, foamy effervescence, with the bright acidity and simplicity that Chasselas is known for, wrapped in a slightly yeasty, bread-like roundness typical of the ancestral method.

This is a lively, low-intervention sparkler well suited to serving as an aperitif or alongside light, casual fare.