NV Cricova - Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut Codru (750ml)

Cricova traces its history back to 1952, when Moldovan winemakers Petru Ungureanu and Nicolae Sobolev began aging wine in the vast limestone galleries left behind by centuries of quarrying near the village of Cricova. Those tunnels form what is now the second-largest wine cellar in the world, sometimes called the Cricova Underground City, and the winery has produced sparkling wine there from its earliest days. Today the estate farms over 600 hectares across several regions of Moldova, with its central vineyards sitting near the Codrii forest reserve in the Codru zone.

This Blanc de Noirs is made entirely from Pinot Noir grown in the Codru region's fertile chernozem soil, under a climate of mild winters and abundant sunshine. The wine is produced by the traditional method, with a second fermentation taking place inside the bottle, and it spends a minimum of twenty-four months aging on its lees before disgorgement. This extended aging builds the fine, persistent bubbles and depth typical of the style.

In the glass this sparkling wine shows a light straw-yellow color with a steady stream of fine bubbles. The nose is delicate, offering subtle fruit and mineral notes, while the palate stays light, balanced, and dry. Serve it chilled alongside oysters, salmon, caviar, soft cheeses, or a plate of walnuts and almonds.