The palest salmon imaginable. Instantaneous and continuous fine fine fine bubbles. Beautiful yeasty nose of fresh bread and warm grass-piles. The sharp entrance of sparkle does nothing to quell the lemon zest and kiwi fruit. And bubble for ever and ever…. Although these are technically NV, I buy and store them for years and while I have begged Mumm to decode the laser-tag for me, they claim ignorance and I can not date these bottles. This one is almost 5 years old–I know that from just my records. Mumm Cuvee Napa Blanc de Noir* has been one of the greatest California sparklers for decades and continues. Just a SHOCKING value. At this age, the fresh vibrant fruit common in new bottles is slowly trading itself in for that ‘toasted almond’ of aged bubblies–but not to the extent French ones tend to. This, it’s cellar-mate Brut Prestige and Korbel Natural are far and away the greatest bargains in New World wine. There just really is not a consistent equal out there for the price.
*I will always call these sisters Blanc De Noir and Brut Prestige–even though Mumm’s marketing department has dumbed-down this one to ‘Brut Rose’. Brut Prestige remains unchanged. And do not be tricked that the old DVX/Devaux Vineyard has become ‘Cuvee M’. They are NOT the same wines. Cuvee M is a ‘sec style’ bottling.
Stephen McConnell 