Nantucket Insider again welcomes guest blogger Craig Hanna, Cellar Master of TOPPER'S at The Wauwinet for his picks to pop, clink and fizz your way into the new year... As we enter 2015, wine thoughts turn to sparkling wines and Champagne. Virtually all Champagne is made from three grapes, Chardonnay (white), Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier (reds), and each house tends to blend all three. That being said there are great bubblies that are just one of the three. For a Chardonnay, I recommend Pol Roger Blanc de Blancs. This historic Champagne house was the favorite of Winston Churchill.
For a Pinot Noir at a very reasonable price, I suggest Gruet Blanc de Noirs. This is New Mexico's best winery and the family came from Champagne.
Pinot Meunier is much rarer, and is beautifully represented in Egly Ouriet Vignes Vrigny Blanc de Noirs.
This winery owns and grows all their own grapes, not a practice of the big Champagne houses we see regularly on store shelves. Cheers! Craig Hanna, Cellar Master, TOPPER'S at The Wauwinet