Famille Perrin, owner of Château de Beaucastel in Chateaneuf-du-Pape, has been making wine in the Rhône region of France for centuries. The family has practiced organic farming since the 1950s and biodynamic farming since the 1970s. Marc Perrin, fifth generation winemaker, recently sat down with us to taste the latest release of La Vielle Ferme, the family’s top-selling wines from the Luberon in the southern Rhône. We were familiar with La Vielle Ferme’s white, red and rosé still wines, which are all solid quality-for-value wines for everyday enjoyment, but we had not tried tasted the brand’s new sparkling wines.
Perrin told us his family spent five years developing a process, which he refers to as “mêthode contemporaine,” to produce their sparkling wines which involved introducing CO2 into the wine just before bottling. The result is a delicate effervescence, which Perrin referred to as a mousse of bubbles. For anyone who prefers a tiny-bubbles frizzante-style wines, this is delightful option at a favorable price of $16.99.
Both wines are made from grapes planted in limestone soil, which enhanced their balanced acidity and minerality. Light and refreshing on the palate, both are perfect wines for a casual meal and had us dreaming of outdoor picnics come summertime. La Vielle Ferme is imported by Vineyard Brands. Twitter@vineyard_brands