Blanquette de Limoux Sparkling wine from Languedoc-Roussillon, France

February 4, 2011

About Champagne and Sparkling Wine

Best wine supplier in Philippines discusses wine related topics

<h2>Blanquette de Limoux Sparkling Wine</h2>

<h3>The Languedoc Roussillon’s bubbly answer to Champagne</h3>

According to legend, Blanquette de Limoux was the world’s first sparkling wine, dating as far back as 1531. At the time, the monks of the Benedictine abbey of Saint-Hilaire, near Limoux in the Aude, were producing white wine in rather an unusual fashion – instead of using oak vats the wine was fermented in a glass flask, with a cork top which gave it a natural sparkle. Apparently, Dom Perignon passed through the valley on his was north from Spain, chanced on the abbey, stole the technique and passed it off as his own to the nobles of Champagne!

Whatever the true story is, the fact remains that Blanquette never captured the public imagination quite as successfully as Champagne. A crying shame, many would say, as Blanquette, which is made exclusively from Mauzac and Chardonnay white grape varieties, results in a dry, creamy-textured, full-bodied wine with fruity aromas, a clean taste and a long full finish. To many it is infinitely superior to its northern cousin.

Blanquette now provides the mainstay of vineyards in the Limoux area, and its producers have aimed at maintaining its originality and developing its quality. The region’s surrounding hills protect it from the extremes of the Mediterranean and Atlantic climates, with the area enjoying a micro climate particularly suitable for making quality white wine. The vines classified in the appellation are always planted at the top of southern-facing slopes, giving the best exposure. The soil here is shallow and sparse, full of chalk and stone. The surface area of the vineyards is restricted by quota, the yield is limited, and the grapes are picked manually only, in sections, at the ideal stage of ripening.

A visit to the region would not be complete without a taste of this sparkling gem – it is served in most of the the fine restaurants in the Aude – but really one must do the rounds of the many cellars in and around Limoux itself – just a half hour drive south of Carcassonne. You will be able to take your pick from both the Blanquette and Crémant (a version made from Chardonnay and Chenin varieties) as well as the Blanquette Méthode Ancestrale (an extremely bubbly, lighter version, notorious for popping its cork!). You will also benefit from meeting the proud producers of the local delight, who will be only too happy to elaborate on the processes involved and the benefits of their particular blend!

Source: http://www.frenchentree.com/languedoc-restaurants-wine/displayarticle.asp?id=25191

Clark Wine Center was built in 2003 by Hong Kong-based Yats International Leisure Philippines to become the largest wine shop in Philippines supplying Asia’s wine lovers with fine vintage wines at attractive prices.  Today, this wine shop in Clark Philippines offers over 2000 selections of fine wines from all major wine regions in the world.  As a leading wine supplier in Philippines, Pampanga’s Clark Wine Center offers an incomparable breadth of vintages, wines from back vintages spanning over 50 years.  Clark Wine Center is located in Pampanga Clark Freeport Zone adjacent to Angeles City, just 25 minutes from Subic and 45 minutes from Manila.

Wines from Burgundy, Bordeaux, Rhone, Loire, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Austria, Alsace, USA, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, South Africa, Chile and Argentina etc. are well represented in this Clark Wine Shop.

http://www.ClarkWineCenter.com

Getting to this wine shop in Pampanga Angeles City Clark Freeport Zone Philippines from Manila

Getting to the Clark Wine Center wine shop from Manila is quite simple:  after entering Clark Freeport from Dau and Angeles City, proceed straight along the main highway M A Roxas. Clark Wine Center is the stand-along white building on the right, at the corner A Bonifacio Ave.  From the Clark International Airport DMIA, ask the taxi to drive towards the entrance of Clark going to Angeles City.  From Mimosa, just proceed towards the exit of Clark and this wine shop is on the opposite side of the main road M A Roxas.

For inquires and reservations, <a title=”Click here to contact us” href=”http://www.clarkwinecenter.com/?page_id=14″ target=”_blank”>contact us here</a>

Clark Wine Center

Bldg 6460 Clark Observatory Building

Manuel A. Roxas Highway corner A Bonifacio Ave,

Angeles Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga 2023

0922-870-5173 0917-826-8790 (ask for Ana Fe)

Wine@Yats-International.com

YATS Wine Cellars

Manila Sales Office

3003C East Tower, Phil Stock Exchange Center,

Exchange Rd Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines 1605

(632) 637-5019   0917-520-4393  ask for Rea or Chay

Best place to buy wine in Clark Pampanga outside Manila near Subic and Angeles City Philippines is Clark Wine Center.