Topic: TN: A battle of two Bugeys
Author: Thor Iverson (Boston, MA)
Date: Fri Mar 2 16:17:01 2001
There are many vinous curiosities rampaging around the wine world. For many wine lovers, there''s great enjoyment in finding a bottle from somewhere new, somewhere different. And the enjoyment is doubled when the wine is actually good.

Such is the case with Bugey Cerdon, a low-alcohol, lightly sparkling wine from the Jura. When the first one I''d ever seen appeared in Boston (Renedart-Fâche, imported by Louis/Dressner), I was surprised. And delighted; the wine was so good that it has become a house sparkler of sorts.

So imagine my doubled delight when I visited Kermit Lynch''s store in Berkeley and found his version of the same wine, this time from Bottex. A little comparison was definitely in order.

Renedart-Fâche Vin du Bugey Cerdon (Louis/Dressner) - Friendly pink color, lightly bubble. A wild and vivid mix of strawberry, cranberry, sumac berry, and juniper on the nose. Stronger-tasting than some previous bottles, medium-to-light-bodied with a very light suggestion of sweetness. Excellent balance.

Patrick Bottex Vin du Bugey Cerdon "La Cueille" (Kermit Lynch) - Very pale pink, almost beige. Strawberry, mint, and light mineral notes on the nose, with fresh raspberries and crushed flowers predominating on the palate. Good length.

Now, I don''t believe in competitions between wines, but I think some direct comparison is useful, because these are two slightly different approaches. And so, in a spirit of some seriousness and some fun:

Color - RF is pinker, the Bottex looks wan in comparison.
Sweetness - The Bottex is definitely sweeter.
Length - The Bottex is definitely longer.
Flavor - The RF has better flavor intensity, though the Bottex does have that lovely mineral tang coupled with the flowers. But overall, the RF is a slightly more enjoyable quaff.
Alcohol - 7.5 for the RF, 8 for the Bottex. Neither is going to get you blitzed.
Label - The RF''s label is more rusitc and compelling; the Bottex looks like everything else.
Price - The Bottex is cheaper, though Boston prices (where I purchased the RF) are often too high.
Importer - The importer of the RF is an asshole, but he has a hell of a portfolio. Kermit Lynch is an incredibly nice guy with another very impressive portfolio.

Conclusion? Buy both, and wallow in poulsard/gamay heaven.