While it may not seem like it, Napa is home to a number of houses that make sparkling wine, including Domaine Carneros and Moët & Chandon.  California plays by some slightly different rules around sparkling that its European counterparts, and that means there’s a freedom to experiment. Made from an unusual combination of chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot gris, and pinot meunier (in order of predominance),  how does Mumm Napa Cuvée M compare to the old world offerings?

 

Sight:  A curious color to be sure, almost peach like, with hints of pink.  Bubbles are a bit large.

Smell:  Notes of crusty bread and vanilla start off the nose.  Hints of orange follow, with honey, and some fresh, under ripe strawberry.  Other berry notes are minimal, and the fruit is a little subdued in a generally subtle nose.

Sip:  Texturally, it starts off rather soft and foamy, and sort of stays in that bandwidth throughout.  Some of sweetness begins to jump in with touches of acidity.  Flavors of strawberry jelly donuts and caramel come to the forefront, with orange peel adding some character.  The brightness pulls out lemon pith and unripe nectarine notes

Savor:  The ending pulls in some spiced orange and hints of strawberry before vanishing.   The finish is actually incredibly long, lingering for quite some time.

The subtle hints of sweetness help Mumm Napa Cuvée M into a nice balance of foamy and sweet.  If anything is a little short here, it’s clarity of the aromas and flavors.  Everything coming out has a nice subtle character, be it strawberries, bread, or peaches, yet, somehow it seems like it never quite gets anywhere together.  While it does seem well made, and all the flavors are all good on their own,  Mumm Napa Cuvée M isn’t clear cut no matter how interesting it is.

Verdict: Unripe Nectarines, Yeasty, Hint Sweet, Foamy, Lemon Pith
Price: $18
Napa, California
Available at Wine.Com