Lucien Albrecht non-vintage Cremant d'Alsace Brut Blanc de Blancs

A year ago, I would have quietly asserted that I'd tasted the common wines and missed only the real outliers, mostly. Just this week I've had my first bottles of French Gamay from outside Beaujolais, and this, an Alsace fizz.

Very pale straw color, many small vigorous bubbles.

Melon smell, apple, toast.

Dry melon flavor, grapefruit, toast, apple, some cleansing bitterness at the end and, contrarily. fruitiness. A fine bottle for $16.99. (This wine is 100% Pinot Blanc.)