Bouvet Signature Brut is produced from a blend of Chenin Blanc and a smaller percentage of Chardonnay grapes grown in the chalky limestone "tuffeau" soils characteristic of the Saumur appellation. The base wines are vinified in computer-regulated, temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks to preserve the delicate aromas and elegant fruit of the grape. The blenders, relying on a combination of innate talent, experience and technological support, assemble the cuvée from the yield, delivered as grapes and pressed at Bouvet's facilities, of 120 different properties located in a diversity of microclimates which give a complex spectrum of nuances to the wine. The second fermentation takes place in the traditional method developed by the champenois, in the bottle, following the addition of a small amount of sugar and yeast. The transformation from still wine to sparkling takes place in Bouvet-Ladubay's cool, moist cellars, where the bottles are automatically riddled on computer-calibrated "gyropallets," which duplicate the hand-riddling process in a slightly shorter span of time. At each step of the production process, the most exacting standards of quality and practice are applied to guarantee a refined, handcrafted luxury product of character and consistency. This cuvée is the expression of the signature "Excellence" that since 1851 has been the foundation of Bouvet-Ladubay's philosophy. |