Miolo, Vale dos Vinhedos (Brazil) Brut “Cuvée Tradition” NV

($14, CapCity Beverage):  There’s probably no greater statement regarding the potential of the sparkling wine industry in Brazil than the investment by Moët & Chandon there in the 1970s.  Miolo has been producing sparkling wines from there vineyards in Vale dos Vinhedos, the first Brazilian area to receive DO status, long before Moët invested in the country.  This one, their Cuvée Tradition, is made, as the name implies, by the traditional Champagne method with the secondary fermentation occurring in the bottle.  A blend of equal parts Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, it was disgorged in 2017.  It has a lovely austerity.  Its charms blossom after being opened (and re-stoppered) for a day.  A fine stream of bubbles enlivens the palate.
88 Michael Apstein Sep 29, 2020