Laurent Gruet, the man who put New Mexico on the map as a place for top quality sparkling wines, is now the sparkling winemaker at Vara, which helps explain why the wines across the board are so good. Typically, in the Champagne method, at the end of the second fermentation, the winemaker adds a little wine and sugar, known as the dosage, to round the edges of the finished Champagne. Zero dosage, as this one, means no sugar was added, making it the driest of all sparkling wines. More importantly, the base wines need to be impeccable because there will be no sugar to cover up any defects. Vara’s Zero Dosage, which is made entirely from Chardonnay, delivers a pleasantly penetrating and palate awakening appeal that balances its delicate apple-like fruitiness. An excellent aperitif, its cutting edginess makes it a good choice at the table for most any food.
93 Michael Apstein – December 31, 2025