THE HOLY SPIRITS VIEW
As a Brazilian myself (Athila writing here), I'm overly critic of Brazilian wines (well, I'm overly critic of all wines, but even more so of Brazilian ones). Being able to find a wine that I can proudly recommend is a blessing and Cave Geisse makes the best sparkling wines in Brazil that they can easily compete [and beat] equivalents in Champagne and elsewhere, but delivering better value. What's not to like?
 
THE OFFICIAL BLURB
Arriving in Brazil in 1976 from Chile, Mario Geisse was originally hired as the head to Moet et Chandon Brazil and soon after that he realised that the local terroir around Pinto Bandeira was a perfect spot to make world class "Champagne-style" sparkling wine. 3 years later he founded his own winery - Cave Geisse - and years later (2010) was crowned one of the most influential sparkling winemakers in the world as his eponymous 1998 - then aged for 12 years on the lees - made onto the Wine Spectator's top 100 best and most important wines in the world. And, as they say, the rest is history.
 
TASTING NOTES
Pale straw with silver highlights and a fine, persistent mousse. The nose opens with restrained elegance: crisp green apple, pear skin and white peach are layered with subtle citrus zest, almond blossom and a discreet autolytic note of fresh bread dough and biscuit.
On the palate, the wine is precise and quietly confident, showing excellent balance between ripe orchard fruit and incisive acidity. Creamy mid-palate texture from extended lees ageing is offset by a chalky, saline edge that speaks clearly of Pinto Bandeira’s high-altitude vineyards. Hints of lemon curd, toasted hazelnut and a touch of honey emerge with air, adding complexity without weight.
The finish is long, dry and refined, driven by freshness rather than power, with lingering notes of citrus peel and gentle yeastiness. An assured, terroir-driven sparkling wine that combines finesse with depth, and comfortably sits in the upper tier of New World traditional-method fizz.