WTN: Cruse Night

[David M. Bueker]

• 2019 Cruse Wine Company Valdiguié Pétillant Naturel Deming - USA, California, Napa Valley, Calistoga (9/4/2020)
  Served in a pair with the St. Laurent bottling, this was the more savory of the two. It eventually showed cranberry style fruit, complete with the tartness/bitterness. It actually worked well with some food, but on its own didn't provide much pleasure. It felt like some of the severely dry craft ciders that try too hard for seriousness.
  
• 2019 Cruse Wine Company St. Laurent Pétillant Naturel Ricci Vineyard - USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros (9/4/2020)
  Fresh, brisk, a little sweet and a lot of fun. This straddled the boundaries of wine, cider and beer, eventually coming down on the side of wine. Paired with the Valdigue bottling, this was much more enjoyable for casual drinking outdoors next to a fire.

[Jenise]

Interesting notes, and not what I would have expected based on my bottles of each from an earlier vintage ('15, maybe? Can't recall.) I had two or three of each, and the most exciting one was the St. Laurent that had aged a few years.