Grande Réserve

Manufaktur Jörg Geiger is explicit that this one is not meant as a substitute for champagne, which is unusual honesty in a category largely built on substitution. Released under the Maison Geiger name and aimed at fine dining, it's positioned as a drinks pairing with its own identity rather than a stand-in for anything. The method reads like a sparkling wine's regardless. A high-quality base wine goes through classic bottle fermentation and a long spell on the lees to build structure and depth, and only then is it fully dealcoholized. Afterwards the cuvée gets developed by hand with aromatic plants, flowers and grand cru champagne. What the house is chasing is dryness, structure and length rather than immediate fruit. It ships in a presentation box, sits under 0.5 percent alcohol at 10 calories per 100ml, and is built for the apéritif or to run across a full menu. Contains sulfites.