Dr. Konstantin Frank, Finger Lakes (New York) “Cuvée 85” Sparkling Brut 2021 ($85)

The “85” refers to the year the winery began making sparkling wine – a major, ongoing emphasis. This is a special edition release, with its final dosage having been created from that first sparkling wine – the 1985 Brut. This is quite lovely, with medium weight, toasty apple flavors from the dosage, a clean passage and a little minerality. Yet, the more I taste bubblies from this producer, the more I think they have chosen the California full-bodied, full-flavored model rather than the more-elegant, leaner, high minerality Champagne model, and I’m not sure that’s the best idea.
92 Roger Morris