Domaine de Martinolles was owned by the Vergnes family from 1926 until 2011 when the estate was sold to the native Languedoc vigneron

One who specializes in the cultivation or culture of grapes, especially for winemaking.

, Jean Claude Mas. These vineyards lie on the same hillsides that the monks of St. Hilaire cultivated in 1531 where they produced a sparkling wine via Méthode Ancestrale

A method of sparkling wine production that is argued to pre-date the Champagne Method

Arguably the most appreciated method for sparkling wine production in terms of quality, and at the same time it is also the most costly in terms of production. The most important facet of the traditional method

Arguably the most appreciated method for sparkling wine production in terms of quality, and at the same time it is also the most costly in terms of production. The most important facet of the traditional method is that the second fermentation that yields its signature bubbles happens inside the bottle. AKA Champagne Method.

is that the second fermentation that yields its signature bubbles happens inside the bottle. AKA Traditional Method

of sparkling wine. Rather than inducing a second fermentation in the bottle, a winemaker bottles a wine currently undergoing its first fermentation at which point the wine continues to ferment in the bottle. If the wine does not ferment to dryness, there can be a bit of residual sugar

Fefers to the natural grape sugars left over in a wine after the alcoholic fermentation is complete or has been intentionally stopped by the winemaker.

left in the final wine. The wine is not disgorged once fermentation completes in the bottle, thus allowing the consumer to see the lees

After fermentation is complete, the expired yeast cells that converted the juice's sugar into alcohol will sink to the bottom of the tank or barrel. This sediment is known as the lees.

and sediment in the bottle, which can lend additional comlexity and body

Body is a measure of how full and rich a wine tastes -- oily, waxy, viscous, and velvety are terms to describe this. Body is dependent on the grape variety, alcohol level, sweetness, ripeness of fruit, and to some extent how the wine is made.

to the wine.

which many in the region argue pre-dates the sparkling wines of Champagne. Blanquette de Limoux refers to the appellation (Limoux) where these wines are made in Southern France, and Blanquette is the local name for the Mauzac grape from which these wines are made. Due to its lower abv and residual sugar content it is slightly sweet, balanced by zingy acidity

Acids occur naturally in grapes, with acidity in a wine referring to its tartness level. It creates a mouthwatering sensation in the mouth and plays a vital role in providing structure and balance in a wine. Wines without enough acidity are often referred to as "flabby" (water, for example, lacks acidity).

, and perfect to start or end a meal. Sustainble practices.