**I received this wine as a sample**

Tuesday was one of those days where the office was quiet, so I was able to accomplish a number of smaller projects that I hadn’t had the time to tackle.  I spent most of the day reading reports and studies, which meant that I was immersed in so much data that by the time I left work I didn’t want to open a book or look at anything with numbers.  Since I was home before Hubby, I went for a quick run before opening a bottle of sparkly and waiting for him to cook dinner.

Freixenet Elyssia Gran Cuvée Brut

The Freixenet Elyssia Gran Cuvée Brut (winery) was made with 40% Chardonnay, 30% Macabeo, 20% Parellada, and 10% Pinot Noir grapes and had a light, lemon-yellow color.  On the nose, there were bright lemons, limes, and nectarines, mixed with a touch of apples, pears, and ginger.  In the mouth, there were limes, nectarines, and pears up front, with a lot of ginger and spice lingering on the finish.  The sparkler had strong, persistent bubbles with good acidity.

Is this worth a glass after work? Eh…if you have a bottle on hand, drink it, but I wouldn’t go searching it out either. At $22, this bubbly just had too much ginger for me to enjoy it.  I much prefer the Freixenet Elyssia Pinot Noir Brut (my review), the Freixenet Cordon Rosado Brut (my review), and the Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut (my review), all three of which are less expensive and far more satisfying.  So, if you’re looking for a good Freixenet Cava, grab one of the two rosés or the Cordon Negro Brut.  The extra $5-$10 for the Elyssia Gran Cuvée Brut just isn’t worth it.

Price: $22 (suggested retail price)
Received as a sample
Overall: 2.5 Corks