Colombard is an aromatic white variety native to Gascony and the foundation of much of Moderato's range. This is their sparkling version — the Colombard put through vacuum distillation at low temperature to remove the alcohol, then carbonated to give it the pétillant quality the name refers to on the French market. The same process runs across the Cuvée Originale lineup, keeping the fruit character more intact than conventional heat evaporation would. In the glass it is pale golden with a light sparkle. The nose is gently buttery with a background of stone fruit, closer to plum than citrus — a slightly different register from the still Colombard in the Révolutionnaire tier. On the palate it has roundness and a toasted almond note, with enough freshness to stop it feeling heavy. The finish is dry, which is what you want. At 3g sugar per 100ml it does not tip into sweetened fizz territory. Twelve calories per 100ml and confirmed vegan and gluten-free. It finds its natural place as an aperitif — in a flute, well chilled, it holds its own. Not as complex as the barrel-influenced Révolutionnaire wines, but that is not what it is trying to be.