2014 Domaine Barmes-Buecher Cremant d'Alsace Brut Zero 750 ml

Fizzy Lifting Drinks — A Crémant to Honor an Icon

Gene Wilder opens his 2005 memoir, “Kiss Me Like A Stranger: My Search for Love and Art,” with his first visit to a therapist.

“What seems to be the trouble?” the therapist asks.

“I want to give all my money away,” he says.

“How much do you have?”

“I owe three hundred dollars.”

When we learned of Gene’s passing on Monday due to complications of Alzheimer’s disease, we knew we wanted to honor him, we just didn’t know how. Gene didn’t have any connection to the wine industry that we were aware of, but we knew we had to say something. The sheer volume of laughter he brought to our lives over the years was worth more than a small mention.

We wracked our brains for an angle, but got nowhere. The white board at HQ was strewn with bad pitches and forced connections.

That’s when Harry the quant guy (of all people) looked up from his spreadsheet and said, “Willy Wonka’s Fizzy Lifting Drinks. We’ve got to offer Champagne.”

Then it hit us. “We’ll do you one better,” we said. “Barmès-Buecher Crémant D’Alsace Brut Zero.” The most complex under-$20 sparkling wine in the world, made by a winegrower who might hold a candle to Wilder’s audacity and adventurousness.

As a teenager, François Barmès was a daredevil, cornering his moped at 20 m.p.h. on noisy midnight runs. When he took over his and his wife’s family domains, Barmès’ approach was much the same. He quickly gained a reputation for working on the edge, experimenting relentlessly in the vines and the cellar — we imagined a meeting between Wilder and Barmès and could see the sparks flying.

The exquisite “Brut Zero” was François’ biggest gamble, a bottle whose origins can be traced back to Vinexpo 2005.

There, Vinexpo President Hervé Augustin unveiled the storied Ayala Brut Nature Champagne, made without the sugary sweet liqueur de triage that is added to nearly all Champagne headed to the U.S. François Barmès was totally enthralled. By the time he returned to Wettolsheim, Barmès was determined to follow Ayala’s lead, crafting what the Michelin-starred restaurants of Paris believe to be France’s most exquisite answer to Champagne.

Is it a stretch? Maybe. Does it matter? No. We think Wilder and Barmès complement each other well, and at the end of the day, what’s important is Wilder’s memory, the laughs he gave us.

We should honor Barmes as well, who has passed away since producing the first vintage of “Brut Zero,” now succeeded by his son, Maxime, who has carried on with the same zeal and pioneering spirit that made François a household name in Alsace.

The 2014 Barmès-Buecher Crémant D’Alsace Brut Zero is the estate’s most stunning to date. Pale golden-green in color, tiny bubbles hint at the wine’s outstanding quality. Refined and beautifully restrained on the nose, infused with green apple, pear, and anise. Rich and juicy on the attack — absent any suggestion of the sugary additive — a wound-up mix of apricot, citrus, and apple compote. The finish is crisp, zesty, and limestone pure.

$32 on release. Just $16.99 today on WineAccess, as if the price really mattered. An homage to TWO geniuses at their crafts, whose gifts keep on giving.