Sparkling Wine
Despite what slews of advertising campaigns will have you believe, the world of sparkling wine is...Read More...
Despite what slews of advertising campaigns will have you believe, the world of sparkling wine is not just Champagne. Simply, sparkling wine is wine that undergoes one or two ferments, and the winemaker employs a method to trap the bubbles that are produced during said ferments. If this sounds labour intensive to you; it is, but by this same stroke it's both interesting and rewarding. Depending on where you are in the world will dictate the style or rules around the production of sparkling wine. It's a broad, diverse, culturally reflective style of winemaking, and with bounteous, ever-evolving ways of making the stuff, there's something, somewhere, for each and every one of you.
The best way to navigate sparkling wines is to understand what are the flavours and textures you love most in the still wines you drink, and find the sparkling equivalent. Doesn't matter if you like pink wines, white wines or red wines, there will be a bubbly that'll tickle you – we're sure. If you enjoy leaner, brighter, cleaner wines, then Cava, Prosecco or non-vintage Champagne more often than not tick that box. If you prefer a little more feral, a lot more fruit and, often, heaps of fizz, modern iterations of Pet Nat, or Petillant Naturel, can scratch that itch. Prefer your sparkling way more opulent, creamy, warming? Grower Champagne, Cremant de Bourgogne or Limoux will get your body grooving. If none of this is speaking your language and you're in the category of breakfast for dinner, sweet and fun, pink and flirty, look to Brachetto, Moscato d'Asti, Lambrusco, Sparkling Rosé.
The list, goes on. Any grape variety can be utilised for sparkling production – from unlikely contenders Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon to traditional boys Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. It's also important to not be frightened by the sometimes exorbitant price of vintage Champagne; there are wines out there that are affordable and just as fancy. Don't tell us you're not interested yet!
The only consistency with the range of sparkling wines in our shop is that we choose wines that are crafted without the use of herbicides/pesticides in vineyard, avoid the use of chemicals in the winemaking process, and are supportive of economic and social justices within the agricultural practice. They are sourced from wine regions all over the world; South Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Chile, France, England...everywhere! Oh, and they're always yum. Dive into the world of natural sparkling wine right, this, second.