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Vinous98 points
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Robert Parker's95 points
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Decanter93 points
- Variety Pinot Noir
- Vintage 2006
- Brand Billecart Salmon
- Cellaring Drink Now
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 13.5% Alcohol
Billecart-Salmon Le Clos Saint-Hilaire 2006"Billecart-Salmon Le Clos Saint-Hilaire 2006 is an exceptional champagne that ..."$1,199.00 -
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- Variety Prosecco
- Vintage NV
- Brand Ca'del Bosco
- Cellaring Drink Now
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Ca'del Bosco Franciacorta Prestige Cuvee Extra Brut DOCG NV"Ca’ del Bosco’s NV Franciacorta Cuvee Prestige Brut offers up an attractive c..."$79.99 -
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James Suckling92 points
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Robert Parker's91 points
- Variety Pinot Noir
- Vintage NV
- Brand Coessens Larfillier
- Cellaring Ready, but will Keep
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.5% Alcohol
Champagne Coessens Largillier Blanc de Noirs NV"All of Coessens's champagnes come from the lieu-dit of Largillier. All are ma..."$139.00 -
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Robert Parker's94 points
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James Suckling92 points
- Variety Pinot Noir
- Vintage NV
- Brand Coessens Larfillier
- Cellaring Ready, but will Keep
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.5% Alcohol
Champagne Coessens Largillier Brut Nature NV"All of Coessens's champagnes come from the lieu-dit of Largillier. All are ma..."$160.00 -
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Bob Campbell MW94 points
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Huon Hooke92 points
- Variety Chardonnay / Pinot Noir
- Vintage NV
- Brand Jacquinot and Fils
- Cellaring 3-5 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 13.5% Alcohol
Champagne Jacquinot & Fils Private Cuvée Brut NV"Jean-Manuel Jacquinot obtained a degree in Oenology at the esteemed Universit..."$84.99 -
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- Variety Pinot Noir
- Vintage 2013
- Brand Jacquinot and Fils
- Cellaring Ready, but will Keep
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.4% Alcohol
Champagne Jacquinot 'Symphonie Rose Millesime' 2013"Champagne Jacquinot 'Symphonie Rose Millesime' 2013 is an exquisite champagne..."$149.00 -
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The Wine Advoca92 points
- Variety Chardonnay
- Vintage NV
- Brand Champagne Suenen
- Cellaring 5-10 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Champagne Suenen Oiry Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru NV"Aurélien’s Oiry Blanc de Blancs is drawn from just 1.5 hectares split between..."$240.00 -
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James Suckling95 points
- Variety Pinot/Chardonnay
- Vintage 2012
- Brand Champagne Charles Heidsieck
- Cellaring 15 Plus Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Charles Heidsieck Vintage Brut 2012"The nose shows subtle toasted and smoked notes with a touch of liquorice and ..."$209.99 -
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- Variety Chardonnay / Pinot Noir
- Vintage NV
- Brand Cloudy Bay
- Cellaring 1-3 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.5% Alcohol
Cloudy Bay Pelorus Sparkling Brut Nv"Established in 1985, Cloudy Bay was one of the first five wine makers to vent..."$41.99 -
- Variety Chardonnay
- Vintage 2020
- Brand Hero Of Zero
- Cellaring 3-5 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.5% Alcohol
Hero of Zero Blanc de Blancs NV"Summary: The Hero of Zero wines are hand-crafted from the best quality fruit ..."$17.99 -
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Huon Hooke92 points
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VertdeVin91-92 points
- Variety Pinot Noir
- Vintage NV
- Brand Jacquinot and Fils
- Cellaring Ready, but will Keep
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.5% Alcohol
Jacquinot & Fils Blanc de Noirs Brut Champagne"Jacquinot & Fils Blanc de Noirs Brut Champagne is an exceptional wine that em..."$115.01 -
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- Variety Prosecco
- Vintage NV
- Brand Pizzini
- Cellaring Drink Now
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Pizzini Prosecco Nv"This wine is a light straw colour with lime hues. The nose explodes from the ..."$21.99 -
- Variety Chardonnay / Pinot Noir
- Vintage NV
- Brand Champagne Pol Roger
- Cellaring 1-3 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 13.0% Alcohol
Pol Roger Brut Champagne NV Gift Boxed"Still proudly family-owned, Pol Roger is one of the champagne names to look o..."$97.99 -
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Gary Walsh93 points
- Variety Prosecco
- Vintage 2022
- Brand Torzi Matthews
- Cellaring 5-10 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 14.0% Alcohol
Torzi Matthews 'Vigna Cantina' Prosecco 2022"Prosecco is the traditional sparkling wine of Veneto in northern Italy. Unlik..."$24.99 -
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Robert Parker's87 points
- Variety Chardonnay / Pinot Noir
- Vintage NV
- Brand Veuve Clicquot
- Cellaring 1-3 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 13.0% Alcohol
Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut NV Champagne"Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut NV is known for its consistent excellence ac..."$88.99 -
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Jancis Robinson17 points
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Stephen Tanzer92 points
- Variety Chardonnay / Pinot Noir
- Vintage NV
- Brand Billecart Salmon
- Cellaring Drink Now
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 13.5% Alcohol
Billecart Salmon Brut Reserve Champagne NV"Billecart Salmon is known within France and around the globe for fashioning t..."$94.99 -
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- Variety Chardonnay / Pinot Noir
- Vintage NV
- Brand Billecart Salmon
- Cellaring 1-3 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.5% Alcohol
Billecart Salmon Brut Rose NV Champagne"Regarded as among the best rose champagnes in the world, this is as good as e..."$150.00 -
- Variety Chardonnay / Pinot Noir
- Vintage NV
- Brand Billecart Salmon
- Cellaring Drink Now
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 13.5% Alcohol
Billecart-Salmon 'Brut Sous Bois' Champagne NV"The typical Billecart non-vintage style is one of extreme elegance and finess..."$149.00 -
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Decanter98 points
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Jancis Robinson17.5 points
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Antonio Galloni97+ points
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James Suckling98 points
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The Wine Advoca97+ points
- Variety Chardonnay / Pinot Noir
- Vintage 2008
- Brand Billecart Salmon
- Cellaring Drink Now
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 13.5% Alcohol
Billecart-Salmon Elizabeth Rose Champagne 2008 Magnum"Billecart Salmon is known within France and around the globe for fashioning t..."$995.01 -
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James Suckling96 points
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The Wine Advoca96 points
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Falstaff96 points
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Jancis Robinson18 points
- Variety Chardonnay / Pinot Noir
- Vintage 2009
- Brand Billecart Salmon
- Cellaring Drink Now
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 13.5% Alcohol
Billecart-Salmon Elizabeth Salmon Brut Rose Champagne 2009"Billecart Salmon is known within France and around the globe for fashioning t..."$399.00 -
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- Variety Prosecco
- Vintage NV
- Brand Cantina Trevigiana
- Cellaring Drink Now
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Cantina Trevigiana Prossecco Treviso Extra Dry DOC NV"This wine is a light straw colour with lime hues. The nose explodes from the ..."$19.99 -
- Variety Pinot/Chardonnay
- Vintage 2010
- Brand Champagne Deutz
- Cellaring 1-3 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.5% Alcohol
Champagne Deutz Brut Vintage 2010"Deutz Brut Vintage is created in only the best years when a vintage is declar..."$120.00 -
- Variety Chardonnay
- Vintage NV
- Brand Jacquinot and Fils
- Cellaring 3-5 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 13.5% Alcohol
Champagne Jacquinot & Fils Blanc de Blancs NV"Jean-Manuel Jacquinot obtained a degree in Oenology at the esteemed Universit..."$89.00
Sparkling Wine
Sparkling wine, is a type of wine that contains bubbles of carbon dioxide. The bubbles are created by a secondary fermentation process that occurs inside the bottle, which gives sparkling wine its characteristic effervescence. There are several different types of sparkling wine, including:
- Champagne: Champagne is a sparkling wine that is produced in the Champagne region of France using specific grape varieties (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier) and winemaking methods. Champagne is known for its complexity and elegance, and it is often considered a luxury product. Click here if you wish to read more about what makes Champagne so special.
- Prosecco: Prosecco is a sparkling wine that is produced in the Veneto region of Italy, it is made from Glera grape variety. Prosecco is known for its fruity and floral aromas, and it is often considered a more affordable alternative to Champagne.
- Cava: Cava is a sparkling wine that is produced in Spain, it is made from the grape varieties Macabeo, Xarel·lo, and Parellada. Cava is known for its dryness and minerality, and it is often considered a good value alternative to Champagne.
Sparkling wine can also be made in other regions, such as England, Australia, and New Zealand. These sparkling wines are known for their fruit-forward flavors and have a wide range of styles, some are made using traditional method similar to Champagne, while others are made using the charmat method, where the secondary fermentation occurs in stainless steel tanks.
Sparkling wines can vary in sweetness and dryness, the most common terms used are Brut, Extra Brut, Sec, Demi-Sec and Doux, which indicate the sweetness level. Brut is the driest, Extra Brut is the driest of all, Sec is a medium sweet, Demi-Sec is quite sweet and Doux is the sweetest.
Sparkling wine is created by:
- Grapes: Sparkling wine is typically made from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier grapes for Champagne, Glera for Prosecco and Macabeo, Xarel·lo, and Parellada for Cava.
First Fermentation: The grapes are harvested and then pressed to extract the juice. The juice is then fermented in stainless steel tanks or oak barrels, depending on the winemaker's preference. This process converts the sugar in the grapes into alcohol and carbon dioxide. - Secondary Fermentation: The wine is then bottled and a small amount of sugar and yeast is added, this is called the liqueur de tirage. The bottle is then sealed and stored in a cool and dark place, where the secondary fermentation takes place. This process is called the traditional method or Méthode Champenoise. The yeast consumes the added sugar and produces carbon dioxide, which dissolves into the wine, creating the bubbles.
- Aging: The wine is then aged for a period of time, usually several months to several years, depending on the style of sparkling wine. During this time, the yeast cells and sediment settle to the bottom of the bottle, and the wine takes on a more complex flavor and aroma.
- Riddling: The bottles are then placed in a special rack called a pupitre, where they are slowly turned and tilted over a period of several weeks. This process, called riddling, causes the sediment to collect in the neck of the bottle.
- Disgorging: The neck of the bottle is then frozen, and the frozen sediment (called the "lees") is removed by a process called disgorging. The bottle is then topped up with a small amount of wine and sugar, called the dosage, which determines the final sweetness level of the sparkling wine.
- Corking and Labeling: The bottle is then corked and labeled, and it is ready to be sold and enjoyed.
It's important to note that there is another method of making sparkling wine, it is called Charmat method, the secondary fermentation process occurs in a large stainless steel tank rather than in the individual bottles, after this process the wine is then bottled and ready for consumption, this method is faster and less expensive than the traditional method but it can produce less complex wines.
Sparkling wines are typically enjoyed as aperitif, or during special occasions such as weddings, New Year's Eve, and other celebrations. They can also be paired with a variety of foods, including seafood, fruit, and desserts.