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The Wine Advoca95 points
- Variety Chardonnay
- Vintage 2006
- Brand Agrapart
- Cellaring 15 Plus Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Agrapart Mineral Extra Brut 2006"One of the highlights in this set of new releases, the 2006 Extra Brut Blanc ..."$339.99 -
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- Variety Pinot/Chardonnay
- Vintage None
- Brand Armand-de-Brignac
- Cellaring 1-3 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Armand De Brignac Gold 'Ace Of Spades' Nv"Ace of Spades is a highly regarded label that is almost impossible to find"$545.00 -
- Variety Pinot/Chardonnay
- Vintage NV
- Brand Armand-de-Brignac
- Cellaring 1-3 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Armand De Brignac Pink 'Ace Of Spades' Nv"Ace of Spades is a highly regarded label that is almost impossible to find"$869.99 -
- Variety Chardonnay
- Vintage None
- Brand Armand-de-Brignac
- Cellaring 1-3 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Armand De Brignac Silver 'Ace Of Spades' Blanc De Blancs Nv"Ace of Spades is a highly regarded label that is almost impossible to find"$1,260.00 -
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Gilbert and Gai93 points
- Variety Pinot/Chardonnay
- Vintage 1998
- Brand Billecart Salmon
- Cellaring 5-10 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Billecart-Salmon Grande Cuvee 1998"The Billecart-Salmon house style is defined by class, elegance, and a sublime..."$500.01 -
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Wine Enthusiast96 points
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Vinous95 points
- Variety Chardonnay / Pinot Noir
- Vintage 2004
- Brand Bollinger
- Cellaring None
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Bollinger La Grande Annee 2004 Flutes Gfit Pack"Bollinger's 2004 Brut La Grand Année is a beautiful wine with a lot of vinta..."$349.99 -
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James Suckling99 points
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James Halliday98 points
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Huon Hooke98 points
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Antonio Galloni96 points
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Jancis Robinson19 points
- Variety Chardonnay / Pinot Noir
- Vintage 2002
- Brand Bollinger
- Cellaring 5-10 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Bollinger R.D. 2002 Gift Box"Bollinger R.D. will enhance all gourmet cuisine but its aura is such that it ..."$429.99 -
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- Variety Pinot/Chardonnay
- Vintage 2007
- Brand Jacquinot and Fils
- Cellaring Drink Now
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Champagne Jacquinot 'Symphonie Millesime' 2007"Made by 4th generation producer Jean-Manuel Jacquinot. This is a Pinot Noir d..."$119.99 -
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James Halliday95 points
- Variety Pinot/Chardonnay
- Vintage 2015
- Brand Domaine Chandon
- Cellaring Drink Now
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 11.5% Alcohol
Chandon Vintage Brut 2015"Over 36 months on lees, disgorged July '18; from estate vineyards at Coldstre..."$34.99 -
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Tom Cannavan90 points
- Variety Chardonnay / Pinot Noir
- Vintage 1995
- Brand Cloudy Bay
- Cellaring 3-5 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.5% Alcohol
Cloudy Bay Pelorus Vintage Sparkling 1995"Nutty, nettly nose with a great depth of fruit. Palate has a lovely, fine and..."$44.99 -
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- Variety Pinot/Chardonnay
- Vintage 1998
- Brand Dom Pérignon
- Cellaring Drink Now
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Dom Perignon 'P2 Plentitude' 1998"1998 saw the first introduction of the P2 Plentitude, previously named Oenoth..."$649.99 -
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Jeb Dunnuck98 points
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James Suckling98 points
- Variety Pinot/Chardonnay
- Vintage 2008
- Brand Dom Pérignon
- Cellaring 15 Plus Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Dom Perignon Champagne 2008"Dom Pérignon could very well be the most celebrated champagne brand in the wo..."$549.99 -
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Jancis Robinson18.5 points
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Antonio Galloni95 points
- Variety Pinot/Chardonnay
- Vintage 2003
- Brand Dom Pérignon
- Cellaring Drink Now
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Dom Perignon Vintage 'David Lynch Collectors Edition' 2003"The 2003 is one of the most unusual Dom Perignons, going back to 1952. 2003 w..."$229.99 -
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- Variety Pinot/Chardonnay
- Vintage 2004
- Brand Dom Pérignon
- Cellaring Drink Now
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Dom Perignon Vintage 2004"The 2004 vintage leaves its mark on the history of Dom Pérignon for its ease ..."$449.99 -
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Robert Parker's95 points
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Wine Enthusiast94 points
- Variety Pinot/Chardonnay
- Vintage 1998
- Brand Dom Pérignon
- Cellaring Drink Now
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Dom Perignon Vintage Rose 1998"Dom Pérignon is the most famous name in the world of Champagne. It's iconic h..."$699.99 -
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Vinous93 points
- Variety Pinot/Chardonnay
- Vintage NV
- Brand Egly-Ouriet
- Cellaring 5-10 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Egly Ouriet Grand Cru 'Extra Brut VP' NV Disg.2012"The NV Extra Brut Grand Cru Vieillissement Prolongé is 60% Pinot Noir and 40%..."$375.00 -
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Vinous95 points
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The Wine Advoca91 points
- Variety Pinot Meunier
- Vintage NV
- Brand Egly-Ouriet
- Cellaring 5-10 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Egly Ouriet Premier Cru Vignes de Vrigny NV Disg. 2017"The NV Brut Les Vignes de Vrigny 1er Cru is bright, focused and easy to drink..."$249.99 -
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Vinous92 points
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The Wine Advoca93 points
- Variety Rose Blend
- Vintage NV
- Brand Egly-Ouriet
- Cellaring 10-15 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Egly-Ouriet Rose NV Disg. 2017"The NV Brut Rosé Grand Cru is a serious wine. The Brut Rosé starts as the sam..."$399.99 -
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- Variety Shiraz
- Vintage NV
- Brand Grant Burge
- Cellaring 1-3 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 13.5% Alcohol
Grant Burge Cabernet Shiraz Sparkling NV"The Sparkling Shiraz Cabernet is deep ruby in colour, with a complex, earthy ..."$24.99 -
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Gilbert and Gai90 points
- Variety Chardonnay / Pinot Noir
- Vintage NV
- Brand Jacquinot and Fils
- Cellaring None
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 13.5% Alcohol
Jacquinot et Fils Private Cuvee NV"Jean-Manuel Jacquinot obtained a degree in Oenology at the esteemed Universit..."$56.99 -
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- Variety Chardonnay / Pinot Noir
- Vintage NV
- Brand Champagne Jean Pernet
- Cellaring None
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Jean Pernet Champagne Tradition NV"Made from Champagne's three main grape varieties Pinot Noir, Meunier and Char..."$56.99 -
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Decanter97 points
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Wine Enthusiast95 points
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The Wine Advoca96 points
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Wine Spectator95 points
- Variety Pinot/Chardonnay
- Vintage NV
- Brand Krug
- Cellaring 5-10 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Krug Grand Cuvee 166th edition"The Krug family share the credit for this wine with the expression "Vintage K..."$315.00 -
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- Variety Pinot/Chardonnay
- Vintage None
- Brand Krug
- Cellaring Drink Now
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.5% Alcohol
Krug Grande Cuvee 'Original Label' Nv"Exceptionally rare and well kept example of the original Krug Grande Cuvee wi..."$309.99 -
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James Halliday99 points
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Wine Spectator97 points
- Variety Pinot/Chardonnay
- Vintage 2000
- Brand Krug
- Cellaring 5-10 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Krug Vintage 2000"The Krug family share the credit for this wine with the expression "Vintage K..."$538.00 -
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.