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Campbell Mattin92 points
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Josh Raynolds91 points
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Wine Spectator91 points
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Wine Enthusiast91 points
- Variety Chardonnay / Pinot Noir
- Vintage NV
- Brand Champagne Drappier
- Cellaring 10-15 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
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Robert Parker's94 points
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Wine Enthusiast94 points
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Wine Spectator94 points
- Variety Chardonnay / Pinot Noir
- Vintage 2008
- Brand Champagne Drappier
- Cellaring 1-3 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Champagne Drappier Grande Sendree 2008"2008 is one of the highest rated vintages in history for Champagne. Only the ..."$349.99 -
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- Variety Chardonnay / Pinot Noir
- Vintage None
- Brand Ruinart
- Cellaring 15 Plus Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Ruinart R de Ruinart Brut NV"“Every year, my team and I have to recreate the recipe of Ruinart Brut to per..."$139.99 -
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Tyson Stelzer94 points
- Variety Chardonnay
- Vintage NV
- Brand Agrapart
- Cellaring 3-5 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.5% Alcohol
Agrapart 'Terroir' Blanc De Blancs Grand Cru Brut Champagne Magnum Nv"A striking biodynamic Champagne of outstanding value. The wine spends four ye..."$485.00 -
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Tyson Stelzer94 points
- Variety Chardonnay
- Vintage NV
- Brand Agrapart
- Cellaring 3-5 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.5% Alcohol
Agrapart 'Terroir' Blanc De Blancs Grand Cru Brut Champagne Nv"A striking biodynamic Champagne of outstanding value. The wine spends four ye..."$145.00 -
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Antonio Galloni95 points
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The Wine Advoca95 points
- Variety Chardonnay
- Vintage 2012
- Brand Agrapart
- Cellaring 5-10 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Agrapart Mineral Extra Brut Blanc De Blancs Grand Cru 2012"Minéral is blended from two adjacent vieilles vignes plots (50+ years old) of..."$250.00 -
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Antonio Galloni95 points
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The Wine Advoca95 points
- Variety Chardonnay
- Vintage 2015
- Brand Agrapart
- Cellaring 5-10 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Agrapart Mineral Extra Brut Blanc De Blancs Grand Cru 2015"Disgorged July 2021. Minéral is blended from two adjacent vieilles vignes plo..."$269.01 -
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- 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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James Suckling92 points
- Variety Rose Blend
- Vintage 2018
- Brand Ashton Hills
- Cellaring 3-5 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.5% Alcohol
Ashton Hills 'Piccadilly Valley' Vintage Sparkling Rosé 2018"Hand-picked fruit was chilled before gentle, whole bunch pressing. Fermented ..."$40.00 -
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- Variety Prosecco
- Vintage NV
- Brand Babo
- Cellaring Drink Now
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 11.0% Alcohol
Babo Prosecco Rose NV"89% Glera and 11% Pinot Noir from vineyards on the alluvial soils of San Mart..."$29.99 -
- Variety Chardonnay
- Vintage NV
- Brand Bimbadgen
- Cellaring 1-3 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.5% Alcohol
Bimbadgen Hunter Valley Cuvee NV"A new wine in the Sparkling range. The chance to blend Hunter Semillon with C..."$22.00 -
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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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- Variety Moscato
- Vintage 2018
- Brand Ca' d'Gal
- Cellaring Drink Now
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 11.0% Alcohol
Ca' D'Gal Moscato D'Asti Lumine 2018"This intensely perfumed, super fine Moscato is drawn from an amphitheatre of ..."$39.99 -
- Variety Moscato
- Vintage 2020
- Brand Ca' d'Gal
- Cellaring Drink Now
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 11.0% Alcohol
Ca' D'Gal Moscato D'Asti Lumine 2020"This intensely perfumed, super fine Moscato is drawn from an amphitheatre of ..."$39.99 -
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Tyson Stelzer94 points
- Variety Chardonnay
- Vintage NV
- Brand Agrapart
- Cellaring 3-5 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.5% Alcohol
Champagne Agrapart & Fils 7 Crus Brut NV""Based on the 2019 vintage and disgorged in April 2022, Agrapart's NV Brut 7 ..."$129.00 -
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Falstaff Magazi93 points
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Alistair Cooper92 points
- Variety Chardonnay / Pinot Noir
- Vintage NV
- Brand Champagne Drappier
- Cellaring 1-3 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Champagne Drappier 'Clarevallis' Organic Extra Brut Nv"WINNER, Best Buy Wines IMPORTS OVER $35, Gourmet Traveller Magazine August 20..."$109.99 -
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Campbell Mattin92 points
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Josh Raynolds91 points
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Wine Spectator91 points
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Wine Enthusiast91 points
- Variety Chardonnay / Pinot Noir
- Vintage NV
- Brand Champagne Drappier
- Cellaring 1-3 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Champagne Drappier Brut Nature Nv Magnum 1.5L"Only the juices from first pressing – the cuvées - are used. Nose of freshly ..."$160.00 -
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Jancis Robinson17.5* points
- Variety Chardonnay / Pinot Noir
- Vintage 2008
- Brand Champagne Drappier
- Cellaring 1-3 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Champagne Drappier Grand Sendree 2008 Magnum"2008 is one of the highest rated vintages in history for Champagne. Only the ..."$399.00 -
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- Variety Chardonnay / Pinot Noir
- Vintage 2009
- Brand Champagne Drappier
- Cellaring 5-10 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Champagne Drappier Grand Sendree 2009"The glass of Champagne Drappier was lifted by the hands of the greatest men. ..."$149.99 -
- Variety Chardonnay / Pinot Noir
- Vintage 2010
- Brand Champagne Drappier
- Cellaring 5-10 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Champagne Drappier Grande Sendree 2010"The glass of Champagne Drappier was lifted by the hands of the greatest men. ..."$160.00 -
- Variety Pinot/Chardonnay
- Vintage NV
- Brand Champagne Drappier
- Cellaring 5-10 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Champagne Drappier Reserve De L'Oenotheque 1979"The history of the Drappier family began in the 13th century, when Saint Bern..."$699.99
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.