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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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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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Wine Spectator94 points
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The Wine Advoca94 points
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International W94 points
- Variety Chardonnay / Pinot Noir
- Vintage 2002
- Brand Bollinger
- Cellaring 15 Plus Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
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Antonio Galloni93 points
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The Wine Advoca93 points
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Huon Hooke93 points
- Variety Chardonnay
- Vintage NV
- Brand Vouette
- Cellaring Ready, but will Keep
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Champagne Vouette et Sorbée Blanc d'Argile NV Base 19, Disg 2021"Established in 2000, with massale cuttings from Anselme Selosse's vines in Av..."$210.00 -
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Vinous93 points
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The Wine Advoca94 points
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Gary Walsh94 points
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Huon Hooke90 points
- Variety Pinot Noir
- Vintage NV
- Brand Vouette
- Cellaring Ready, but will Keep
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Champagne Vouette et Sorbée Fidèle Blanc de Noirs NV Base 19, Disg 2021"Fidèle is a Blanc de Noirs (100% Pinot Noir) that comes from Kimmeridgian-lim..."$165.00 -
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Vinous93 points
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The Wine Advoca94 points
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Gary Walsh94 points
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Huon Hooke90 points
- Variety Pinot Noir
- Vintage NV
- Brand Vouette
- Cellaring Ready, but will Keep
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Champagne Vouette Et Sorbée Fidèle Blanc De Noirs NV Magnum"Fidèle is a Blanc de Noirs (100% Pinot Noir) that comes from Kimmeridgian-lim..."$300.00 -
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Mike Bennie95 points
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The Wine Advoca93 points
- Variety Pinot Blanc
- Vintage NV
- Brand Vouette
- Cellaring Ready, but will Keep
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.5% Alcohol
Champagne Vouette et Sorbée Textures NV Base 19, Disg 2021"Established in 2000, with massale cuttings from Anselme Selosse's vines in Av..."$250.00 -
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The Wine Advoca94+ points
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Antonio Galloni94 points
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James Suckling93 points
- Variety Chardonnay
- Vintage 2012
- Brand Delamotte
- Cellaring 5-10 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Delamotte Blanc De Blancs Champagne 2012"With a history of more than 250 years, Delamotte is the 5th oldest champagne ..."$179.00 -
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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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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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James Suckling93 points
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The Wine Advoca91 points
- Variety Chardonnay / Pinot Noir
- Vintage NV
- Brand Frederic Savart
- Cellaring 3-5 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.5% Alcohol
Frederic Savart Bulle De Rose NV"The Champagne Bulle de Rosé by Frédéric Savart is a very special Champagne Ro..."$205.00 -
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The Wine Advoca94 points
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James Suckling93 points
- Variety Chardonnay / Pinot Noir
- Vintage NV
- Brand Frederic Savart
- Cellaring 3-5 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.5% Alcohol
Frederic Savart L'accomplie NV"Frédéric Savart is regarded as one of the most interesting producers in all o..."$200.00 -
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The Wine Advoca93 points
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James Suckling92 points
- Variety Pinot Noir
- Vintage NV
- Brand Frederic Savart
- Cellaring 3-5 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.5% Alcohol
Frederic Savart L'ouverture NV"Fruit for Savart’s ‘l’Ouverture’ cuvée comes from the clay-based soils of Ecu..."$165.00 -
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The Wine Advoca94 points
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Roger Voss94 points
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Antonio Galloni93 points
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Wine Spectator93 points
- Variety Chardonnay / Pinot Noir
- Vintage 2006
- Brand Gosset
- Cellaring 3-5 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Gosset 'Grand Millesime' Vintage 2006 Champagne"This is a wine that results from a blend of 55% Pinot Noir and 45% Chardonnay..."$149.99 -
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James Suckling98 points
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The Wine Advoca96 points
- Variety Chardonnay
- Vintage NV
- Brand Jacques Selosse
- Cellaring Ready, but will Keep
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.5% Alcohol
Jacques Selosse Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Version Originale NV"Base 2015, disgorged August 2020. Version Originale (VO) is, as always, a ble..."$850.00 -
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The Wine Advoca94 points
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James Suckling95 points
- Variety Chardonnay
- Vintage NV
- Brand Jacques Selosse
- Cellaring Ready, but will Keep
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.5% Alcohol
Jacques Selosse Le Mesnil sur Oger Grand Cru Les Carelles NV"Base 2015, disgorged January 2021. This is a blanc de blancs from a single, e..."$750.00 -
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The Wine Advoca96 points
- Variety Chardonnay
- Vintage NV
- Brand Jacques Selosse
- Cellaring Ready, but will Keep
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.5% Alcohol
Jacques Selosse Mareuil sur Aÿ 1er Cru Sous le Mont NV"Base 2015, disgorged January 2021. Sous le Mont is 100% Pinot Noir from a sin..."$750.00 -
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Decanter99 points
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Gary Walsh97 points
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The Wine Advoca97 points
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James Suckling100 points
- Variety Pinot/Chardonnay
- Vintage 2002
- Brand Krug
- Cellaring 15 Plus Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Krug Vintage 2002"The Krug family share the credit for this wine with the expression "Vintage K..."$799.99 -
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James Suckling94 points
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The Wine Advoca93+ points
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Wine Spectator92 points
- Variety Chardonnay / Pinot Noir
- Vintage NV
- Brand Louis Roederer
- Cellaring 1-3 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.5% Alcohol
Louis Roederer Collection 242 NV Champagne"Collection 242 is the new multi-vintage cuvée which replaces the Brut Premier..."$90.00 -
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Decanter97 points
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Vinous97 points
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The Wine Advoca95 points
- Variety Pinot/Chardonnay
- Vintage 2006
- Brand Louis Roederer
- Cellaring 5-10 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Louis Roederer Cristal 2006"Long-time Chef de Caves Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon has produced yet another in a..."$480.00 -
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James Suckling100 points
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Decanter99 points
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The Wine Advoca98 points
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Vinous98 points
- Variety Pinot/Chardonnay
- Vintage 2008
- Brand Louis Roederer
- Cellaring 15 Plus Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Louis Roederer Cristal 2008"Long-time Chef de Caves Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon has produced yet another in a..."$799.99 -
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The Wine Advoca92 points
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Vinous91 points
- Variety Chardonnay
- Vintage NV
- Brand Champagne Peters
- Cellaring 5-10 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Pierre Peters Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs NV"Opening with potted ginger and white flowers on the clear, fresh, precise and..."$120.00 -
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.