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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 Nv"A striking biodynamic Champagne of outstanding value. The wine spends four ye..."$145.00 -
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- 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 -
- Variety Pinot/Chardonnay
- Vintage NV
- Brand Bollinger
- Cellaring Ready, but will Keep
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Bollinger Rose Nv"62% Pinot Noir, 24% Chardonnay, 14% Meunier. Over 85% Grands and Premiers cru..."$125.00 -
- Variety Multiple Grapes
- Vintage NV
- Brand Canard Duchene
- Cellaring Ready, but will Keep
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Canard Duchene 'Charles Vii' Blancs De Blancs Nv"100% Chardonnay. Attractive pale gold in appearance, Grande Cuvée des Lys Cha..."$119.99 -
- Variety Pinot/Chardonnay
- Vintage NV
- Brand Canard Duchene
- Cellaring 15 Plus Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Canard Duchene Charles Vii Blanc De Noirs Nv Champagne"Charles VII Blanc de Noirs NV is made from an exclusive blend of 70% Pinot No..."$119.99 -
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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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Alistair Cooper94 points
- Variety Chardonnay
- Vintage 2019
- Brand Champagne Delavenne
- Cellaring Ready, but will Keep
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Champagne Delavenne Lumiere Blanc de Blanc Grand Cru 2019"Champagne Delavenne are set to be superstar Grower Champagne producers. In Fr..."$110.00 -
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- 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 -
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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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- 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 -
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James Suckling93 points
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Wine Enthusiast91 points
- Variety Chardonnay
- Vintage 2013
- Brand Champagne Jacquart
- Cellaring 1-3 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.5% Alcohol
Champagne Jacquart Blanc de Blancs 2013"A finely crafted and wonderfully complex Champagne demonstrating fantastic ri..."$129.99 -
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- Variety Chardonnay / Pinot Noir
- Vintage 2004
- Brand Jacquinot and Fils
- Cellaring Ready, but will Keep
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Champagne Jacquinot 'Harmonie Millesime' 2004"Produced only in exceptional vintages, this wine showcases the perfect harmon..."$149.99 -
- 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 -
- Variety Chardonnay / Pinot Noir
- Vintage 2009
- Brand Jacquinot and Fils
- Cellaring Ready, but will Keep
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Champagne Jacquinot 'Symphonie Millesime' 2009"The nose is built on flavours of candied fruits, vanilla and toast. The train..."$120.00 -
- Variety Chardonnay / Pinot Noir
- Vintage 2011
- Brand Jacquinot and Fils
- Cellaring Ready, but will Keep
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Champagne Jacquinot 'Symphonie Millesime' 2011"The nose is built on flavours of candied fruits, vanilla and toast. The train..."$125.00 -
- Variety Chardonnay
- Vintage 2012
- Brand Louise Brison
- Cellaring Ready, but will Keep
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Champagne Louise Brison 'Cuvee Tendresse' Blanc de Blanc 2012"Champagne Louise Brison is a tiny Organic and Biodynamically farmed vineyard ..."$149.99 -
- Variety Chardonnay
- Vintage 2013
- Brand Taittinger
- Cellaring 10-15 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.5% Alcohol
Champagne Taittinger Brut Millesime 2013"A blend of 50% Chardonnay and 50% Pinot Noir. Produced only when the harvest ..."$139.99 -
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James Suckling94 points
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Decanter94 points
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Wine Enthusiast94 points
- Variety Chardonnay
- Vintage 2014
- Brand Taittinger
- Cellaring 10-15 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.5% Alcohol
Champagne Taittinger Brut Millesime 2014"A blend of 50% Chardonnay and 50% Pinot Noir. Produced only when the harvest ..."$139.99 -
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- Variety Pinot Noir
- Vintage NV
- Brand Tattinger
- Cellaring 1-3 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Champagne Tattinger Cuvee Prestige Rose Nv"The Brut Nature Rosé is a cuvée which will delight lovers of freshness, miner..."$142.99 -
- Variety Pinot/Chardonnay
- Vintage None
- Brand None
- Cellaring Drink Now
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Chartogne-Taillet Brut Rose NV"The NV Brut Le Rosé is another attractive Champagne from Alexandre Chartogne...."$110.00 -
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Robert Parker's89 points
- Variety Chardonnay / Pinot Noir
- Vintage NV
- Brand Delamotte
- Cellaring 1-3 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Delamotte Rose Nv Champagne"80% Pinot, 20% Chardonnay, with the Pinot component made in the saignee metho..."$144.99 -
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.