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- Variety Prosecco
- Vintage NV
- Brand Babo
- Cellaring Drink Now
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 11.0% Alcohol
Babo Prosecco NV"Peachy fragrance with fresh, floral aromas. Great vibrancy, texture and balan..."$26.99 -
- Variety Prosecco
- Vintage NV
- Brand Bandini
- Cellaring Drink Now
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 11.0% Alcohol
Bandini Prosecco DOC NV"Bandini makes handcrafted Prosecco in the Veneto region of Northern Italy. Fo..."$23.99 -
- Variety Prosecco
- Vintage 2021
- Brand Biscardo
- Cellaring Drink Now
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 11.0% Alcohol
Biscardo Diamond Bottle Prosecco DOC 2021"Harvesting is done by hand and, to avoid any form of fermentation or acetic f..."$19.99 -
- Variety Prosecco
- Vintage NV
- Brand Biscardo
- Cellaring Drink Now
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 11.0% Alcohol
Biscardo Millesimato Prosecco DOC NV"Founded in 1878 as a Veronese wine trader the company developed in the early ..."$29.99 -
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Sam Kim5 points
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Guide Bettane e4 points
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Cameron Douglas94 points
- Variety Chardonnay / Pinot Noir
- Vintage NV
- Brand Champagne Drappier
- Cellaring 1-3 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Champagne Drappier 1er Cru Brut NV"A blend of 60% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay and 10% Pinot Meunier, only from Gr..."$89.99 -
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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 10-15 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
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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"Only the juices from first pressing – the cuvées - are used."$105.00 -
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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 Pinot/Chardonnay
- Vintage 2007
- Brand Champagne Drappier
- Cellaring 15 Plus Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Champagne Drappier Reserve De L'Oenotheque 2007"The history of the Drappier family began in the 13th century, when Saint Bern..."$299.99 -
- Variety Chardonnay / Pinot Noir
- Vintage 1990
- Brand Jacquinot and Fils
- Cellaring Ready, but will Keep
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Champagne Jacquinot 'Harmonie Millesime' 1990"Pierre Jacquinot and his 2 sons Jacques and Jean-Guy have created "Champagne ..."$1,320.00 -
- Variety Chardonnay / Pinot Noir
- Vintage 2012
- Brand Jacquinot and Fils
- Cellaring Ready, but will Keep
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Champagne Jacquinot Symphonie Millesime 2012"The nose is built on flavours of candied fruits, vanilla and toast. The train..."$134.99 -
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Guide Bettane eSilver points
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Mark Faber96 points
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Jancis Robinson16 points
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Alistair Cooper90 points
- Variety Chardonnay / Pinot Noir
- Vintage NV
- Brand Champagne Pannier
- Cellaring 1-3 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Champagne Pannier Brut Selection NV"Established in 1899, Champagne Pannier is a well-established high-quality pro..."$59.99 -
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- Variety Chardonnay / Pinot Noir
- Vintage NV
- Brand Moet n Chandon
- Cellaring Ready, but will Keep
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.5% Alcohol
Chandon Sparkling Brut NV"If variety is the spice of life, then Chandon Brut is a perfectly seasoned li..."$25.99 -
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Falstaff Magazi95 points
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Robert Parker's94 points
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James Suckling94 points
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Decanter94 points
- Variety Chardonnay
- Vintage 2014
- Brand Delamotte
- Cellaring 5-10 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Delamotte Blanc De Blancs Champagne 2014"With a history of more than 250 years, Delamotte is the 5th oldest champagne ..."$224.99 -
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James Suckling98 points
- Variety Chardonnay / Pinot Noir
- Vintage 2013
- Brand Dom Pérignon
- Cellaring 10-15 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.5% Alcohol
Dom Perignon Champagne 2013"Dom Pérignon could very well be the most celebrated champagne brand in the wo..."$399.99 -
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Sam Kim92 points
- Variety Chardonnay
- Vintage NV
- Brand Henri Rousseau
- Cellaring 1-3 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Henri Rousseau Blanc de Blancs Chardonnay Brut NV"Made from 100% Chardonnay grapes. The house was founded in 1898 in the esteem..."$24.99 -
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- Variety Chardonnay / Pinot Noir
- Vintage NV
- Brand Henri Rousseau
- Cellaring 1-3 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Henri Rousseau Cremant de Bourgogne NV"Made fom a selection of our highest quality grapes, this wine discloses the f..."$44.99 -
- 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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Nick Stock91 points
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Wine Spectator91 points
- Variety Chardonnay / Pinot Noir
- Vintage NV
- Brand Moet n Chandon
- Cellaring Ready, but will Keep
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.5% Alcohol
Moet & Chandon Champagne Brut Imperial NV"Moet & Chandon's most iconic Champagne and an absolute favourite around the w..."$70.99 -
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Decanter97 points
- Variety Chardonnay
- Vintage 2015
- Brand Moet n Chandon
- Cellaring 15 Plus Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.5% Alcohol
Moet & Chandon Grand Vintage 2015 (Gift Boxed)"Crafted from the finest grapes of the 2015 vintage, it offers a harmonious bl..."$144.99 -
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Roger Voss90 points
- Variety Pinot/Chardonnay
- Vintage NV
- Brand Piper Heidsieck
- Cellaring 1-3 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.5% Alcohol
Piper Heidsieck Brut Champagne NV"Piper-Heidsieck is one of the most well known houses in Champagne. Their wine..."$69.00 -
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- 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 -
- 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 -
- Variety Pinot/Chardonnay
- Vintage NV
- Brand Maison Veuve Ambal
- Cellaring 5-10 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 13.4% Alcohol
Veuve Ambal Vin Mousseaux Blanc De Blanc Nv"Maison Veuve Ambal was founded in the heart of Burgundy in 1898 by Veuve Mari..."$24.99
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.