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Tyson Stelzer92 points
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Huon Hooke90 points
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James Halliday90 points
- Variety Shiraz
- Vintage NV
- Brand Bleasdale
- Cellaring 3-5 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 14.0% Alcohol
Bleasdale Sparkling Shiraz NV"Premium Langhorne Creek Shiraz grapes were selected and blended to produce th..."$22.99 -
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- Variety Pinot/Chardonnay
- Vintage NV
- Brand Penfolds
- Cellaring 5-10 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 13.0% Alcohol
Champagne Thiénot x Penfolds Rose Champagne NV"An ascent of (textbook) grenadine fruits – Avec raspberry, redcurrant, blackc..."$89.99 -
- Variety Shiraz Blend
- Vintage NV
- Brand Coates Wines
- Cellaring 5-10 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 13.0% Alcohol
Coates La Petite Cuvee Sparkling Shiraz Nv"The base wines are predominately French oak matured Shiraz from McLaren Vale ..."$23.99 -
- Variety Sauvignon Blanc
- Vintage 2023
- Brand Plus & Minus
- Cellaring Drink Now
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 0.0% Alcohol
Plus and Minus Sauvignon Blanc 2023 Non Alc."The Plus & Minus range of wines have been uniquely hand-crafted using only hi..."$14.99 -
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Gary Walsh93 points
- Variety Prosecco
- Vintage 2022
- Brand Torzi Matthews
- Cellaring 5-10 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 14.0% Alcohol
Torzi Matthews 'Vigna Cantina' Prosecco 2022"Prosecco is the traditional sparkling wine of Veneto in northern Italy. Unlik..."$24.99 -
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Tyson Stelzer94 points
- Variety Shiraz
- Vintage NV
- Brand Turkey Flat
- Cellaring Ready, but will Keep
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 13.9% Alcohol
Turkey Flat Sparkling Shiraz NV"The base wine for our favourite fizz is created from a Solera system with an ..."$46.99 -
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- Variety Shiraz
- Vintage NV
- Brand Andrew Garrett
- Cellaring 15 Plus Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 13.5% Alcohol
Andrew Garrett Sparkling Burgundy NV 1.5L Magnum"Grapes are harvested with the berries full of intense plum, blackberry and li..."$40.90 -
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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 Chardonnay / Pinot Noir
- Vintage NV
- Brand Crittenden
- Cellaring 3-5 Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Crittenden Sparkling Brut NV"Crittenden Estate in Victoria describe their Geppetto range as “accessible an..."$21.99 -
- Variety Pinot/Chardonnay
- Vintage NV
- Brand Family Wine Growers
- Cellaring Drink Now
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Family Wine Growers Sparkling Nv"A vibrant, fresh sparkling wine. Lifted aromas of green apple and citrus. Fru..."$9.99 -
- 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 -
- Variety Sauvignon Blanc
- Vintage 2022
- Brand Plus & Minus
- Cellaring Drink Now
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 0.0% Alcohol
Plus and Minus Sauvignon Blanc 2022"The Plus & Minus range of wines have been uniquely hand-crafted using only hi..."$14.99 -
- Variety Shiraz
- Vintage NV
- Brand Rudi's
- Cellaring 15 Plus Years
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 13.5% Alcohol
Rudi's Wine Zero Dosage Coonawarra Sparkling NV"Grapes are harvested with the berries full of intense plum, blackberry and li..."$9.99 -
- Variety Shiraz
- Vintage 1994
- Brand Seppelt
- Cellaring Drink Now
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 13.5% Alcohol
Seppelt Original Sparkling Shiraz 1994"The 1994 Seppelt Original Sparkling Shiraz was made in the traditional sparkl..."$19.99 -
- Variety Pinot/Chardonnay
- Vintage NV
- Brand Taylors
- Cellaring Drink Now
- Wine Type Sparkling
- Alcohol Percentage 12.0% Alcohol
Taylors Pinot Noir Chardonnay Brut Cuvee Nv"At release, the wine displays clean citrus/lemon fragrances along with lifted..."$14.99
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.