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Bubbly’s take…
This is a great mellow Prosecco. It has a nicely balanced flavour with plenty of depth but without the bitter after-taste that is occasionally reminiscent of Italian sparklings. This is a reliable and refreshing Prosecco that is vended from a well-established wine merchant.
Would go well with…
Home-made pizza!
Where to buy…
Bubbly’s take…
This fire-cracker of a sparkling wine is a three-grape varietal that hails from a quaint commune in Lombardy, Italy. The Franciacorta blossoms with a vibrant flavour of apples and melon. But there is a depth to this one, with some tart and sharper notes. It also has a lovely fragrant aroma.
Would go well with…
We enjoyed the Franciacorta with breaded fish and chips, which we know isn’t a quintessential pairing… but it turned out to be a really nice meal. We also think this speaks to the versatility of this wine, being both robust and flexible.
Where to buy…
Bubbly’s take…
We loved this Crémant! As you’ll see, the Vigneron’s Wife comes in a very classic bottle and pours with a buzzing froth. It is rich in flavours of apple and watermelon, and has a lovely tart bouquet. We think this Crémant would be a real party-pleaser at dinner parties. Delicious, sassy and punchy… what more could one want from a Crémant?
Would go well with…
So, we enjoyed this with dinner – cod served over jasmine rice – and the Vigneron’s Wife took centre stage. But we think this excellent Crémant is also sufficiently potent to pair with stronger dishes. (Also, goes well with a Friday evening and Disney+.)
Where to buy…
Bubbly’s take…
This was a refreshing find. The Denis Chaput pours with a soft fizz. It is a remarkably wholesome sparkling, with a reassuringly dry taste. That being said, it’s certainly not a bitter wine and we found a remarkable flavour of fresh apples.
Would go well with…
This is a pleasant ‘go-to’ Champagne so we think it is a fairly flexible wine. However, we remember uncorking this with a takeaway and it held its own alongside a mild curry and vegetable pakora!
Where to buy…
Bubbly’s take…
There’s a well-rehearsed belief that sparkling wine can ‘go to your head’ or bring on a ‘terrible headache’. We won’t disagree – there’s some cheap stuff out there afterall. However, there are also some great new entrants to the well-celebrated and increasingly popular Cava market.
Franck Massard is an inspiring wine producer, who pivoted to viticulture in 2004 after a career as a sommelier – the first incarnation of the Mas Sardana was bottled in 2011. As you’ll see, his work doesn’t stop with wine, also managing an in-house olive oil franchise.
We thought the Mas Sardana was a little different from first sip. Though a wholesome and dry Cava, we found it to be a softer and lighter than its peers. It’s a great choice to those less initiated to the world of Cava or a trifle worried about feeling fragile the next morning. That said, this is by no means an enfeebled wine. The Mas Sardana still brings a full blossom of fruit to the palate, accented by a delicate aftertaste, which speaks to its Catalonian heritage.
Would go well with…
We tried this Cava solo though that’s not to say it would not make a good mealtime companion. We think this would pair well with a seafood dish – perhaps lemon sole or scallops.
Where to buy…
Bubbly’s take…
A little more demure, the Ayala house have been making Champagne for over 160 years (- you can read more here). With such experience in viticulture, we sampled the Brut Majeur with gusto. When we come to think of Champagne, we tend to think of it as a quintessentially dry wine. And this Champagne certainly fulfilled our expectations. It has a reassuringly dry, crisp and rich flavour. This is also quite a direct and uncomplicated wine with a refreshing little punch. That being said, the Brut Majeur is a varietal, being produced from a few different grapes, hence we feel it is certainly not a bland Champagne.
Would go well with…
We had this with a delicious Thai takeaway. At first, it seemed an unlikely pairing however we found the Brut Majeur complemented many of the refined flavours (of lemongrass, nut and tamarind) that are manifest in Thai cuisine.
Where to buy…
Bubbly’s take…
This Riesling is a real mid-week wonder. We enjoyed this on a Tuesday evening over dinner. This is a deliciously soft white wine. It has a lovely floral flavour, with a subtle hint of water melon. What we really like about this one is the absence of an acidic or acrid aftertaste; it is a clean and refreshing white wine. We look forward to sampling more from this intriguing winemaker.
Would go well with…
Salmon or another light fish or seafood dish.
Where to buy…
Bubbly’s take…
This Brut is both a wonderful Champagne and a wonderful Rosé! We received this at Christmas in one of those big, elaborate boxes hence we had high expectations, particulary as the esteemed Moët & Chandon house now counts Louis Vutton amongst its corporate siblings. What really surprised us about this wine is it presents a great pairing of a sublime Rosé with a crisp Champagne. We’ve found few wines that can reconcile a wholesome Rosé with a dry sparkling. It’s a characterful and charming Champagne, and one we’re eager to try again soon.
Would go well with…
Canapés, cheese, shortbread, petit fours and other nice nibbles.
Where to buy…
Bubbly’s take…
This one comes out of the bottle with a fiery shade of burgundy. It has a bold and fierce flavour, making it perfectly enticing for heartier dishes. Don’t get us wrong, this isn’t one of those pungent or “tannin-rich” red wines that leave a bitter after-taste. Instead, its fruity and deliciously reminiscent of Italian holidays.
Would go well with…
Cheese and lots of it!
Where to buy…
Bubbly’s take…
What a lovely sparkling rosé! Made by the esteemed Vilarnau house, this is a very floral Cava. If you are looking for a rosé Cava that has a fruity bouquet then this is the one for you. It comes out of the bottle with a pleasant shade of rose gold and brings a cocktail of flavours – reminiscent of summer berries – to the palate. We found the Vilarnau Rosé a pleasure to enjoy at a very reasonable price!
Would go well with…
Mild cheeses or dessert. That being said, we loved the flavour of this Cava so we think it works perfectly well by itself. We also think this is a great wine to share with friends, family or even just a beatiful (rosé) sunset.
Where to buy…
The Drink Shop (‘delicate’ version – not reviewed)
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