Author: Bubbly

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Timeless Champagnes Uncategorized

Palmer & Co. Brut Resérve Champagne

Bubbly’s take…

This one is a real “no-nonsense” wine. Made in Reims, we think this Champagne would suit anyone who prefers a clear and more pointed brut, without layered or complicated flavours. This is quite a potent wine hence it would make quite a firecracker for the right occasion! We enjoyed this as part of our New Year’s Eve celebrations.

Would go well with…

We enjoyed the Palmer & Co. with nibbles but we would’ve loved to have had this with dinner. As above, this is a fairly robust Champagne so we think it could pair well with richer meals.

Where to buy…

Vivino

Categories
Timeless Champagnes Uncategorized

Bollinger Special Cuvée

Bubbly’s take…

Rest assured, there are innumerable reasons why Bollinger can be described as one of the finer Champagne houses, many of which have already been eloquently recounted. With that said, we decided to try out one of Bolly’s premium Champagnes, the Special Cuvée, to see what the hype is all about.

We were extremely pleased with this brut. The Special Cuvée was one of our Christmas Champagnes (… very much needed after 2020) and it didn’t disappoint. This is a bold Champagne with a ‘straight-to-point’ signature flavour. It comes out of the bottle in a beautiful shade with a playful mousse. Bolly’s Special Cuvée is reassuringly dry, deliciously tart and carries an aromatic fragrance.

Would go well with…

Given our festive tasting, we’d have to say Christmas dinner. However, we loved pairing the Special Cuvée with some particularly flavoursome blue cheese. Otherwise this Champagne is a fitting heavyweight for all manner of special occasions.

Where to buy…

The Drink Shop

Categories
Incredible Cavas

Castillo Perelada Stars Brut Nature Reserva

Bubbly’s take…

We stumbled upon this one mainly because we were quite taken with its starry label and a timeless quote by Dom Pérignon. Yet there’s a lot more to the Perelada house than glitzy labels; this winery has been producing in Catalonia, Spain since medieval times – think of a turreted castle, complete with a moat and swans. Perelada make a variety of wines though, in this auspicious Cava, we found plenty of character and depth. The Stars Brut is a refreshing yet smoky sparkling. This Cava is assuredly crisp and charming but also possesses an evocative flavour that speaks to Perelada’s esteemed wine-making tradition.

Would go well with…

A heart paella. Great Cava like this can, of course, be enjoyed solo or as an apéritif. However, to make the most of this enchanting wine, we think the Stars Brut deserves a fitting Spanish feast complete with candlelight and the Gipsy Kings.

Where to buy…

The Drink Shop

Categories
Sassy White Wines

Sacchetto Pinot Grigio Blush (Italy)

Bubbly’s take…

We believe good wine is like great music – if it hits the right notes then it can create the perfect mood and atmosphere. That’s exactly what we found with this evocative Italian wine. It comes from the bottle in a warming shade of magnolia. The Sacchetto is a Pinot Grigio yet it’s also described as a Rosé (though we think ‘blush’ is a much more fitting description)! Its flavour is also finely-balanced, neither too soft or sweet, nor too tart or dry. A most versatile wine, we feel the Sacchetto is therefore something of a miraculous chameleon.

Would go well with…

Friends, drinks and nibbles. As we mentioned, we think this blush wine is quite adaptable so it’s perfectly pleasant to enjoy solo. But it also makes a great backing to canapés and should pair well with most dishes.

Where to buy…

Naked Wines

Categories
Brassy Red Wines

Fauno (Spain)

Bubbly’s take…

The Fauno is made by the Valencia-based Murviedro winery, which produces a range of red and white low alcohol, vegan and low calorie wines (amongst the usual strength brew!). This particular varietal is made from a blend of Garnacha, Shiraz and Monastrell grapes hence it evokes potent and fruity flavours. While the Fauno is a full-bodied wine, it is promoted for its lower calorie and sugar content. Don’t worry though – this red wine is full of flavour and character.

Would go well with…

We enjoyed this with dinner – tuna steaks for yours truly (being a pescatarian) and fillet steaks with peppercorn sauce for the others. We think the Fauno makes for a sublime pairing with heartier or meat-based dishes, which demand a robust wine to moderate heavier ingredients.

Where to buy…

Skinny Booze

Categories
Sassy White Wines

Pique-Nique (France)

Bubbly’s take…

Yes, we did have to Google Translate the name of this wine and yes – it does mean “Picnic”. This striking white wine is produced by Benjamin Darnault, who is something of a prodigal wine-maker from France.

We tried the 2019 Pique-Nique, which is a real ‘no-nonsense’ white wine. It has a rich and floral flavour. This wine is, however, not too tart – glass after glss, it’s pleasant and very agreeable. We also think this one would make a great cooking wine, perhaps being a fitting addition to a paella recipe. A well-rounded white wine at a very reasonable price.

Would go well with…

Those midweek nights that call for great white wine without any fuss. Best served well-chilled!

Where to buy…

Naked Wines

Categories
Timeless Champagnes

Piper-Heidsieck Champagne

Bubbly’s take…

A partner of the Cats musical, Piper-Heidsieck is a landmark Champagne house that can trace its roots back to 1785 and perhaps even earlier! Theirs is a history steeped in regality (… think Marie Antoinette) and a commitment to excellence. That commitment coupled with their illustrious beginnings has enabled this respected house showcase a number of enchanting and timeless sparkling wines.

Coming to our favourite part, being the taste test, we sampled the widely-available and well-recognised Cuvée Brut. This Champagne decants from the bottle with a sophisticated and pleasing shade of platinum. To the palate, while this is quite a demure Champagne, it has a fragrant and full flavour. A very fine wine that (well-)deserves the Queen of Diamonds.

Would go well with…

We particularly enjoyed this Champagne. We think it makes a very pleasing apéritif. The Brut we sampled is also reasonably-priced, making it an excellent candidate for celebrations, drinks with significant others or close friends, or simply a special night-in. While a delicate wine, we think this Champagne would make a very good pairing with lighter starters or fish-based courses.

Where to buy…

Tesco

Categories
Sassy White Wines

Carlos Rodrigues Albarino (Spain)

Bubbly’s take…

This one is another fine find from Naked Wines and one we’re very happy to award the Ten of Diamonds to. This is quite a demure wine but it is certainly refreshing and well-rounded. The Albarino also has good depth of flavour, with a fruity undercurrent. We also found traces of apples so we think this one would be a great choice for lovers of drier white wines. In summary, we think this is a really pleasant Spanish wine and we hope to enjoy this again soon.

Would go well with…

We confess that we had this with a Tex-Mex dinner, which is testimony to the Albarino’s versatility. We’d like to think this would match southern European cuisine, particularly fish- or seafood-based dishes. Equally, we wouldn’t hesitate to enjoy this wine all by itself.

Where to buy…

Naked Wines

Categories
Other Surprising Specialties

Adeletto Prosecco (Italy)

Bubbly’s take…

Another Saturday, another Prosecco and this one is reassuringly dry. The Adeletto comes out of the bottle with a healthy plume of fizz. This one is not too fragrant and easy on palate hence we think it would make a great apéritif. It carries wholesome and refined notes of apple and grape so it is likely to appeal to anyone that wants a Prosecco that… well, tastes like a true Prosecco.

Would go well with…

Itself. Again, we think the Adeletto would make a nice apéritif. If you are inclined to match this with a meal then we would a suggest a seafood-based starter; for example, a prawn cocktail, Gravlax or fish cakes.

Where to buy…

Co-op

Categories
Other Surprising Specialties

Pizzolato Prosecco Brut (Italy)

Bubbly’s take…

Another fine Italian sparkling that offers very good value for money. This Prosecco isn’t shy, which is somewhat surprising for an organic wine. It possesses a zesty and direct flavour, reminiscent of apples and pears. That said, we found this to be a palatable and versatile, which we think would be suited to most white wine-lovers and meals. Also being vegan, we think this surprising Prosecco definitely deserves a Ten of Hearts.

Would go well with…

Having a name like “Pizzolato”, we were almost tempted to go traditional and polish off a pizza or some gnocci with this Prosecco. Unconventional as always, we summoned Uber Eats to grab us some delicious Vietnamese food from Bahn mi Leo, and it was a refreshing pairing! We had a traditional Bánh Mí (baguette – check this out for a recipe!), prawn crackers, summer rolls and a fresh sweet chilli salad. With the Pizzolato, it was simply delicious!

Where to buy…

Co-op