Tag: Old World

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

Categories
Classy Crémants

Cave de Turkheim Crémant d’Alsace (France)

Bubbly’s take…

We think this is a wonderful Crémant! It’s a very pleasant wine that greets the palate with soft, lemony flavour. This wine is distinctive yet not overpowering. It has a refreshing and memorable profile but it’s certainly not overwhelming. This Crémant is also very reasonably priced, which makes it – in our humble opinion – an excellent buy.

Would go well with…

We would like to say most things. French, Italian or Spanish cuisine would make a fitting pairing for this particular Crémant. This wine could also probably tolerate a milder curry (…. i.e. not a vindaloo!).

Where to buy…

Waitrose

Categories
Classy Crémants

Cuvée Royale Crémant de Limoux (France)

Bubbly’s take…

This one is quite a potent Crémant. Another Limoux-produced sparkling, the Cuvée Royale conjures a bold and solid taste. We think this one would be best-suited to more seasoned purveyors of Crémant, who would appreciate this wine’s strong and layered flavour.

Would go well with…

We think this Crémant’s strength also gives it versatility. It should pair well with most dishes and it is also a fitting apéritif.

Where to buy…

Waitrose

Categories
Timeless Champagnes

Champagne Monopole Heidsieck & Co Blue Top Brut

Bubbly’s take…

This is a pleasant Champagne that offers remarkibly good value. We were really pleased to learn that the Heidsieck House recognises the intimate and timeless connection between good Champagne and great food. With a full and hearty palate of fruit, we think this Brut craves food. It comes out of the bottle with an enticing and golden shade that is sure to catch the eye. The Blue Top is an excellent choice if you’re after an engaging Cuvée that won’t break the bank.

Would go well with…

Fragrant pasta dishes. We enjoyed a couple of glasses of the Blue Top with some lovely Tuscan sausage pasta, pairing well with the dish’s fragrant flavours (of lemon and mustard).

Where to buy…

Tesco