The popularity of Sparkling Wine both at home and abroad, including that most famous Sparkling Wine of all – Champagne – is seemingly unquenchable. While Sparkling Wine has always been considered the quintessential celebratory beverage, many now also enjoy it for its own intrinsic qualities, without the need for a crowd, pretension or excuse.
Once seen as something of a luxury, Sparkling Wine has become increasingly affordable in recent years for a number of reasons. Undoubtedly the recent favourable exchange rate has been beneficial, allowing us to enjoy real Champagne at previously unheard of prices, however great value quality Sparkling Wines from all corners of the globe, has long captured our attention; elegant Cava from Penedès in Spain, rich yet delicate Crémant d’Alsace from France, deliciously fresh Prosecco wines of Northern Italy, to name but a few examples.
Australia is almost certainly the most convincing producer of quality Sparkling Wines outside Europe, and arguably the most convincing producer of high-quality méthode traditionelle (those made in the Champagne tradition by fermentation in-bottle) outside of the Champagne region itself, with New Zealand and Oregon USA close behind.
The region of Champagne remains the pinnacle of quality Sparkling Wine production, however this is not an area inhibited by tradition. The region, once known almost exclusively for the great Champagne houses (including Bollinger, Moët & Chandon and Veuve Clicquot), has been enriched over recent decades by a greater presence of smaller prestige producers and the emergence of ‘grower’ Champagnes. Along with the traditional Champagne Cuvées (blends made up of fruit sourced from across the region), whose aim is to provide consistency, we have also seen a greater emphasis on single vineyard or sub-regional expression in the wines produced – a philosophy similar to other key regions of France, including Burgundy.
To the right we explore the méthode traditionelle and Charmat process in greater depth and showcase some of the best examples of Sparkling Wines in our range, including, of course, Champagne.
Champagne
From the great Champagne houses including Bollinger, Moët & Chandon and Veuve Cliquot, to the smaller prestige producers we explore the magic of the methode traditionnelle.
Sparkling wine
Australia has now been catapulted to the ‘A’ League of Sparkling Wine producing countries alongside France. But not all Sparkling Wine is intended to be made in the image of Champagne.
Prosecco
In recent years, Prosecco has become hugely fashionable around the world. Prosecco is the traditional sparkling wine of Northern Italy, produced from the grape varity of the same name using the Charmat methode of production.
