CoOp, Cava, Brut, NV, Spain
Cava is so under eated in the uk. It’s a great alternative to cheaper Champagnes and thus one from the CoOp is a great example. Clean, crisp and dry with fresh apple and pears flavours that last a long time. It’s a very solid silver medal Cava to me and at £6 a bottle fantastic value.
Graham Beck, Brut, Western Cape, South Africa
I do like sparkling wine and this one from Graham Beck is not bad. Its a little sharp and blunt for my liking. Citrus flavours with a bit of creaminess. The problem is the lack of finesse and at £15 a bottle its over priced. Its like paying VW Golf price for a Ford KA. Best to pay £10 and go for Bouvet Sparkling.
Chapel Down, Brut, NV, England
Sparkling English wine, it’s really good nowadays and Chapel Down is a big producer in the UK. However, there are some that are better than others. Unfortunately , this one from Chapel Down is a bit lack luster. Fizzy with little flavour and high acidity. At £20 a bottlei can’t recommended it. It’s like an Austin Alegro car. Sorry Chapel Down.
Louis Pommery, Brut, Sparkling Wine, England, UK
The French of started to taking English vineyard seriously and Louis Pommery has started to make wine in Hampshire and it’s pretty good stuff. Its dry, fresh, but classy with more citrus fruit than toasty notes in French Champagne. I’ve you like the new style of sparkling or a good cremant sparkling wine then this is for you.
At £25 a bottle it’s good value for champagne although a cremant is usually much cheaper at £10.
Christiena, Trousseau, Cap Classique Method, Brut, South Africa
South African sparkling wine is normally very good and this one Christiena in the Robertson area of the western Cape is no exception. It’s dry, crisp and with good levels of balanced acidity. The flavours of lemon and lime are subtle allowing the crispness to shine though. On itsown or with sea food it’s a quality wine.
Château Tamagne, Brut, 2013, Russia
Russian wine makers are not the Russian government and with that in mind they shouldn’t be tarnished as is the government is. This sparkling wine is dry with good length and flavours of apple, pear, citrus and hints of pineapple. It’s a good sparkling that is very easy to drink.
Moet & Chandon, Brut, Champagne, France
Its Champagne and with the Moet name behind it, its going to sell but is it any good?
Its Dry and acidic, made with Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier it has a yeasty, toasty nose that follow through with hints of citrus on the flavour front. Ideally pair with shell fish or have watching a sunset. Its decant sparkling although I still favour Bouvet sparkling on a personal basis, esp with that costs a £10 when the Moet costs over £30 a bottle.
Peterlongo, Privilege, Brut, Brazil
Can you make decent sparkling wine in Brazil? well this one from Peterlongo makes a good stab at it.
Its not what you would call elegant or refined. Its a dry, medium bodied sparkling. There’s plenty of flavour in there although not much aroma wise. There’s masses of lemon, with hints of pineapple and peach with a yeasty background.
Its not bad and better than lots of Proseccos but I would go for a french cremant such as one from Bouvet Ladubay.
From North East Italy this Pinot Noir shows that italy isn’t just about Prosecco.
Its not go a lot of flavour, there are hints of lemon, peach, brioche and dryness that makes it easy drinking but it feels more grown up. Good structure but not Champagne quality.
Its subtle in many ways and it went well with a starter of smoked salmon and with a cheese board. Well worth trying out although may be not worth a case of it.
Jako Wine, Brut, Pinot Noir, Sparkling, Italy
Purchase on holiday when we visit the Loire Valley, this Sparkling wine is made with 100% Chenin and in the traditional method. Thats the plus points.
Its far more acidic and green than I remember it on holiday, lots of citrus and green apple in there but it was too much on its own, with a bit of smoked salmon it was better. Its not undrinkable but compared to the Luxembourg Sparkling we had first it was no where near that in quality.
At Eur6 a bottle its best left or make it the 3rd or 4th bottle to open at a party.
la Prevote, Touraine, Brut, Loire Valley, France