Fizzy at Least

A number of sparkling wines have come our way over the holiday period so far, and they were quite diverse in make-up and style. If one were to look critically at what was presented, you might not expect too much, but each delivered more than the minimal expectation that they’d be ‘fizzy at least’!

A couple of bottles kept in the wine racks for around three years at least, so given bottle-age, which might not be the best if you prefer freshness. The ‘English’ like of wine with toastiness is something SWMBO and I don’t mind. The NV Grant Burge Pinot Noir-Chardonnay Methode Traditionnelle Brut was indeed developed with toasty, nutty flavours, but certainly not OTT, still with decent effervescence and some breadth, providing some substance and body. This was certainly interesting to drink, with character, and not too tiresome at all. The labels says ‘Australian’ so was the fruit sourced outside the home base of Barossa? Similar in positive development was an NV Simonnet-Febvre Cremant de Bourgogne. I’ve always been in two minds about this when a shipment arrives. It’s refreshing for sure, but the sulphur levels can be disturbing. This bottle, with some bottle age had become far more sturdy, but also harmonious and rounded. The bubbles were still lively, and the suphide certainly present, but nicely integrated into the wine rather than jarring the nose and palate. The Cremant appellation doesn't get me going, and when the producer is from Chablis, the expectations aren't great. This was a nice surprise.

Two bottles from recent shipments looked great too. The Neighbouring S.O.S Group shared the NV Spagnol ‘Col del Sas’ Valdobbiadene Prosecco Extra Dry and it was truly impressive. Very fine bead and texture, with beautifully fresh and delicately succulent stonefruit flavours. It was a joy to drink, and we could only think of a visit by Marco from the estate and his cousin Andrea who visited us, both these young Italian men recently married. And to complete the set, an NV Maxim’s Champagne Brut Reserve, gifted to us. An old and venerable label for sure, but Wine Imported regularly. Fresh, fullish, easy, with good Pinot body and fruitiness. Not a great deal of autolytic complexity, but it didn’t need it to be satisfying. The dosage judged very well, this just slipped down effortlessly. A nice Champers.

We like the good and expensive stuff too, and there’s occasion aplenty to open them. But we enjoyed not being too finicky with these. They were more than just fizzy.