Hot foot from visiting 30 wine regions for her major revision of Christie’s Encylopedia of Champagne and Sparkling Wine, Essi Avellan MW introduces 16 traditional-method sparkling wines. What she showed was how many places – including some very surprising locations – where the high quality sparkling wine is being made. Please excuse any minor errors – this is live blogging!
Champagne-style blends
1. Alexandrovic Trijumf Brut 2008 Vinca, Oplenac, Serbia
100% Chardonnay, 100% malo, dosage 6g, €25 locally
lovely mild autolytic note, some richness on palate, high acidity, hint of oak – amazing quality if with the help of a Champagne consultant
2. Codorniu Gran Codorniu Gran Reserva Chardonnay 2007
12g RS, 286 m above sea level, night time harvest, pH 2.7 in base wine
toasty, classic green apples, chalk, quite unlike Cava! beautiful acidity
3. Arras Blanc de Blancs, Tasmania, Australia, 2001
‘Krug of Australia’, 97% Chardonnay, 100% MLF, 9.6g RS, oak only in dosage liqueur; 11 years on the lees; bit of aged brandy in the dosage
rich buttery, yeasty, coconut hint (though French oak) wide and rich on palate, high acidity again, great quality, unique style in Australia
4. Tarlant La Vigne d’Or Blanc de Meuniers 2003
100% Pinot Meunier and single vineyard – Pierre de Bellevue, sustainable, biodynamic, all in Marne valley – more of a challenge, very natural wine making, barrel fermented, low dosage, 2g RS,
gold, powerful palate, meaty notes, citrus, very good acidity despite hot year,
Non-Champagne varietals
5. Istenic No 1 Cuvee Speciale NV, Bizeljsko-Brezice, Slovenia
70% Chardonnay, 30% Rumeni Plavec; 80% 2008, no MLF, 2 years on lees, 12.7g RS
pale lemon, lovely freshess, following sweetness, ripe apple, pretty nose,
6. Dindori, Maharashtra, Chandon India
80% Chenin Blanc, 10% Chardonnay, 10% Pinot Noir, this is all 2011 but future vintages will have reserve wines
could produce two crops a year, hard in April (no fruit in wet season), again in October, ripen as a S hemisphere period, in a warming temperature! bit of barrel fermentation in old barrels, some wine goes through MLF, 8.3 TA
ripe apple, tastes sweeter than 9g RS, good acidity
7. Schloss Gobelsburg Brut Réserve NV
55% Gruner Veltliner, 15% Riesling, 15% Pinot Noir,
Has sparkling tradition but mainly large cheap houses but some quality houses; here solera system for 15% of the wine; tame fruitiness by MLF (100%), bottled after 6 months in cask; early picked Kamptal vineyards, 2-3 years on lees
restrained fruit, high acidity, classy, demanding
8. Gramona Cava Celler Batlle Gran Reserva 2002
70% Xarel-lo, 30% Macabeo; 100 year old Solera wine for dosage, 6-8 g/L
lovely aged notes, ripe fruit but with restrained, real breadth, excellent
Rosé
9. Torres Chile Santa Digna Estelado NV
Valle del Maule Chile, 100% Pais (!), Saignée, 6-9 months on lees, pay a fair price, 8g/L
pale salmon, youthful red fruit, green leafiness, not sure
10. Caves Transmontanas Vértice Rosé 2010
Cima Corgo Douro
mostly Touriga (75%)
light, pleasant, good red fruit hint, refreshing, simple
11. Graham Beck Brut Rosé Vintage Cap Classique 2009
pale salmon, clean red fruit, medium acidity (no MLF),
cold press PN (82%) and Chardonnay, no malo
12. Henri Abel Le Sourire de Reims Rosé 2002
Les Riceys, Rosé de saignée (40 hours), MLF, 9 g/L
evolved deep colour (orange), meaty, little obvious fruit, good food wine
Best of the best – non-Champagne!
13. Nyetimber Single Vineyard Tillington, England 2009
79% Pinot Noir, 21% Chardonnay, 10 g/L
bright, fresh, high acidity and restraint, classy, chalky and mineral, intense,
14. Ca’ del Bosco Cuvée Annamaria Clementi Franciacorta, Italy, 2004
55% Chardonnay, 25% Pinot Blanc, 20% Pinot Nero, fermentation in small oak casks, MLF, 1.5 g/L, nitrogen chamber for disgorgement
gold and toasty, rich fruit, lovely oak, lovely ripe fruit quality, mineral undertow
15. No 1 Family Estate Cuvée Remy Marlborough NZ 2007
80% Pinot Noir, 20% Chardonnay, hand picked, 6 g/L; not really exported
perfumed, mineral, ripe rich fruit, acidic tug, lovely, great tension between ripeness and acidity
16. Roederer Estate Anderson Valley L’Ermitage Brut 2004
remote Anderson Valley, organic, 52% Chardonnay, 48% Pinot Noir, 4% aged reserve wine vintage 200, no MLF , 12 g/L
rich nose – fruit and toast, but then crisp acidity and super dry finish,