Every season brings a new atmosphere, with one making you want to spend as much time outside soaking in the sun, with an ice lolly in hand, where another will make you want to snuggle up indoors next to an open fire reading a good book with a glass of Sparkling Red Wine in hand, yes, that is a little teaser to what Sparkling Wine I will recommend for Winter.

In this article, I will not just be choosing a good Sparkling Wine to drink in a certain season, I will tell you why each season is called what it is and when each season starts, as there are two different methods of telling the start and end of the season.

But first what are the two different methods?

Astronomer’s Calendar – Astronomer’s judge the start and end of each season by using the position of the earth related to the sun, that’s why their seasons don’t always start on the same day each year.

Meteorological Calendar – Believe in keeping the same three months in each season to help reflect accurate climatological statistics when comparing year on year, which basically means the scientific study of our climate.

The Four Seasons

How do the changes in the seasons happen? The seasons are created by the position of the earth to the sun, the earth tilts on its axis every 6 months, from side to side, when the Southern Hemisphere of the earth tilts away from the sun, winter is created, you have colder temperatures and the possibility of snow, but when the Northern Hemisphere is tilted towards the sun, summer is experienced, with its hot temperatures and sunbathing weather, Spring and Autumn are experienced between the earth’s tilt, on its travels to and from the sun.

As I am in the UK, these season dates are in the Northern Hemisphere, if you are in the Southern Hemisphere, for example, your summer would start on the 1st of December, there is no easy answer to explain when a season starts, but I have tried my best to simplify it, these dates will only be relevant if you live on the top half of the earth, in the Northern Hemisphere.

Winter

Astronomer’s Calendar – Winter can start between the 20th and 23rd of December but it will more often than not, start on the 21st of December, Winter will then last until the 19th to the 21st of March.

Meteorological Calendar – Winter starts on the 1st of December and will end on either the 28th or 29th of February, depending on whether it is a leap year.

What Months are in Winter? December, January & February + March.

Where does the word Winter come from? The word Winter comes from the Proto-Germanic* language, they called it, wentruz, which means Winter, but the first time the word winter was used as we know it today, was in the 12th century.

So what Sparkling Wine can capture Winter in a bottle? Vinarstvo Rebula – Br’stovska Penina Teran

Specialists for sparkling wines located in Brstovica on the Western Karst Region, with roots dating back to 1900 and Sparkling Wine production from 1982. Production of fine full-bodied Sparkling Wines, White Brut Malvasia and Semi Dry Vitovska Garganja and Dry Rosé, as well as Teran Brut.

Tasting Notes

Aromas – “Dark berries with a hint of spiciness.”

Taste – “A sweeter and fizzy sensation of dark red and blackberries.”

This Slovenian Sparkling Wine won the Trophy in the Winter Warmer Category at The World’s Finest Glass of Bubbly Awards 2019.

Spring

 

Astronomer’s Calendar – Spring can start between the 19th and 21st of March and will normally end on the 21st of June, but can end anywhere between the 20th and 22nd of June.

Meteorological Calendar – Spring will start to blossom on the 1st of March and come to an end on the 31st of May.

This is the time where trees will start to grow their leaves, flowers will start to appear and newborn chickens and lambs will come into this world, this is also the season where the temperature will start to rise as the Northern Hemisphere starts tilting towards the sun.

What Months are in Spring? March, April & May + June.

Where does the word Spring come from? Spring has gone through a few name changes, it started with Lencten, Lent for short, the word was created in the old English language, this would refer to Spring, but later in the 14th century, it started to become what we know it today, with it being called ‘Springing Time’ they would call it this because of seeing the plants ‘springing’ out from the ground, then in the 15th century they shortened it, to ‘Spring Time’ and then finally in the 16th century it would go through its last name change, to end up as ‘Spring’

So what Sparkling Wine can capture Spring in a bottle? Bolney Wine Estate – 2017 Cuvée Rosé Brut

Located just 14 miles from the south coast on the edge of the South Downs in Sussex, Bolney Wine Estate is a private, family owned business, it comprises of five unique vineyard sites and their head winemaker, Sam Linter the daughter of the founders, Janet and Rodney.

When Janet and Rodney originally founded Bolney Wine Estate they called it Bookers Vineyard, they became the sixth commercial vineyard in the UK.

Tasting Notes

Aromas – “Soft creamy red berry aromas.”

Taste – “Crisp red fruit flavours, very refreshing with a zesty finish.”

This English Sparkling Wine won the Trophy in the Spring Fling Category at The World’s Finest Glass of Bubbly Awards 2019.

Summer

Astronomer’s Calendar – Summer will start either on the 20th or 22nd of June and will end between the 21st to the 23rd of September.

Meteorological Calendar – Summer starts on June 1st and comes to a close on August 31st.

What Months are in Summer? June, July & August + September.

Where does the word Summer come from? Summer comes from the old English word sumor, which meant summer as well, sumor also came from the Proto-Germanic language.

So what Sparkling Wine can capture Summer in a bottle? Raimes – Vintage Rose

Raimes currently has 10 beautiful flourishing acres of vines, located in the South Downs National Park in Hampshire, Raimes is a family owned winery with Augusta and Robert being the 5th generation to farm the fields.

Tasting Notes

Aromas –“Vibrant summer fruits and red berry aromas.”

Taste – “It has a beautiful strawberry flavour and it really is like Summer in a glass.”

This English Sparkling Wine won the Trophy in the Summer Days Category at The World’s Finest Glass of Bubbly Awards 2019.

Autumn/Fall

Astronomer’s Calendar – Autumn will start between the 21st and the 23rd of September and end between the 20th and the 23rd of December.

Meteorological Calendar – Autumn starts on the 1st of September and ends just in time for the month of Christmas on the 30th of November.

What Months are in Autumn/Fall? September, October & November + December.

Where does the word Autumn come from? Autumn is mostly used in England and Fall is mostly used in North America, but Fall first originated in England, it would be assumed they called it this because of the leaves falling from the trees but I cannot confirm, Fall first appeared in the late 16th century England, it gathered popularity in the 17th century and then was carried across the Atlantic where it ended up in North America, we then later decided to change it, but due to the American Revolution, the Americans didn’t want to change it with us.

The exact origin of the word Autumn is unclear, but what is perfectly clear is that the word at one point came from the Latin language of ‘autumnus’ (people are just not 100% sure where they got it from), during the middle ages the French used ‘autompne’ as the word for Autumn, then it made it’s way to England, where we turned it into Autumn.

So what Sparkling Wine can capture Autumn in a bottle? Lumiere – Kakitsubata

How better to enter the final season of the year than with a Forget Me Not Sparkling Wine, a Sparkling Wine with a unique taste that makes it stand out and be unforgettable.

Founded in by Tokugi Furiya in 1885, this Japanese winery is currently being run by Shigeki Kida, their 5th generation of winemakers.

This Japanese Sparkling Wine won the Trophy in the Forget Me Not Category at The World’s Finest Glass of Bubbly Awards 2019.

Tasting Notes

Aromas & Taste – “Apple. honey, yellow rose petals and even a touch of banana.”

So there are the four seasons and four Sparkling Wines that I believe capture these seasons beautifully in the bottle.

*Proto-Germanic is the reconstructed proto-language of the Germanic branch of the Indo-European languages. Wikipedia

I would like to give thanks to Merriam Webster and Calendarpedia for helping me source out some of this information.