Sparkling Wine News
A week of English Sparkling Wine starts with Greyfriars
Who does not enjoy a glass of bubbly and what better way to celebrate English (Sparkling) Wine Week (27th May – 4th June) than by opening a bottle of Greyfriars rosé brut and what a perfect setting is one of those warm early Summer’s evening picnics. As the sun sets offering its warm rays and…
A Sparkling Soirée
Champagne makes a historic reappearance in the heritage gardens of Udaipur’s royal City Palace and headlines its unique French soirée in India. French wine and gastronomy has long ruled the world. Today, Atout France, the French tourism development agency, is finding new and unique ways to promote these around the world, one being the annual…
Consider Cava
In the ancestry of sparkling wine; let’s consider Cava, Champagne’s distant cousin. Cava is made by the traditional method, the same as Champagne and spends at least nine months on its lees. Most Cava is non-vintage with lower acidity than Champagne. The Spanish grapes used to make Cava are Macabeu, Xarel-lo, and Parellada for the…
There’s more than one way to Fizz a Wine!
French Ancestral Method is alive and well in Spain. Contrary to popular belief, Dom Pérignon did not invent sparkling wine. Adding sugar to a bottle of still wine, thus provoking a second fermentation, was in fact first performed by an Englishman, Mon Dieu! Indeed Christopher Merret’s experiment occurred some years before the much vaunted Dom…
Barack Obama Celebrates Visit to Milan with Ferrari Trentodoc’s Bubbles
“Really Delicious!” said Barack Obama about the Ferrari Trentodoc served during the gala dinner hosted on May 8th in Milan by the Obama Foundation, in the glamorous rooms of Palazzo Clerici. The former US president set the stage of its first public appearance abroad after the end of his term in Milan, welcoming the invitation…
2017 International Alsace Varietals Festival featuring Crémant d’Alsace
Planet Grape Wine Review presented recently during the sold out Educational Session at the 2017 International Alsace Varietals Festival, held at the Mendocino Fairgrounds in Boonville amidst the rolling hills and meadows of California’s Anderson Valley. Dr. Liz Thach MW and Fred Swan Diploma WSET joined me for a lively panel presentation of the sparkling wines of…
Romania’s Wine Revolution
Few people think of Romania when it comes to wine, but according to OIV (International Organisation of Vine and Wine), as of 2016, Romania was the 13th largest wine producing country in the world! Romania’s wine industry was severely impacted by the country’s politics and is, to some degree, still felt today, due largely to…
A Snowball’s Chance
Putting eggs in any shape or form into sparkling cocktails isn’t the most obvious thing to do. The bubbles turn to froth. The result is opaque. The bubbly’s acidity is muted. Additional coloured ingredients tend to produce something resembling ditch water. All the same, eggs-and-bubbly mixes, though always rarities, do have a history. They are…
Don’t Let Age Stop You Enjoying a Lovely Glass of Bubbly!
When it comes to alcohol, we’re sure you’ve heard many warnings about it. But, in moderation, having a ‘drink’ is an enjoyable activity that can also have some surprising benefits. And, as you get that bit older, experience means you naturally tend to be a little more sensible and are happy enjoying an occasional drink…