Sparkling Wine News
Interview with Jean-Claude Mas of Domaines Paul Mas
Nestled in the Coteaux de Languedoc AOC between Pézenas and Sète on the Mediterranean coastline, Château de Conas has been in the Mas family home for over one thousand years. Fourth-generation vintner, Jean-Claude Mas took over the helm in 2000 and his mission has been to use only premium quality grapes to craft superior wines…
Frozen Angel
Champagne…Brandy… Curacao…Maraschino…and – ice cream! Where on the cocktailing earth can we be? Deep within Harry Craddock’s Savoy Cocktail Book of 1930, that’s where! The recipe in question is the oddly named Soyer-au-Champagne. No ice used at all. A sort of cross between a Champagne cup and an ice cream soda. Well, yum yum! Obviously…
Label or Content? How do you Judge your Bubbly?… Honestly?
I love blind tastings. I love them because they are so honest. There is just the wine and your taste buds, nothing else to lean back on. Maybe I like this form of tasting because I’ve never felt the pressure to ‘like the right stuff’, so I can really relax and be honest, but the…
Bubble Reputations
Sparkling cocktails are Fun. But that doesn’t mean they’re trivial. The difference between a sparkling cocktail and a Champagne Cocktail is that in sparklers the bubbly is an addition to the drink not its base. It doesn’t have to taste of it. If you think that means the bubbly is there just to turn a…
MP Calls for English Wine to be served in British Embassies
A proposed law to force British embassies around the world to buy and serve English and Welsh wines instead of Champagne, Prosecco and Cava is being introduced in the UK Parliament. Ms Ghani said “lack of consistency” meant the Diplomatic Service was missing opportunities to promote British produce abroad to nations such as India, China…
Boutinot Buys Henners English Sparkling Wine
Henners Vineyard in Sussex has been bought by Boutinot for an undisclosed sum. Henners Vineyard was set up in 2007 by Lawrence Warr, a former Formula One engineer. Henners now has ten acres of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier vines and produce three English sparkling wines – vintage, vintage resérve and a rosé. Boutinot, a…
American Sparkling Wines
…Some Have French Champagne Makers Saying “C’est Bon!” In my early twenties, growing up in America, I always heard that French Champagnes, Dom Pérignon, Cristal, Veuve Clicquot, Taittinger, etc…, were the only type of sparkling wine you needed to drink. They were considered the best tasting and utilized the best grapes and proper production methods….
A Glimpse of Argentine Sparkling Wine
I saw it on my first evening in Mendoza, when my future father-in-law took me to an Asado (don’t call it ‘Barbecue’) with his friends. I am sure it goes under dozens of names around the globe, but here in Argentina it is known as ‘Lemon Champ’: sparkling wine, preferably Extra Brut, with a scoop…
Perfect Sparkling Wines for Mother’s Day
Don’t forget to treat your mum this Mother’s Day – Sunday 26th March. A couple of glasses of bubbly shared together is a wonderful way to celebrate the day, so here are a few great bottles you can pick up that any mum would love. Villa Jolanda Prosecco Extra Dry (On offer: £7 at Asda)…