Uncorked: Differentiating Sparkling Wines of the World

Pop, fizz, clink! You have a celebration approaching, and you need a bottle of bubbles to celebrate. But what wine should you buy? And when you are in the store staring at the array of wines on the shelves, what is the difference between the many types of sparkling wine? Here is your guide to…

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Sparkling Wine at Cascina Pastori

On a beautiful sunny day in June, I drove through the hills of Piedmont and arrived at Cascina Pastori. Together with the owners, Andrea and Antonio Colombo and their dog Ken, we welcome our English friends for an interesting wine tasting of the present vintages of the wines of Colombo family, mainly Pinot Noir but also…

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Find the Perfect Bubbly for your Wedding Day

If you’re organising your own bubbly for your wedding venue, it can be a daunting task deciding which one to choose from the thousands available. Going traditional with Champagne is always a reliable option, but if you’re on a budget or want to try something different, there are plenty of other fantastic sparkling wines to suit your needs. Cava, Crémant…

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Have you tried Asti & Moscato d’Asti?

Have you tried Asti & Moscato d'Asti?

Asti (or Asti Spumante) is generally a light, sweet sparkling wine made in the Italian region of Piemonte and made using the charmat method (the same method as Prosecco, but not Champagne). Asti was once considered a lower class sparkling wine, but thanks to its DOCG status, stricter laws have been introduced allowing quality wines to come…

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Champagne, Cava, Prosecco… What’s the Difference?

Champagne Prosecco or Cava Summer Days

With all the sparkling wines available and the jargon that goes along with it, it can be a little confusing at times. The ‘terroir’ (soil, climate, geography) affects the outcome of a sparkling wine. Different wines use different types and blends of grape (such as Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Glera etc…). Another major factor is the production method…

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Pairing Italian Food with Sparkling Wine

Italian food is some of the best in the world and regularly eaten in many households. It’s always handy to have some bubbly to pair perfectly with your dishes! We’ve stuck mostly with Italian bubbly, but there’s also some to mixing and matching. You can find many of these in your local UK supermarket. Creamy Pasta Such…

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