Christmas isn’t too far away, but meanwhile there should be an occasion that warrants a glass or two of bubbly.
Who doesn’t enjoy a chilled glass of bubbly? “You are the wine of the world,” enthused William Thackeray in Barmecide Banquets (1845). “You are the liquor in whose bubbles lies the greatest amount of the sparkle of good spirits. May I die
but I will not be ashamed to proclaim my love for you!”
We still love the stuff. Sales of cheap bubbly are falling, but those made by the méthode traditionnelle, in which the wine undergoes its secondary, bubble-inducing fermentation in the bottle (as in real champagne, from the most famous of all wine regions), are in soaring demand.
Champagne Cattier Brut Antique Premier Cru NV
From a family-owned house established in 1918, this classy champagne is bargain-priced. Rich and complex, it is fresh, citrusy and yeasty, with hints of oranges and nuts and lovely vigour, depth and harmony. $55
Huia Blanc de Blancs 2005
Still youthful, this refined Marlborough sparkling is all chardonnay-based, with a fragrant, citrusy, yeasty bouquet, showing excellent freshness and complexity. The palate is very vivacious and crisp, with lovely intensity and delicacy and a lingering, dryish, yeasty, nutty finish. $34
Nautilus Cuvée Marlborough NV
This non-vintage style is made from pinot noir (75%) and chardonnay (25%). It is blended with mature reserve stocks, held in old oak barriques and disgorged after a minimum of three years ageing on its yeast lees. Pale straw-coloured, with a fragrant, slightly nutty bouquet, it is rich and lively, with intense yeasty flavours, showing excellent complexity and poise. $38
Pelorus 2006
Cloudy Bay’s vintage-dated bubbly is a blend of pinot noir (mostly) and chardonnay. It has its primary alcoholic fermentation in stainless-steel tanks, oak vats and French oak barriques, and once bottled it is matured for three years on its yeast lees before it is disgorged. Rich, lively and dry, this is a more elegant, less bold and buttery style than some past releases, with a yeasty, crisp, long finish. $45
Elstree Marlborough Cuvée Brut 2006
From Highfield, this is a blend of hand-picked pinot noir and chardonnay, partly barrel-fermented and disgorged after three years on its yeast lees. Pale yellow, with a very yeasty, rich fragrance, it is tight and elegant, with strong, crisp, lemony, toasty flavours, showing excellent vigour, complexity and richness. $38
Quartz Reef Méthode Traditionnelle Rosé NV
Based entirely on pinot noir, grown at Bendigo, in Central Otago, this pale pink bubbly is very fresh and lively, with strong, strawberryish, spicy flavours, yeasty and smooth. Dryish, it is an instantly appealing wine, with excellent harmony and length. $35
Summerhouse Marlborough Blanc de Blancs NV
From estate-grown chardonnay, lees-aged for two years, this is a very elegant wine, with citrusy flavours, a hint of cashew nuts, a slightly creamy texture and excellent freshness, richness and complexity. $32
Hunter’s Miru Miru Reserve 2008
A pinot noir-based blend, matured on its yeast lees for three years, this Marlborough bubbly is the colour of pale straw, rich and yeasty, with a slightly creamy texture and impressive delicacy, complexity and roundness. $34
Johanneshof Cellars Blanc de Noirs NV
The vivacious wine currently on sale was made from barrel-aged Marlborough pinot noir and disgorged after three years on its yeast lees. It has an invitingly scented, slightly biscuity bouquet. Crisp and lively, citrusy, nutty and yeasty, it shows excellent freshness and complexity, with an almost bone-dry, but finely balanced, long, smooth finish. $38
Brancott Estate Reserve Brut Cuvée
This non-vintage wine is a blend of chardonnay (mostly) and pinot noir, grown in East Coast vineyards. The wine I tasted recently was crisp and lively, with gently yeasty, citrusy, slightly creamy flavours, a hint of cashews, and good harmony and length. Target price: $15.
Mimi
From Morton Estate, the non-vintage wine currently on sale is a distinctly medium style, very lively and harmonious, with citrusy, peachy flavours, slightly biscuity and smooth. It’s an easy-drinking wine with good personality. $15