Tag Archives: Sparkling Wine

Wills Domain Cuvée d’Elevage Chardonnay Pinot Noir NV

This is a well made sparkling wine from the classic varieties of chardonnay and pinot noir. The producer is Wills Domain in the Margaret River. In the glass, there are light aromas of citrus and yeast. The palate has between medium and firm acidity. Well priced and suitable for current drinking. Rating: Good. Abv: NA. […]

Wills Domain Cuvée d’Elevage Blanc de Blanc NV

This is a good sparkling wine from Wills Domain. However perhaps its most surprising feature is that it is made from 100% scheurebe. Scheurebe is an early twentieth century German cross of riesling and “bukettrebe”, and well regarded as such, but finds its home mostly in Germany and Austria. Apparently some has found its way […]

Wills Domain Cuvée d’Elevage Rosé NV

This artistically labelled wine from Wills Domain in the Margaret River is a sparkling rosé made from 100% merlot. Pale in colour, it has aromas of red fruit and toast. The palate is dry and pleasant and has a delicate mousse. A well made wine that is ready to drink now. Rating: Good. Abv: 12%. […]

Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs Vintage Brut 2014

This is a very good sparkling wine from Schramsberg in California.  The appellation is North Coast.  Should the name prove unilluminating outside of California, the vineyards are in fact in the Napa and Sonoma counties.  The sparkling wine itself is a blanc de blancs chardonnay made using the traditional method.  In the glass, there are […]

Mitchell Harris Sabre Vintage Sparkling 2013

This is a pretty serious sparkling wine from Mitchell Harris.  From the 2013 vintage, it is made “properly” (aka using the traditional method), is a blend of 75/25 chardonnay/pinot noir and spent 40 months on lees.  The fruit is from Macedon and the Pyrenees.  In the glass, the aroma is clean and reminds of lemons. […]

Kreglinger Vintage Brut 2004

There was a time when I could relatively easily spot Tasmanian sparkling wines in amongst Champagnes in a blind tasting.  The give aways?  More primary fruit, lower acidity, less yeast and a honeyed character even in young releases.  No longer.  Tasmania is Australia’s premier sparkling wine region and comparisons with Champagne are comfortable in quality […]

Pol Roger Blanc de Blancs 1996

Aged wine isn’t for everyone.  Many, perhaps most, won’t be better after two decades of cellaring.  This Pol Roger Blanc de Blancs, however, is simply delicious drinking at 20 years of age.  It has aromatics of lemon, toast and strawberry.  The palate is dry, the mousse delicate but persistent, the finish long and the acidity […]

d’Arenberg Pollyanna Polly Sparkling NV

The “Pollyanna Polly”, aka “Polly”, is d’Arenberg’s sparkling non-vintage wine with fruit sourced from the Adelaide Hills.  It is made in using the traditional Champagne varieties of chardonnay (52%), pinot noir (40%) and pinot meunier (8%).  The grapes are early picked (the abv is only 11%) and the wine is fermented in bottle and left […]