Champagne & Sparkling Wine
It is testament to its quality and longevity that despite only making up a small percentage of the world’s sparkling wine production, Champagne is certainly still the most sought after fizz in the world. The borders of the Champagne region are very closely governed and the grapes must be grown within the defined area to carry the name. Made predominantly using Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grape varieties, Champagne benefits from complex chalky, limestone subsoils and a marginal growing climate which produces minerally, high acid wines which lend Champagne its natural freshness. It is vinified using the ‘traditional’ method, whereby the addition of yeast and sugar activates a second fermentation in the bottle, creating the essential fizz. Longer ageing before release means increased contact with the discarded yeast cells, promoting the all-important biscuit, bread, even pastry characters found in the best sparkling wines.
Sparkling wines are either classified as vintage, if they are made entirely from grapes grown and harvested in a single year (in which case that year is stated on the bottle), or non-vintage, which means they are a blend of multiple harvests. Non-vintage wines exist to promote a single house style which remains consistent year after year; vintage wines are made only in years where the quality of grapes is both exceptional and characterful.
Burgundy, Bordeaux and the Loire Valley in France all produce sparkling wines and the best found in Europe include Cava from Spain and Franciacorta from Italy. England continues to enhance its reputation as a sparkling wine producer and the best names already vie for contention with the non-vintage wines of many of the larger Champagne houses.
Browse the fascinating world of sparkling wine below, filtering by colour, region, vintage, rating and name.
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Summary prices shown are 12 x 75cl case equivalent.