5 sparkling wines for spring
Sunny days spent with a glass of sparkling, time seriously well spent. Here’s five that are bringing the effervescence into our lives right now - seriously stellar value on some premiere bubbles.
Can't decide? Check out the Sparkling Lineup 17.0
Bortolomiol Ius Naturae Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Brut Millesimato 2022
It’s with extreme excitement that we introduce you to the wines of Bortolomiol, a family affair with a prime focus on creating world class sparkling wines in a sustainable manner. What they are doing is so impressive, they were recently included in a Prosecco masterclass at Vue de Monde hosted by none other than Tyson Stelzer, Australia’s top sparkling wine critic. So forget what you know about Prosecco and get on board with the new wave of exceptionalism. The Ius Naturae (‘natural law’ in Italian) is, as you might have guessed, the organically certified sibling of the Bortolomiol range. This brut style is refreshingly crisp while retaining its fruit purity. There’s an intense note of red gala apples, followed by a grassy tang and zingy lemon sherbet glow. Top stuff.
Twin Valleys Reserve Blanc de Blancs NV
Twin Valleys sourced chardonnay from a single vineyard in Moyhu, a gorgeous little spot in the King Valley that always delivers the goods. This is elegant and engaging, offering up green apple, jasmine and waves of citrus. But don't look past the mouthfeel, starting with a very fine bead and rolling into a creamy palate and lingering vibrancy from the citrusy acid. A perfect sipper for any day of the week, but with evident quality - Sam Kim scored this 95pts.
House Of Arras Brut Elite NV
5 star Halliday-rated Tassie bubbles - does it get much better? E.J. Carr and his legendary House of Arras are commonly considered the best sparkling producer in all of Australia, one that rivals the top houses of Champagne. There’s elegance abounding, a refreshing crispness and plenty of subtle notes of lychee, brioche, oyster and peach. And if medals are your thing, Brute Elite has a nice collection of trophies and golds. So if you love Champagne but want to drink Australian wines, you really can’t find a bottle more fitting than this.
Pierre Bertrand Brut 1er Cru NV
That said, if Champagne is what you’re after this spring, look no further that Pierre Bertrand Brut 1er Cru. With multiple 98pt scores, who’s arguing? Almost equal parts chardy, pinot noir and pinot meunier, this impressive Champagne walks the line between fruity and mineral very well indeed. You could happily have this before, throughout and after any meal (it may or may not be the Champagne of choice at our staff parties too). For those who want awesome, premier cru grower Champagne at the price you’re only going to get mainstream slush for, get amongst this. Exuberant personality but finesse in volumes, it’s a complete no-brainer.
Champagne NV – Black Market Deal #35512
One we’ve got to keep under wraps - but it’s not going to stop us shouting about how good this is. 96pts in the Decanter World Wine Awards. This wine. This is the wine. Of course, it's not any wine, it's Champagne- and a bloody incredible one at that. When the world was forced to step off the planes during the pandemic, we were flying high with this deal that landed in our laps. Luckily, our mofo's went bonkers over it, and we've managed to continue the good times rolling ever since. The flavours of caramel apples dance with pear and brioche, almond nougat and mixed citrus all do leaps and bounds on the tongue. It's got some length, making it a suitable pairing for the mightiest of dishes at that dinner party you're hosting. If there's a couple of bottles of this going, your guests are going to leave impressed.
Keen to check out more fizz? Shop the full sparkling range here.