Never is so much sparkling wine enjoyed as at Christmas and the turn of the year. The variety of sparkling gems is great, and to help you choose the right bottle, finews.com wine editor Peter Keller selected five very different types to serve either as an aperitif or as an accompaniment to food.
Lily Bollinger, long-time head of the eponymous champagne house was once asked on what occasions she enjoyed sparkling wine.
Her legendary answer: «I drink champagne when I am happy and when I am sad. Sometimes I drink it when I'm alone. And when I have company, I can't miss it. When I'm not hungry, I use it to work up an appetite. If I am hungry, I let myself taste it. Otherwise, I don't touch it except when I'm thirsty.»
Top Dog or Italian
Indeed. Not only champagne, but other sparkling wines go well with any occasion. They are pleasant and, above all, excellently suited to a great many dishes. The variety of different types is great of course, although they have one thing in common: sparkling carbonic acid, which is responsible for the fine bubbles.
Without a doubt, champagne takes the role of top dog. But the most popular bubbly in Switzerland comes from Italy, more precisely from the Veneto. Prosecco scores with its straightforwardness and its price.
Lots of Pleasure for Every Taste
The second fermentation of Spumante takes place in pressure tanks, meaning it is less complex and takes less time. In the case of Champagne and other sparkling wines such as Franciacorta, Cava, and high-quality German Sekt, the second fermentation takes place in the bottle instead. The wine then ages on its lees for some time until it is released to the market.
We have selected five different sparkling wines from five countries. They promise plenty of enjoyment for the coming festive season, with something for every palate.
1. The Uncomplicated: Prosecco Crede Brut 2021, Bisol, Italy
This fruit-driven, lightly sparkling wine from the Crede site is produced primarily from the Glera variety and some Pinot Bianco. Carbonic acid is present.
Aromas of white fruits develop on the nose. Ideal for aperitifs, this is a good Prosecco in the Superiore DOCG category. Bisol is one of the best producers in the area (price: 15.80 francs).
2. The Prestigious: Champagne Ruinart Brut
Champagne from the famous house consists mainly of Pinot noir and Chardonnay. A small proportion of Pinot Meunier complements this successful cuvée with a fine perlage. On the nose, notes of white fruits, flowers, and some brioche are evident.
The sparkling wine is elegant and finishes with good length. Not quite dry. For a Brut, the dosage of 9 grams of sugar per liter is at the upper limit (price: 59.00 francs).
3. Patriotic (If you're Swiss): Blanc de Noir Brut, Adank Winery, Switzerland
This estate from the Buendner Herrschaft region consistently delivers high-quality sparkling wines that undergo bottle fermentation. The wine was on its lees for about two years. The result is a dry, aromatically layered, elegant, and complex Blanc de Noir made exclusively from Pinot noir (price: 36.00 francs).
4. The Surprising: Sparkling Classic Cuvée Brut, Nyetimber, England.
The island is considered an insider tip and delivers first-class qualities in the sparkling wine sector. Probably the best producer is Nyetimber, as this sparkling wine is made from the classic Champagne varieties Pinot noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay proves.
It is convincing with its variety of aromas of apple and brioche notes, has a fine perlage, is intense and animating on the palate, elegant, and relatively long-lasting. The yeast aging time is three years (price: 55 francs).
5. The Spectacular: Sparkling Réserve Rosé Brut 2014, Raumland Winery, Germany.
The color pink is a megatrend, even in sparkling wines. This bottle-fermented sparkling wine has been on its lees for no less than 90 months. For something resting for so long, the price is unbeatable.
The wine is a delight as well. A fine aroma of red fruits, brioche notes, fine perlage, dry on the palate, finesse, creamy, animating, very nice drinking flow. The Raumland estate has revolutionized sparkling wine production in Germany (price: 30 francs).
