Kranz Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé Brut Sekt Weingut Kranz is a top-quality winery in the German region of the Pfalz (aka Palatinate). It started in 1948 in the south of the Pfalz region, not far from the French (Alsace) border. Today, it’s run by the fourth generation, Boris and Kerstin Kranz. The estate is organic and a member of the prestigious and influential VDP. …
Philipponnat Champagne Royale Réserve
Philipponnat Champagne Royale Réserve The Philipponnat family have been winegrowers and merchants in the Champagne region for sixteen generations. Their history dates back to 1522; they were suppliers to the Sun King, Louis XIV. But it wasn’t until 1910 that Auguste and Pierre Philipponnat created their Champagne house in the village of Mareuil-sur-Aÿ. There have been several changes in ownership …
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Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG (Pt.1)
Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG (Pt.1) As nearly everyone knows, Prosecco is an Italian success story that’s now an international phenomenon. The total production of all Prosecco is vast and still growing. Most of it comes from the colossal DOC, some 24,000 hectares of vines in Italy’s northeast, namely in the Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia regions. The DOC is now …
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Moratti – Creating the Champagne of the South?
Moratti – Creating the Champagne of the South? I recently took part in a 1-1 online wine tasting with Gian Matteo Baldi, of Castello di Cigognola. The Castello’s Metodo Classico sparkling wine project is from the Oltrepò Pavese area of Lombardy, south of Milan. We tasted four brilliant DOCG sparkling wines; all made from Pinot Noir under the Moratti brand …
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Herbert Hall English Sparkling Brut Rosé 2016
Herbert Hall English Sparkling Brut Rosé 2016 My first encounter with Herbert Hall wines was in 2016 with their Traditional Method Brut. That’s from Kent, and it proved to be one of the outstanding wines in a lineup of high-quality Britfizz. You can read about that here. However, Herbert Hall also makes a Brut Rosé of a similar calibre. Herbert Hall …
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Asolare: drinking Asolo Prosecco Superiore DOCG (Pt.2)
Asolare: drinking Asolo Prosecco Superiore DOCG (Pt.2) Part 1 introduced the Asolo Prosecco Superiore DOCG, setting it in a cultural context and describing its relationship with the larger Prosecco DOC and the neighbouring Prosecco DOCG of Conegliano Valdobbiadene. Now Part 2 features a dozen recommendations for Asolo Prosecco Superiore DOCG. In style, these range from bone-dry to sweet, each with food …
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Asolo: Prosecco with a sense of place (Pt.1)
Asolo: Prosecco with a sense of place (Pt.1) On a clear day in Venice, take a moment and look inland to north-north-west. On the horizon, shimmering in a lagoon haze, are a range of hills forming the first outliers of the alps, some 60 km distant across the pancake-flat land of the pianura. Here lies the town of Asolo; perched on …
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English Fizz comes of age
English Fizz comes of age. For English Fizz, this is the year that a step change happened. In years to come, we’ll look back at 2016 as the year everything seemed to go together. Climate change, professional winemaking, maturing vines, grape varieties, site selection, business and investment skills, media recognition, coveted awards and sheer self-confidence mean that English Sparkling Wines …
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What’s your Champagne Style?
What’s your Champagne Style? While there is but one way of making Champagne, not all Champagnes are the same. Champagne is a blend of three essential ingredients: grape varieties, vineyards and vintages. In combination, they can create a particular Champagne style. Champagne is a protected word, meaning it can only come from the Champagne region. Most Champagne is a blend. …
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