Black Chalk – Classic 2015 – first release Hampshire has become something of an English Sparkling Wine hotbed during the last few years. Perhaps it’s arguably not quite as well known for wine as say Kent, Sussex or Cornwall. However, there are nevertheless some 27 vineyards in Hampshire at present, 21 of which are making sparkling wine. Some of these …
Lessini Durello – Exciting Fizz from the Veneto
Lessini Durello – Exciting Fizz from the Veneto Between Verona and Vicenza in Northern Italy lies a currently obscure DOC, based on a little known Italian white grape variety called Durella. Eclipsed by Venetian vinous heavyweights such as Valpolicella, Soave and Prosecco, the tiny enclave of Lessini Durello nevertheless makes unique sparkling wines. Now, some thirty years after becoming a …
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 …
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 …
Knightor Trevannion. English Quality Wine from Cornwall
Knightor Trevannion. English Quality Wine from Cornwall I’ve been exploring English wineries recently; in Cornwall, Hampshire, Sussex and Kent. Trevannion is from a Cornish winery called Knightor. It’s less than five minutes drive from the Eden Project, near St. Austell. Only grapes grown in England and Wales can be used to make English Quality Wine. Hence the grapes are from Knightor’s Cornish vineyards, …
Mosnel EBB – White Gold for the 180th Birthday
Mosnel EBB – White Gold for the 180th Birthday Recently, Franciacorta winery Mosnel celebrated its 180th Birthday, and I was privileged to be invited to take part. In the course of their celebrations, they had a very special treat. It was an opportunity to taste every release of their vintage Franciacorta called Mosnel EBB, back to the very first vintage of …
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 …
I’m forever making Bubbles
I’m forever making Bubbles. Making Bubbles is a popular Wine Alchemy event; how different ways to create sparkling wines. Each has advantages and disadvantages. Wine comes from the alcoholic fermentation of freshly picked grape juice. We regard this as straightforward chemistry nowadays. However, that understanding is relatively recent. We know now that yeast digests the sugar in the grapes, producing alcohol and …
England, My England. Aka The British are Coming!
England, My England. Aka The British are Coming! While still a small industry, the quantity, and quality of the wines made in England and Wales are increasing. It’s getting hard to remember that English wine is only a recent success story. The death of English and Welsh wine In 1920, the last commercial vineyard in Britain was abandoned, finally ending a …
What is Franciacorta?
What is Franciacorta? Q: What is Franciacorta? A: A world-class sparkling wine region in Lombardy, Northern Italy. Franciacorta is the only real alternative sparkling wine region to Champagne. Their sparkling wine is world-class. I’m a huge fan and visit as often as I can. It’s a tiny area (map) of immense natural beauty, nestled between Bergamo and Brescia in Lombardy and bordering …