Cheers to a Merry Christmas! Photo: Getty Images
Bubbles are great at any time of the year of course, but there’s no doubt that the festive season ups the ante on this wine style!
I’ve covered the bases with everything from a Moscato for those with a sweet tooth, a brand new bold and refreshing Ginger & Lime Spritz for summer sipping, the very first Marlborough Prosecco, a zesty new release Pet-Nat and a couple of classic Methode Marlborough alternatives to Champagne.
I trust that Santa will be good to you all and that amidst the hectic hustle and bustle of the season there’ll be time to sit back and relax with a fabulous glass of wine!
Thanks for reading the column this year; see you once again in January.
NV Jacob’s Creek Moscato Rose
Rating Very Good
Watermelon, lanolin,
clotted cream, spiced
red berries. Noticeable
sweetness here, fruit
lozenge/fruit cordial
notes, some honey in
the background with
stewed apple notes
appearing over time.
A sweeter style
that’s not in my
personal
wheelhouse, but it’s
clean, bright and
with good flavour
depth. Perfect for
those hunting for
that sweeter taste.
NV Brown Brothers Ginger & Lime Spritz
Rating Very Good
Bright lift of ginger leads
the way, citrus aspects in
the background, grape
scents later. Not
surprisingly ginger
drives the palate, the
lime influence coming
through too, a light
lick of sweetness
balanced by the
warmth of the ginger.
Just so wonderfully
refreshing and with
its lower 8% alc
would be smashing
on a summer’s day.
Ginger beer lovers
will be in heaven.
2023 Balvonie Methode Traditionelle Marlborough Prosecco
Rating Very Good to Excellent
Bready, biscuity qualities,
nutty characters, initially a
wisp of creaming soda.
Good mousse, finer bead
than typical Prosecco,
again those nutty
characters, a touch of
smoke, citrus flecks, a
drier expression with
lovely carry. Develops
a tangy aspect on the
nose with air while a
subtle honeyed note
begins to evolve on the
palate.
2024 Carrick Le Pet Nat
Rating Very Good to Excellent
Subtle at first, hints of nectarine,
toasty characters building with air.
A drier expression with an
almost tart quality that
works really well with the
fruit weight. Fine, elegant,
comes across as a more
serious style
complementary to food.
Really opens up with
time in the glass, lemon
and mandarin zest on
the nose, the flavour
depth swelling, in its
stride now.
2017 Tohu Rewa Methode Traditionelle Blanc de Blancs
Rating Excellent
Powerful yeast autolysis
notes, sour cream,
baguette, brown butter.
Again those notes on the
palate, butter on warm
baguette, a citrus element
bringing bright tanginess
with good length. Real
crispness, that acid
drive crying out for food
... smoked salmon a
perfect match. Took me
a while but the rapier like
thrust of this slowly won
me over.
2019 Deutz Methode Traditionelle Blanc de Blancs
Rating Excellent to Outstanding
A touch of wildness, grilled
nuts, savoury, umami
characters, underlying citrus
freshness coming through.
Lovely bready, biscuity
notes, a smear of lemon
curd on toast, spot on
balance with a long, dry
close. Brimming with
flavour, developing
powerful nuttiness that
drives this to an
engaging close. Likely to
be very smart money on
Christmas promo.
