Segura Viudas Brut Reserva NV (£8.99 Oddbins) Earthy lemon aromas, quite pleasant toasty notes, but then the finish is just too sweet and a little flabby. OK, but lacks crispness. C+
Raventós i Blanc Gran Reserva de la Finca 2005 (£21.99 Hamilton Yorke, Handford, Martinez, Davy’s Wine Shop, The Vineyard, SWIG) A slightly clay-like minerality here, again lemon (and citrus peel), with some of that bready complexity, and there’s also a hint of cocoa. Rich but dry, and while there’s some yeasty maturity, it still feels young. S(+)
Raventós i Blanc de Nit Brut Reserva 2007 (£17.99 Hamilton Yorke, Handford, Martinez, Davy’s Wine Shop, The Vineyard, SWIG) The fresh, earthy edge and biscuity bite of the l’Hereu, but infused with red berries, lovely balanced style, with plenty of fruit but also elegance and zest. Walks over most Champagnes at twice the price. S
Bisol ‘Cartizze’ Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Superiore 2008, Veneto, Italy (£22.99 Bibendum) Starts off lush and peachy, but then the minerally restraint kicks, adding a drier, more serious, clay-like edge and keeping you coming back for more. S-
Cono Sur Brut NV, Bío-Bío, Chile (£9.99 Morrisons, Oddbins, Tesco.com) Toasty sweet’n’sour Riesling character comes through strongly on the nose, also in the mouth. It tends to take over what without it would have been a quite elegant wine. Shame. C+
Codorníu Reina Maria Cristina Cava Brut Reserva 2007, Catalonia, Spain (£18.99 Majestic) Relaxed, confident style, showing some maturity, but still with a core of earthy citrus fruit, and a touch of herbs, a touch of sweetness, but nicely balanced. S-
Petaluma Croser 2006, Piccadilly Valley, South Australia (£16.06 Bibendum – £11.08 in the sale from Feb 2nd-15th) Showing some creamy, even cheesy lees edges, along with some of the strained chocolatey richness of a touch of oxidation. But these are all in balance with the rest of the wine, and the bready/biscuity citrus and pineapple get their chance to shine. Rich but dry, classy style. S
Champagne Moutard Cuvée des 6 Cépages 2004, France (£37.50 – Sommelier Wine Co, Markinch Wine Gallery, Winos, Den Boer Wines, Kevin O’Rourke Wines, Divine Wines, Vineyards, Cherchez le Vin, Ashbourne Wines, K D Brands Ltd, John Gordons Ltd, Beverley Bollons, The Larder, The Naked Grape, Bacchus)
(the 6 Cépages are Arbane, Petit Meslier, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir & Pinot Meunier)
Not much on the nose, or in the mouth. Has a creamy, herby edge, but not a great deal of flavour coming through at the moment. Nor with further time – am I missing the point here? B
Lots of stuff in the news at the moment about how Brits are deserting Champagne for Prosecco, Cava and other cheaper fizzes. Not much of a surprise that, since most of us aren’t awash with cash at the mo. But Prosecco and Cava are for me rather different beasts. Bog-standard Cava can be remarkably good, perfect stuff to practise your sabrage on, but it suffers from an image problem – suggest to someone that they spend £25 on a bottle of Champagne and they’ll say, OK. Suggest that they fork out the same amount for Cava and they’ll start spluttering. As for Prosecco, for me it’s the Pinot Grigio of the wine world. Terrific examples of both exist, but the wines that are currently swelling the sales figures are about as dynamic as Duffy’s dancing.
And Champagne… It’s the annual Champagne tasting this week, which I find a bit of an ordeal. There’s nothing too badly wrong with the wines (apart from their marketing-fuelled prices) but it’s dominated by the major brands, with only a handful of growers on show. I’m giving it a miss this year, partly because I can’t go to every tasting, but also because last year’s event left a bad taste in my mouth.
It’s also one of the most physically demanding tastings of the year. What all the multi-million pound ad campaigns never tell you is the combination of acidity and bubbles not only provides a stiff dental assault, but also has an effect lower down the digestive system, even for those spitting it all out. What chances are there for the region of having a new slogan of ‘Champagne – it gives you wind’?
