sparkling


Champagne H. Blin L’Esprit Nature Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut NV, France (£40 Wine Cellar Club, The Secret Cellar) Young, fresh style of Champagne, which sees quite voluptuous baked apple, stewed rhubarb and brioche flavours wrapped round a slender, steely/stony mineral backbone with a chalk note to the finish. Very […]

Three Champagnes from H Blin


Beginning in Italy with Prosecco. Or not… Rivolto Zanotto Vino Bianco Spumante Extra Dry NV, Veneto, Italy (£10 Vino Beano) Fresh, satisfying fizz, not massively complex but scores for its dry caramel and green apple flavours, dangerously moreish… B+   And another Italian I didn’t film… Il Serraglio Saliceto Buzzalino […]

Sparkling Wine Round-Up


Not yer average bottles, so are these not yer average wines…? Freixenet Prosecco NV, Veneto, Italy (£12 Ocado) Gentle, friendly style with a toffee-like edge to the ripe green apple and pumice-stone flavours, not massively complex, but slips down easily. B Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Réserve “Floral Sleeve” NV, France […]

Can you, should you judge a wine by its cover?



Not much more expensive than the regular Canard-Duchêne, and a major step up in quality Champagne Canard-Duchêne Parcelle 181 Extra Brut NV, France (£37.99 Champagne One, Champagnes and Chateaux) Fresh, elegant style, dainty on its feet, with notes of fresh and crystallised pineapple and a hint of orange peel set […]

Champagne Canard-Duchêne Parcelle 181 Extra Brut NV, France


LaCheteau Crémant de Loire Brut Rosé NV, France (£14.99 Ocado) Young vibrant, style, with lots of rich creamy red fruit flavour and yeasty bite, can’t fault it for depth of flavour, but it’s not the most subtle of sparklers… B(-) Champagne Gremillet Rosé Brut NV, France (£24.99 WineTrust100) This is […]

Two Sparkling French Rosés from the Loire and Champagne