12x champagne & lookalikes
You celebrate a sparkling new year with bubbles from every corner of the world. The resolution for 2018: we’re going to drink plenty of bubbles. And that can be anything: from traditional French champagne to an original crémant.
Or surprise yourself and others with radiant Limburg, sparkling English, waltzing Austrian, or perhaps even glistening South African bubbles. An all-in-one option is possible too: a classic from Champagne, but daringly served over ice.
2x CHAMPAGNE
Sparkling wine from the Champagne wine region. Prepared according to the ‘méthode traditionnelle’—that is, with a second fermentation in the bottle, which causes the bubbles to form inside the bottle itself—and made from one or more of the traditional grape varieties chardonnay, pinot noir and/or pinot meunier.
J. M. Goulard – Champagne Brut Esprit Octavie
Champagne, France | chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot meunier
elegant, full-bodied, refined
a.o. Brouzje € 35.50
Beautiful champagne from a relatively small champagne house, and therefore offering an attractive price-to-quality ratio.
Pommery – Royal Blue Sky SUR GLACE
Champagne, France | pinot noir, pinot meunier, chardonnay
intense, lightly sweet, surprising
a.o. at Gall&Gall € 49.99
A trendy, lightly sweet champagne from Pommery that you drink with ice cubes. Also lovely with desserts.
4x CRÉMANT
4 sparkling wines from other—usually French—wine regions, produced in the same way as champagne. The grape varieties used often differ, however.
Crémant d’Alsace Brut Adam
Alsace, France | pinot noir, auxerrois, pinot blanc
soft, smooth, rich
a.o. at Gall&Gall € 14.99
Crémant from a distinctive wine region with equally distinctive wines. A delicate and light-footed alternative to champagne.
Crémant de Bourgogne Blanc de Blancs – Domaine de la Creuze Noire
Burgundy, France | 100% chardonnay
Mature, spicy, hazelnut
a.o. at Colaris.nl € 16.75
This wine was named the winner in the sparkling wine category (up to € 30.00) at the Perswijn Wine Competition Autumn & Winter 2016.
Winterling Crémant Brut Pinot Rosé 2011
Pfalz, Germany | 100% pinot noir
a.o. at Markvandewijn.nl € 16.95
A distinctive rosé bubbly from Germany. We know German bubbles as Sekt, but Winterling prefers to call this 100% pinot noir a crémant.
Baumard Carte Turquoise Brut
Loire, France | 100% cabernet franc
creamy, refined, fresh
a.o. at De Gouden Ton € 18.50
A distinctive blanc de noirs made from an original grape (with, secretly, a little white chenin blanc and chardonnay as well).
6x DIFFERENT
6 sparkling wines from other wine countries—nearby or far away—made from a classic variety or a surprising local one. Once again, they use the same traditional production method as champagne.
Espumoso Carrasviñas – Félix Lorenzo Cachazo
Rueda, Spain | 100% verdejo
Aromatic, refined, pure
a.o. at Anfors € 14.50
This crisp, fresh grape can also produce remarkably beautiful sparkling wine.
Schlumberger Grüner Veltliner
Vienna, Austria | 100% grüner veltliner
fruity, elegant, lightly spicy
a.o. at buyyourwine.com € 14.55
Surprising—and delicious—sparkling wine made from a typically Austrian grape.
Genevieve MCC – Blanc de Blancs Brut 2011
Overberg, South Africa | 100% chardonnay
Fresh, approachable, fruity
a.o. at WineMatters € 22.95
A beautiful Cape sparkling wine; MCC stands for Méthode Cap Classique.
Apostelhoeve – Cuvée XII – Brut 2014
Limburg, Netherlands | auxerrois, müller-thurgau, pinot gris
fragrant, fresh, elegant
a.o. at Siersma Wijnadvies € 25.00
Beautiful Dutch bubbly that holds its own against the classic wine countries.
Franciacorta Cascina San Pietro Satèn
Franciacorta, Italy | 100% chardonnay
Complex, silky smooth, vanilla
a.o. at Franciacorta Slijterij € 27.70
The Italian answer to champagne. Satèn means 100% chardonnay, a blanc de blancs.
Ridgeview Grosvenor – Blanc de Blancs
Sussex, England | 100% chardonnay
a.o. at Vindict.nl € 33.75
England is the up-and-coming sparkling wine country. Decanter Magazine even rated this wine as ‘World’s Best Sparkling Wine’.
