Show your sweetheart a sparkling world of love this Valentine’s Day….
The whole world of wine has been exploding with fizz in the last few years. And the great news for British wine fans is that more and more of these tasty treats are finding their way to our shores so brace yourself to take the plunge and order something other than Champagne or Prosecco ( or Champagne and Prosecco if you want as well).
Find out the full range of flavours this fizzy feast of global wines can offer - here are a few of our favourites.
1 & 6: Sparkling Cider These English beauties have gained in popularity over the years, diverging from their less than desirable reputation to gaining a name for themselves as equals to pet nats and craft beer. Here we have the Tickerage Cyder made by Blackboys Vineyards in East Sussex. It’s made using locally sourced apples and is crisp and dry - perfect as an aperitif accompanying oysters! Next up is the Little Pomona NV Brut Cremant Cider made using completely organic practices and in the champagne style. This cider started out in oak fermenting with wild yeasts and progressed to a second fermentation in the bottle with cultured champagne yeasts, earning the title of ‘Cremant’ style cider. It is something really quite different and special - it isn’t your everyday cider! Think honeysuckle with it’s floral sweetness, syrup-y nectarine and a savoury, dry finish.
2: Champagne If you are looking for True Romance - look no further. From the house of Pierre Mignon the Premier Cru Grande Reserve Champagne, a blend of pinot meunier, chardonnay and pinot noir from different vintages create this complex and very well balanced champagne with a tart acidity and the tell-tale bakery aromas and a creamy, long finish. If you’re impressing your Valentine by cooking up some creamy mushrooms this wine pairs perfectly as the fresh, citric taste will cut straight through and compliment the flavour.
3 : Cava - Stars Made in the same way as Champagne and English Sparkling wine, Cava offers exceptional value. It is made of three Spanish grape varieties and fermented for a second time in the bottle. Our Stars Cava was created to celebrate the prestigious music festival held annually at Castillo Peralada. If you are on a budget (well, lets face it, who isn’t?) This probably offers the very best price for quality. It’s delicious with fine bubbles, clean tasting, bright and dry. The perfect start to a romantic meal for two.
4: Sparkling Red - Black Queen Sparkling Shiraz. Intense and boldly flavoured Shiraz grapes from old, low-yielding vines make up this wine inspired by and named after the Queen of Sheba. This is definitely what I’ll be having on the 14th February. In fact this wine is our fizz of choice on almost all our celebrations and special occasions. Hope you love it as much as we do. It’s vegan too.
5: Cremant de Limoux Calmel & Joseph are two rather lovely French gentlemen who make fabulous wines on their biodynamic vineyard in the south of France. Cremant is basically made in the traditional style (champagne style but not from the champagne region). This is made with champagne grapes and some chenin blanc rounds it out beautifully. Green apple and citrus on the nose joined with peach-like notes on the palate. Fine bubbles, good acidity and a dry and refreshing finish.
7: Prosecco You rarely go wrong opting for a bottle of Prosecco, and you definitely won’t with the Biscardo Millesimato Extra Dry made by the the Biscardo brothers in Soave, Italy. This is a premium prosecco with plenty of tart citrus and aromatic peach; there’s a lot of flavour in the glass and plenty of bubbles. This is definitely fun and flirty - and at a price that is very attractive!
So grab a bottle online or in the shop and get that loving feeling - we provide the fizz, you provide the romance!