It’s not a celebration without bubbles. So for the biggest celebration in the year, here’s the Australian sparkling wine to fizz up your Christmas and make your New Year go off with a pop!
There’s nothing quite like raising a glass of bubbly, the clink of glasses and sparkle of laughter. That pop the cork makes when you open a bottle of Champagne is our favourite sound.
It’s the very voice of the party. It’s the call to arms for everyone who wants to have fun – the battle cry for a good time.
Of course, the lauded lands of Reims and Épernay and their historic Champagne Houses produce some of the best-known and most loved French sparkling wine in the world. Some of the houses date back more than 260 years, and the art of creating ‘methode champagnois’ certainly began here.
But that’s not where sparkling wine ends.
In fact, sparkling wine is a truly international product. Here’s more on bubbly from around the world.
Australia makes some incredible sparkling wine that would challenge even the best old-world Champagne houses. And for a price point perspective, they tend to be much better value than French bubbles.
3 Aussie bubblies to raise a glass to
We’ve put together a few Aussie sparklings perfect for Christmas, New Year’s Eve, birthdays, honeymoons, Tuesdays… pretty much any moment you want to make a moment special.
House of Arras Brute Elite Cuvée 1501 – Tasmania
Awarded the best Australian Sparkling Wine in the 2019 Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships, Arras is an easy choice when you’re looking for quality in Aussie bubbles.
The combination of vintages and of the classic Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier blend bring structure, complexity and texture. Ultra-fine bead bubbles, a light straw colour and its signature vintage bottle shape make the Arras Elite 1501 the perfect bottle to bring out at the start of the party.
Find Arras Brute Elite Cuvée 1501 at House of Arras online and at fine wine retailers nationally. RRP $60.99
Grant Burge NV Sparkling Pinot Noir Chardonnay Rosé – South Australia
Grant Burge’s Sparkling Rosé brings a touch of glamour, colour and fun to your flute. The traditional blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay fruit, with a little blush from the Pinot grapes, allows more body and richness than its paler sparkling cousins.
Fresh red berry fruit flavours work well with the balanced acidity of a well-made Provencal style rosé. The bubbles give further expression to this excellent wine.
A worthy tipple for celebrations on its own or with food – think duck salads, cheese platters or even a good ol’ pavlova – this is a pretty pink yet grownup rosé.
Find Grant Burge NV Sparkling Pinot Noir Chardonnay Rosé at Grant Burge online and at fine wine retailers nationally. RRP $30.00
Petaluma Croser NV – Adelaide Hills
Performing as a high-quality French Champagne yet costing like a mid-range wine, Pelaluma’s Croser sparkling is the perfect party drink.
Fresh and delicate on the nose, light, biscuity nuttiness to taste and a firm yet fine bubble, this wine punches quite a way above its weight.
One of Australia’s premium sparkling wines, Croser has been a favourite of ours for years now.
Find Croser NV at the Croser online shop or in all major bottleshops nationally. RRP $35.00.
1 in 3 bottles of Champagne leaving France goes to the UK!
Here in Australia, we’re very lucky to be able to produce so many sparkling wines at such high quality. In places like the UK, they have to import the vast majority of their bubbles.
In fact, the UK is the biggest importer of French Champagne in the world. One in every three bottles coming out of France goes to Britain.
Meanwhile, down here we’re spoilt for choice of home-grown talent.
If you enjoyed this story, you’ll love these ones too:
– The best food pairings for Champagne
– Champagne traditions
– Champagne cocktails to get your weekend started
And for our other Champagne and sparkling stories, here’s access to our library.
