Sparkling
New series on downunderwines: what are you drinking right NOW.
We have been thinking about our many subscribers and how to better integrate them on Downunder Wines. We receive so much feed back on our posts and comments on what wine you like.
So here is the start to our new series: what are you drinking right now? We call this section ‘my drink today‘ – it is very simple: you’ll send us a photo and a few words of what you are drinking and why you like it. Too easy.
The Croser Sparkling from Adelaide Hills
Let us start with Corinne Torres from Surry Hills in Sydney:
“Hello there, I am drinking a sparkling wine from South Australia called CROSER. A very elegant drop and very fresh – It never disappoints!”
This was probably the right wine for a long weekend, today’s bank holiday and the finish of the footie season Down Under had many of us celebrating. Thank you Corinne for your entry and the start to our new series here on Downunder Wines.
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Wir starten hiermit eine neue Serie, sie heisst: ‘my drink today’ und sie zeigt was Sie gerade heute trinken. Bitte haben Sie Verstaendnis, dass wir uns in dieser Kategorie auf australische Weine konzentrieren wollen. Viel Spass dabei und senden Sie uns einfach Ihren Beitrag mit einem Foto an unsere email info (at) downunderwines.net oder nutzen Sie unser Kontaktformular.
Methode Traditionelle from the Southern Highlands
Australia’s top sparkling wines are very close to the french champagnes. In a former post we recommended Tasmania’s sparklings, the innovative ‘methode tasmanoise‘ was all present at Sydney Airport too.
Cool Climate Methode Traditionelle
Twenty years ago, some brands in Germany started with the ‘methode traditionelle’ or ‘methode champagnoise’ and did everything the way the French do with their champagne, only not using the grapes form the champagne region (hence not calling the end product champagne). It worked well, even in the country which loves German Sekt from German drink giants such as Henkell or Rotkaeppchen.
One of our current favourite sparklings here Down Under comes from Cuttaway Hill. These guys entered the sparkling arena only last year and what an entry this was: their top sparkling is named Laurence Chardonnay Pinot Noir and won the gold medal in Murrumbateman and a couple of silvers in its first year. Impressive.
The Laurence range of sparkling wines from Cuttaway Hill wines are named in honour of the founder of Cuttaway Hill, Laurence O’Neil. A premium single vineyard blend from hand harvested grapes followed by a slow cool primary fermentation only for the base wine was the base for this sparkling. The end product is then made in a traditional single bottle fermentation method and aged on lees for a minimum of two years before disgorgement and release. Low yields and dry ripening conditions produced full flavoured wines for Laurence.
We like this combination of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir – both excellent grapes that grow well in cool climate conditions here in the Southern Highlands. And Laurence is an excellent example of well made sparklings Down Under.
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Unsere Serie ueber australische Sparklings wird heute fortgesetzt mit einem pitzelnden Wein der Marke ‘methode traditionelle’. Jene Bezeichnung wird nicht mehr lange auf australischen Flaschen stehen duerfen, denn im Einigungsvertrag zwischen der EU und Australien hat sich Letzteres dazu verpflichtet, jenen franzoesischen Ausdruck nicht mehr auf australischen Flaschen zu verwenden.
Hier in der cool climate Gegend Southern Highlands werden erstklassige Chardonnay und Pinot Noir Trauben angepflanzt. Jene sind Grundlage fuer den Laurence Sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir, ein erster Wurf der Cuttaway Hill Winery und ein aeusserst erfolgreicher dazu: der sparkling sahnt bereits in seinem ersten Jahr eine Goldmedaille nach der anderen ab – ein koestlicher Tropfen, der Lust auf weitere sparklings hier aus Down Under macht.
Ihr Michael Brecht
Our new series on Australia’s sparkling wines
The financial crisis made even the wealthiest wine drinkers realise, that there is more to sparkling wine than just Champagne. We’ve been following a few wineries here in Australia working on their own Sparkling wine in the past months to meet increasing market demand.
A Magnum of Dom Perignon Champagne
The production of sparkling wine itself is quite an interesting process and the results are sometimes rewarding, sometimes it has to be realised that the French did quite well to secure the term ‘Champagne’ for themselves. It takes quite a long time and experience to be listed in the top restaurants, brands such as Dom Perignon are unique and have a close following around the globe.
Follow our new series on Australian Sparkling from this week onwards: how to make a new sparkling, what grapes work best, bottle fermented or methode champagnoise, why can’t we just name it Champagne – and so on.
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Seit einigen Monaten begleiten wir eine kleine Anzahl an Winzern, die ihr Weinsortiment um einen eigenen australischen Sparkling erweitern werden. Wir haben dabei eine Menge gelernt und werden in den kommenden Wochen darueber in unserer neuen Serie ‘Australian Sparkling’ berichten.
Ihr Michael Brecht
A new sparkling Chardonnay from DogRidge – we love that pup
Before leaving to Germany for our summer holidays we were able to try a new sparkling coming out of McLaren Vale. Introduced as ‘The Pup’, one of the first bottles out of DogRidge’s cellar arrived on our doorstep and we couldn’t resist opening it on the night. It was also the birthday of our dog, so we thought that the occasion was appropriate.
Sparkling Chardonnay from DogRidge
Wine maker Fred Howard this time delivers a sparkling Chardonnay with the best match of variety, vineyard and terroir.
The resealable top allows you to save a sip for later, if you really have to: Peel – Lift – Reseal – the three magic words for this excellent closure of your bottle. It is the first time I have used this seal, it was as easy as with the only open question for us remaining, whether the seal really works. Why: we simply drank the sparkling on the night and therefore didn’t have any leftovers to be sealed for the night.
The official release date of this sparkling is the 1st of August – so you have to be a bit patient before trying it out yourselves.
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The Pup – oder ein neuer Welpe kommt aus dem Hause DogRidge aus McLaren Vale. Wir hatten das Vergnuegen eine der ersten Flaschen zu testen, weit vor dem offiziellen Startdatum, dem 1. August. Ein herrlich frischer Australian Sparkling, frisch, fruchtig und ideal fuer den schoenen Sommerabend mit ein paar Freunden auf der Terasse. ‘Der Pup’ kommt in einer Flasche mit neuem wiederverschliessbaren Verschluss, ‘Peal – Lift – Reseal’ sind die magischen Worte – letztlich benoetigten wir diesen Komfort nicht, denn wir tranken die Flasche an jenem Abend komplett aus.
Also: ab dem 1.8. im australischen Einzelhandel, hoffentlich bald auch einmal in Europa.
Ihr Michael Brecht
Happy Mother’s Day
Tasmanian Sparkling for Mother's Day
It is Mother’s Day in Australia and millions of mums were treated with breakfast in bed or taken out for lunch today. My wife’s treat was an extensive brunch hosted by our children with lots of presents usually prepared in school or in the early hours of this morning.
Tonight we will open a nice bottle of Australian Sparkling – which reminds me of a great saying by Napoleon Bonaparte about Champagne:
“I drink Champagne when I win, to celebrate … and I drink Champagne when I lose, to console myself.”
Well, the reason today is a special one: cheers to all the mums, whether in Australia or somewhere else in this world.
Michael Brecht
Barossa Breakfast
How do you start your day, when in the Barossa Valley?
With a Sparkling Shiraz and Fried Eggs
The Barossa Valley
Enjoy!
Southgate in Melbourne turns into a cellar door on the weekend
One of my top favourites of the busy Melbourne Food and Wine Festival happens on Saturday and Sunday (21/22 March). More than 60 wineries from Victoria will show their best wines at Southgate.
Enjoy a few tastings for just $25.00 (including wine tastings) and try yourself through the many great wines. The adjacent restaurants are offering lunch or tasting plates – if you are in Melbourne this weekend, do not miss this event.
On top you’ll be able to participate in educational sessions throughout the day, Victorian Sparkling, Pinot Noir or Italian Varietals will all be explained in smaller sessions.
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Einer der Hoehepunkte des Food and Wine Festivals in Melbourne ist die ‘Cellar Door’ in Southgate, also entlang des Yarra Flusses im Zentrum von Melbourne gelegen. Mehr als 60 Winzer zeigen hier ihre juengsten Erzeugnisse, eine grossartige Gelegenheit, die viktoianischen Tropfen kennen zu lernen.
Ihr Michael Brecht
Methode Tasmanoise by Jansz – sparkling at Sydney Airport
I love traveling in Down Under. My favourite sport at Australian airports is ad-spotting – there is always a new, fun advertisement surprising travellers from all over the world.
Today I found ‘Methode Tasmanoise’ – my favourite sparkling for an Australian sun-downer in oversize combined with the french-tassie play of word. I absolutely love it.
Tasmanian Sparkling in Sydney
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Ich bin ein grosser Fan von australischen Flughaefen. Hier finde ich jedes Mal eine neue, witzige Werbung, mein Mobile ist gluecklicherweise immer griffbereit.
Heute kam ich an meinem australischen Lieblings-Sparkling (Champagne duerfen wir hier ja nicht sagen) vorbei, die Methode Tasmanoise ist ein schoenes Wortspiel.
Ihr Michael Brecht
