No.34:Rococo Blanc de Blancs, De Bortoli

26th May 2011 was chardonnay day across the globe and although the thought did fleetingly cross my mind that I should taste something without bubbles, I did not waver from the effervescent path.

This beautifully opulent bottle comes from one of Australia's first families of wine, De Bortoli who are located in the Yarra Valley and make a range of sparkling wines alongside some impressive still and fortified options.

Soft and fruity is the best way to describe this wine which has spent 14 months on its lees after its initial fermentation taking place in both barrel and tank. Apples, lemons combine with floral and citrus notes on the nose which is carried on to the palate where it is eagerly welcomed by some peachy stone fruit flavours and a little yeasty fresh bread.

Created for consumption on purchase (maybe get home first, I don't think they mean the car park!) this wine performs a neat trick in being easily accessible without being tedious. A smooth and creamy mouthfeel with fresh ripe fruits and hints of the 14 months spent on lees, Rococo is a pleasant and enjoyable glass of bubbly. For mid-week luxury, this was a real hit.

Yellowglen Cremant 2007

The last night in Wellington was an emotional one as I was heading back to glorious Tassie to start work but it meant saying goodbye to my small friend. My small friend is not a plastic giraffe but she is a very, very funny 1 year old so we had a big family dinner to see me off to Tas and them off to Thailand.

Having spent a whirlwind week which saw me toast my wonderful grandmothers long life with Pol Roger Rose 2002, Sunday lunch was a more muted affair with our usual roast chicken and a bottle of something. Off-dry and easy drinking according to the blurb I thought I would give Yellowglen another try after the success of the Yellowglen Perle 2006.

After writing up the Rosemount Ruby O it is interesting to go to another big branded sparkler and get such a different response.  Pale lemon with small fast moving bubbles and some beading on the rim the nose had toasty notes, baked apple, yeastiness and tropical fruits all thrown in.

Ripe and fruity on the palate the residual sweetness added a roundness and softness to the wine and it doesn't become cloying due to the fresh acidity and crisp lime and lemon citrus elements.

The wine held up to gossiping and a fine roast chicken so it did its job for the evening. Some tears, smiles and giraffe impressions later we were all off on to the next adventure to see what life has in store for us all.

Rangipo Desert, New Zealand

Rosemount Ruby 'O' 2009

So fashion and sparkling wine...... Many years ago when God was a boy and dinosaurs roamed the earth I modelled some clothes from the local designer store and was given a comfortable amount of Moet Rose for my trouble (and a faaancy black dress).

When I was told there was to be a lingerie fashion show with drinks I had high hopes. Sadly this didn't go quite so well on either front. I was hoping for the sort of lingerie a Bond girl would wear or something that Scarlett Johansson would wear in those Dom Perignon adverts and the bubbles to match.

The lingerie wouldn't have covered a mouse and the wine also did not elicit excitment nor luxury. They are indeed high-ball glasses with ice which contains the Ruby O in the picture above. Made from non-specific varietals in the year 2009 the Rosemount Ruby O is a spectacularly non-descript wine.

Pale salmon pink with medium sized bubbles and aromas of cherry and redcurrant. On the palate wild strawberries and candy floss get in the mix to create a ripe and fruity wine. I don't really have much more to say about this to be honest. There's nothing wrong with it, not chock full of sugar or anything like that but it's just....fine, which I appreciate is up there on the insult scale of calling something nice but it is just fine.

I'm sure this is the sort of wine that would go down a storm on Ladies Day at the races and hen nights but the highlight of the evening of me was the cake, chocolate dream from Floriditas. If you're ever in Wellington, pop down to Floridita's for a Jansz rose and cake and pick your own undies! A far superior combo and more fun without a shadow of a doubt.

Pol Roger Rose 2002

To poorly mis-quote from one of my favourite films, Serendipity "The Ancient Greeks did not write obituaries, they simply asked 'Did he have passion?" So, as expected, the sad news of a loved one passing brings questions of how to live ones life and whether one will be happy with the view when one looks back over the years.

I am a big fan of Pol Roger personally as was former Prime Minister Winston Churchill the former inhabitant of No.10 Downing Street where my grandmother worked in the 60's. So when the chance appeared for some Pol Roger 2002 rose, I felt it would be a fitting toast to a woman who lived a long and varied life.

Medium salmon-pink in appearance with tiny, fast moving bubbles forming fine beading on the rim. Crisp red fruits and savoury notes combine on the nose with hints of cocoa and quince. These flavours continue onto the palate where hints of vanilla, Iberico ham, crunchy red apples and citrus. 

This wine is still in its infancy with many years ahead of it but it was delicious despite its youth. So after much pondering I figure one should drink the good bottles not look at them, buy the nice biscuits, kiss the wrong boys and take that trip. 

Life is for living and I want to look back at my life having drunk some incredible wines not just read about them. I want to see the world and all it offers and when I'm sat with my grandchildren in my 90's I'll have stories to tell about the life that I lived. Thank you Granny.

Joyce Haslam-Stuart

No.50: Fleur de Lys 2008, Seppelt

The wines from Seppelt make a few appearances on the 100 Australian sparkling wines to try and every time I try a new one I know why. From the el cheapo NV I tried in Brisbane airport to the Salinger vintage we had with the royal wedding to the 2008 we drank on our girly night out, they are all really well put together wines.

Sparkling wine has been made at Seppelt since 1890 when Hans Irvine brought Charles Pierlot over from Champagne to make traditional method sparkling wines. Since then I am not the only person having a love-in with their bubbles as they have received much critical acclaim over the years.

Located in the Grampians, an area 4 hours to the north-west of Melbourne, this historic region has seen wine produced here since the 1860's with its cool climate and mountain range being a lure to emigrating wine makers from Europe.

So to the wine....autolytic and savoury on the nose with caramelised sugar and baked apples sitting harmoniously with some toasty notes. On tasting it there are flavours a plenty. Mushrooms, cashew nuts, baked apples, stone fruits, preserved lemons, vanilla, yeastiness and a refreshing acidity that keeps it from being overly rich.

I would say that the 08 is at peak, drink now so roast a chicken and invite some friends over for a delicious Sunday dinner. Glorious!

Gosset Brut Excellence NV

Some things in life are better than others and there is no greater pleasure than drinking champagne with friends. There was much to celebrate, an anniversary, an impending wedding, a visa and a welcome to the house so what else could we do but get glammed up and head on out to drink some bubbles.

Gosset have their caves in the small village of Ay just outside Epernay and they are the oldest wine house in Champagne having been set up in 1584. The house style is fresh and crisp with them avoiding malolactic fermentation and the richer, softer, creamier flavours that brings.

The Excellence Brut is a blend of 45% Pinot Noir, 36% Chardonnay and 19% Pinot Meunier. Visually the bottle is beautiful and the first glass is as tightly constructed with tiny fast moving bubbles forming a neat fine beading on the rim. The nose has baked apples, lemon, toasty notes which follow through on to the palate. 

There are hints of development with savoury notes coming through alongside hints of vanilla, stone fruit and strawberry. With a creamy mouthfeel the Gosset is really well put together and has an incredibly pleasant and stylish finish.

No:63 Salinger 2006, Seppelt (oh and some wedding or other)

So Friday 29th April would normally have been interesting only to me as it would mark the countdown to my birthday. 1 month to go, what shall I open and all that but this year was different. Our future king would be marrying the future queen and shock horror it looks like they love each other. I'm from the generation that witnessed Diana and Fergie's weddings so it's a bit of a novelty this happy royal wedding shenanigans.

So what to drink on the big day? Well Pol Roger is pencilled in for my own personal visa celebrations so I have continued on a Commonwealth theme and gone for Seppelt's Salinger 2006. 

A blend of 54% Pinot Noir, 42% Chardonnay and 4% Pinot Meunier from fruit sourced in the Grampians the base wines are fermented separately before being blended and fermented in bottle. The Salinger goes on to spend another 3 years on its lees before being released.

So as the bride slipped into her armoured vehicle to head to the church I cracked open the Salinger. A delicate lemon green in appearance with plenty of sprightly fast moving bubbles. A complex and interesting nose with honeysuckle, leesy characteristics, dairy and apples coming through.

Honeyed flavours abound on the palate with cashews, fresh bread, lemon, crisp apples, white blossoms and yeasty autolytic notes coming together. With a creamy mouth feel and a real complexity on the palate this wine was hard to fault until the end. I would say that the Salinger is 'at peak, drink now' as the finish is more abrupt than one would expect with so much complexity on the nose and palate. 

An enjoyable glass of bubbles and a pretty good pick for unexpected celebrations over the coming months. Maybe a post-wedding royal bump?

Duval-Leroy 1996

A life without passion is no life at all. This is also how I feel about champagne so when the opportunity arrived to try some 1996 Duval-Leroy I obviously leapt at it. Rebecca at Wineseeker has managed to secure some of the '96 at an outrageously good price so it seemed criminal not to open some over Easter.

1996 as many of you already know was a stonking year for Champagne with wines providing much longevity and finesse making them highly sought after by those who love their bubbles.

The Duval-Leroy did not disappoint, it was glorious! Antique gold in appearance with small sprightly bubbles, the nose is pronounced it entices one in with big rich flavours of mushroom, candied peel, truffle, baked apple and fresh bread. 

On the palate the maturity is evident with heady savoury flavours, cashew nuts, honey and mushrooms but there is a lively acidity that keeps things fresh and well structured. The wine still has youthful traits and flavours of lemon, crisp green apples and floral notes. I would be interested in trying this again in a year or so to see how it has developed over time as it still seems to have plenty of life left in it. 

Duval-Leroy 1996 was a real treat to drink and a joy to review; for those new to vintage champagne it is an easily accessible example of a well made wine from a very exciting year.