Day & Night 2007, Tasmania

Own brand sparkling wine, where does one start? It was under $20 but it was made in Tasmania so I figured that if I was going to take a chance, Tassie bubbles are a pretty safe bet.

Made by a company based in Lutana just outside Hobart with fruit sourced from all over Tasmania, Day & Night is made for the 9/11 bottle shop chain. At four years old this blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay hopefully would show some developmental characteristics but beyond that I was intrigued but not overly expectant.

Lemons, baked apple and brioche on the nose was a good start and the palate followed through to be clean and fresh with ripe acidity, baked bread, apples, lemons and hints of toast with a slightly honeyed finish.

Day & Night 2007 is not going to set the world on fire but if funds are limited and you are in need of some tasty bubbles this really isn't a bad option to go for. It is pleasant to drink, crisp and nicely put together. Who says Tasmania can't do value for money?

No:4 Jansz NV Methode Tasmanoise

Jansz is probably one of the best known sparkling wines from Tasmania, it has previously appeared on the blog as a bargainous bubbles which is a factual statement. When it comes to bang for your bucks the Jansz NV delivers on every level, incredibly well put together and a real treat to enjoy around the globe so folks in the UK, New Zealand and the States can get involved.

Lemon, crisp green apples and honeysuckle combine with a creamy mousse and fine persistence to produce a truly classy fizz that has consistently impressed me over the years.

No.22: Ninth Island NV

Ninth Island NV

A blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, the fruit for Ninth Island NV is taken from the Pipers River area of Tasmania. The wine is left for 6-8 months on lees before spending another 24 months in the bottle.

The style of this sparkling wine is fresh, fruity and ready to go. This is definitely not a sparkler that will reward you for careful cellaring it is one to buy (cold ideally!) and then take on a picnic or to a party. Ninth Island is rich and ripe with bags of fruit and a really accessible style but if you're looking for Tasmania's signature style and finesse then I would pick another bottle from my 100 Aussie sparkling wines to try.

2011 New Years Resolutions

I love a New Years resolution. Not the horrible sort that mean no chocolate and no wine, I prefer them to include things like skydiving, learning how to make croissants from scratch and climbing mountains.

I can guarantee you that I will not be doing one of those things this year.

So what will 2011 bring? Not a clue other than things I can do nothing about (the Feds approving my visa so I can go and work at the fantastic Josef Chromy stable) therefore I should probably crack on with creating a few of my own adventures.

1. Drink local.
It would be churlish to live in Tasmania and not actually drink predominantly Tasmanian wine. Or Australian generally at the very least. There is so much  more to Australia than the battery farming for grapes that dominate the market. I shall be metaphorically rolling my sleeves up and getting stuck in to some of these beauties over 2011 Josef Chromy, Pirie, Clover Hill, Bay of Fires, Yarrabank and Jansz These are some of my personal favourites and if you still haven't experienced how good Aussie/Tassie fizz is this is the year to discover it.

2. Hit the road
Last year worked out well for me on the travel front. I managed to sneak in 2 visits to Champagne, trip to Bordeaux, Austria, English fizz country, Napa and obviously Tasmania. I defy any wine folk not to have an exact knowledge of the location of their passport and suitcase at any given time, it is one of the greatest bonuses of the job, seeing the world. 
Being in the locality; Australia and New Zealand is going to be as thoroughly explored as I can physically manage. Beyond that Chile is yet again bewitching me; a truly glorious vinous experience with kick-ass mountains.

3. Cuddle up to Chardonnay
The Chardonnay love-fest needs to step up to a new level in 2011. A trip to Ruinart and Taittinger where I tried some exceptional Blanc de Blancs reminded me how great it is on its own in champagne and sparkling wine. It's a great grape variety whether it's still or sparkling and can be heart stoppingly wonderful when treated with a little TLC.
It's time to put the creosote coloured chardonnay behind us and use the sausage analogy for a reminder of how badly things can go. If more people did this they would be hunting down chardonnay like Hobbits in a jewellery shop.

4. Chart the globe
It's going to take some doing but the sparkling wine map needs to be plotted and then thrown into cyberspace to help people navigate their way around Cava, Prosecco, Champagne, English fizz, Tasmanian sparklers and all the other bubbly beauties to be found in their wine shop. Anything to stop them buying nasty wine, they don't deserve it. Well some do but it's a minefield for the polite and friendly wine buying public if we don't help them.

5. Embrace some artwork
Life can't all be about wine. Just mostly. I'm pretty happy with my obsessive book buying, 50's dress fetish and the chocolate habit so maybe a little ink isn't a bad extra for 2011. Just not like this.

2011 is an unknown quantity at a mere four days old. Have fun over the next 361 days and be sure that at least once a week I shall be enjoying the dual pleasure of a glass of fizz and a good book. It's the little things that make the difference; not a resolution, just a fact.