Miolo Brut Millesime 2008

Brazilian sparkling wine. That comment is one punctuation mark away from a WAG's to-do list but Brazil does indeed produce traditional method sparkling wines.

Located in the Vale dos Vinhedos, a sub-region of the Serra Gaucha, an area in the south-east of Brazil not too far from the coast.  Serra Gaucha isn't ridiculously hot with an average maximum temperature of 22.9 degrees and a minimum of 12.9 I don't know too much about Brazilian wines having forgotten almost everything I crammed into my mind during the WSET Diploma revision but Wines of Brazil have a cracking website to get you up to speed www.winesofbrasil.com

Miolo have 450 hectares in the Vale and their website (click here) touts a slightly terrifying corporate spiel involving Miolo being part of their 'project' plan and having only been set up in 2006; this juggernaut is definitely motoring along.

Now to the wine, the big question....Is the wine any good? Weeeeeell, kind of. A traditional method blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir it has been very well executed. Small, persistent bubbles, well balanced acidity, baked apple, stone fruit and toasty notes it is nicely put together and goes down nicely.

Overseen by Michel Rolland, flying winemaker extraordinaire, Miolo Millesime is competently made but lacks a certain something. Despite being perfectly pleasant the finish was a little short and left me wanting more. Tasted with two wine friends we all enjoyed the wine but the lack of passion left us thinking it was a little over-priced at just shy of £20 when for that price there are so many other really enjoyable new world sparklers like Green Point, Pelorus, Gloria Ferrer, Mumm Napa available at the same kind of price point.

The difference between a good wine and a great wine is often that little bit of magic. The strange witches brew of passion, good grapes and some (to quote the youth) mad winemaking skills. I think in time this wine will improve as someone who just has to make wine sparkle will find themselves at the helm and push this wine into some very interesting waters. One to keep a sneaky eye on...

Bertrand Devavry Gisele NV

You know the drill folks, if you are in the trade and talking about Champagne then one must diss the big houses and talk only about smaller and grower Champagnes. After trying the Bollinger Grande Annee 2002, the growers needed to deliver the goods with the assistance of Brad Pitt gliding in on a unicorn to impress me.

Bertrand Devavry are located in Champillon, north of Epernay with vineyards in several villages including Haut Villers, Sermiers and Romery with a Chardonnay dominance to their blends.

Apple, hawthorns and lemon on the nose the palate follows through with a similar flavour profile and a crisp, fresh acidity but a limited complexity. The wine is well put together with a creamy mousse and a balanced acidity but it isn't very interesting and doesn't have much of a finish. 

Slow start for the growers, there's better from Devavry to come but for the moment it's Big houses-1, Growers-nil*

*Bring me Brad Pitt on a unicorn and I'll say whatever you want me to about your wine...

Bollinger Rose NV

Rose champagne is a funny thing. Back in retail land, the suggestion of a rose when people were looking for champagne was often met with a dirty look and immediate dismissal of such a ridiculous idea. I didn't mind that much as it meant there was more for the rest of us who knew the joy of a good glass of pink bubbles.

One reason I am so enamoured of a rose champagne is that they are such excellent food wines and Bollinger Rose is no exception. Pale salmon pink with columns of small bubbles the nose showed redcurrants, wild strawberries and a yeasty, savoury edge to it. I could imagine guinea fowl with morel mushrooms being a delicious match or perhaps some duck with its juicy gameyness.

Redcurrants, strawberries, raspberries and mushrooms sit comfortably in a creamy mousse with refreshing acidity wrapping up to a toasty and long finish which gives the champagne excellent weight and complexity. Champagne is not just a drink for celebration, enjoying it all the way through a meal is a pleasure in itself and shows a different side to the wine. As ever Bollinger has delivered the goods so if you don't normally order a rose or drink champagne with food, this wine is a fantastic place to start.

Bollinger Special Cuvee NV

Sometimes I fully embrace my English-ness and enjoy the dynamic duo (or trio really) that is champagne with fish and chips. For these occasions Bollinger is always top of my list as it always brings full, complex flavours and a crisp acidity that cuts through the produce of a quality chippy.

Tasting the Special Cuvee NV at the CIVC tasting in Sydney was another reminder of why I always go back to this house. Pinot heavy, around three quarters of the blend comes from red grapes, the NV sees around four years ageing before being released. The use of cask maturation brings weight and complexity  to a very stylish wine.

Pale lemon-green in colour with apples, lemons, stone fruits and caramelised nuts on the nose the palate is clean with refreshing acidity that balances out the weightier nuts and mushroom characteristics that elegantly mix with fresh apples, lemons and hints of brioche.

An elegant and complex wine the Bollinger Special Cuvee deserves its moniker as something a little bit special that sets it apart from the crowd.

Bollinger La Grande Annee 2002

Every now and then a wine rocks around that gets me giddy. In that wonderful, affirming glad to be alive sort of way that tends to strike me when I go to New York, the Rodin museum in Paris or fly over the Andes. The wine that has got me all happy, happy, joy, joy* is the Bollinger La Grande Annee 2002. 

2002  is widely agreed to be one of the best vintages of recent times and after tasting some other excellent 2002's over the last year or so I was really impressed that Bollinger strode in there and in no uncertain terms, completely stole the floor.

It actually says wow in my notes but for those of you interested in a slightly more thorough approach to tasting terms here we go. Lemon with small fast moving bubbles the nose shows fresh apple, lemons, light toasty notes and some light floral scents. Pinot dominant with 40% Chardonnay the palate is taut and beautifully put together. 

The acidity gives good structure and the flavours of apple, lemon and light toastiness are joined on the palate with some mushroom and nutty characteristics and a long length on the finish. Like a tightly coiled spring the wine has almost a nervy energy to it which shows the promise of a truly outstanding champagne for the future.

It is quite hard to write a review for this without getting terribly over-excited but sometimes I think it is worth acknowledging that there are some wines out there that are worth the buzz. The fact that it is young but so good now and that its potential is there to see in the glass should be worth noting. Stonking champagne and a reason to clap ones hands together in glee and do the happy dance.

* Ren and Stimpy for those of you old enough to remember!

Jacob's Creek, Moscato Rose, NV, South Australia

For every action there is an equal an opposite reaction-Newton's Law

After the success of Jacob's Creek Moscato I had fairly high hopes for the Moscato rose. I am an eejit and no mistaking. On the nose flavours of strawberry laces and candy floss had my heart sinking. The palate lacked all the positive aspects of the white Moscato as without the acidity to balance out the sweetness the claggy feeling was there in full force. The flavours were not of fresh fruit but of pick and mix-fake cherries, marshmallows and more strawberry laces. Thankfully the finish is short but if you are offered the choice between the two Moscato's; don't take the red pill.

No:19 Jacob's Creek Moscato, NV, South Australia

Jacob's Creek has had mixed fortunes so far with me; a fun, fresh and fruity rose did pretty well and we happily polished the bottle off between us at my small friends joint first birthday party. Not the small friends you understand, they were busy smearing frozen watermelon on themselves and fighting over toys.

 Jacob's Creek NV not so good, reminiscent of pub carpets it was something of a calamity of a sparkling wine so when faced with their Moscato I approached it like a postman seeing an unfamiliar dog.

On the nose pears, peaches, apricots all made for a fresh and fruity start. On the palate a very similar story with hints of vanilla, candied peel and orange blossom diving in to the mix. At 9% this is as sweet as expected and has a creamy mouthfeel but good acidity to balance out the sweetness and avoids becoming claggy (Google it!)

Despite not having the obligatory gold stickers all over the bottle this wine is highly awarded and I can see why. It's a well balanced, approachable, fresh and fruity off-dry sparkler. If you are looking for something a little sweeter and a little lower in alcohol this isn't a bad place to start at all.