Sparkling wine is back, just pick your style

Sparkling wine is back, just pick your style

While sparkling wine is the ultimate party-starter and celebratory style, you don’t need a special occasion to enjoy it.

An all-round crowd-pleaser, it's a drink that fits comfortably in most situations and events.

Of all the wine styles, sparkling perhaps intrigues the most. There’s so much to know about its various grape varieties, methods of production and places of origin, making it a fascinating style.

Sparkling wine characteristics

Sparkling wine comes in many styles, depending on factors such as the dominant grape variety, the sugar level (dry, semi-dry, or sweet), and whether it’s a vintage or non-vintage style (it’s popular to puzzle together several vintages in places like Champagne, which is why you often see these wines labelled 'NV').

Other styles are becoming increasingly popular among Australian consumers, including Sparkling Reds and Rosé, Pét Nats, Prosecco and Blanc de Blancs, with sales of Australian-made 'prosecco' only bubbling from $60 million five years ago to $200 million today.

Sparkling Rosé has elevated in popularity of late and is now firmly established as a serious player in the Australian wine landscape.

Fun fact: Technically speaking, the only sparkling wines that can be referred to as Champagne are those made from the region Champagne, in the north-east of France. Late last year, Australian winemakers faced a fight to keep the name "prosecco" on their labels, after Italy began to push for exclusive rights to the grape variety, originally named after tiny village in Trieste, a province in northern Italy.

On the world stage, Australian sparkling is coming of age, increasingly gaining global recognition, and it's Tasmania that has been – and clearly remains – the sparkling epicentre of Australia.

What can I eat with Sparkling wine?

Despite a common misconception that fizz doesn't pair well with food, it is one of the most versatile wine styles around. The acidity and refreshing palate of sparkling wines make them ideal pairings with anything from rich, salty foods to oily and spicy dishes.

Sparkling wines also go well with soft cheeses like camembert and brie, but are especially delicious with shellfish like oysters and prawns.

Textural, sparkling rosés can match the headiness of flavoured seafoods such as salmon, while Pét Nats are great with cured meats, and even pastries and desserts.

Ideal serving temperature

The ideal temperature for drinking sparkling wine and Pét Nat is between 6-10 degrees. If you can, once refridgerated, place your bottle in a freezer for 10-20 minutes, so that every last remaining drop is fresh and crisp.

Strelley Farm Pét-Nat range

Short for ‘petillant naturel’, which loosely translates to naturally bubbling, these fun, fruity wines from Strelley Farm Estate have unique, distinctive aromas, a delicious fruit-driven palate and refreshing fizz. Crafted from premium fruit grown entirely in Tasmania’s pristine environment, these wines are fun and best enjoyed with friends.

Strelley Farm Estate Sparkling range

Strelley Farm Estate produces two stunning sparkling wines, with crisp flavours and amazing aromas. Made with fruit grown in Tasmania’s beautiful, pristine environment, these wines are a celebration of the estate, with the exquisite label artwork displaying the Richmond Bridge – Australia’s oldest – which connects Strelley Farm Estate to the historical town of Richmond.

Thalia range

Thalia is Tasmania's newest sparkling wine brand and comprises three elegant sparkling wines; a Reserve Cuvée, Rosé and NV sparkling, all handcrafted using the traditional method, that remain true to their namesake, exuding a seductive richness and joyful sparkle on the palate. The Thalia sparkling wines showcase vibrant, cool climate fruit, sourced from some of the best vineyards across Tasmania. These wines are a true reflection of Tasmanian excellence.

OUR SPARKLING OFFER

Now that you are more familiar with sparkling wines and the different styles they are made in, be sure to try some of our favourite bubbles this summer!

To celebrate, we are offering a very special discount on all Sparkling purchases: spend $100 and get $15 off your order. Use the code SPARKLING at checkout to redeem this discount (excludes Lowestoft).

You can shop all Fogarty Wine Group sparkling wines here.

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