Latest news with #sparklingWine
The Guardian
a day ago
- General
- The Guardian
There's more to Italian sparkling wine than prosecco
When I was at university, whenever I partook in that most sacred of further educational rituals (that is, pre-drinks), my tipple of choice was an entire bottle of prosecco. More times a week than I feel comfortable disclosing here, I'd trundle down to the Tesco Express in Durham to score a bottle of Plaza Centro prosecco for the sublime price of £5.50 (it's now a princely £7). While many other wine writers' careers begin with a unicorn bottle from a relative's cellar, I'm proud to say that mine started here. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. Why am I telling you this? Well, not only did I feel cool sipping my fizz from a plastic flute while my friends drank rum and orange juice mixed and swigged direct from the carton, but I also loved prosecco. Today, however, I'm more indifferent, which is not to say that prosecco has got any worse or changed in any way over time. But I have. When I was an 18-year-old concerned with getting as trollied as possible in the least amount of time and at little cost, I was drawn to sweetness, as many of us are when we're younger, and most supermarket prosecco is rather sweet – even the confusingly named 'extra dry' category allows for 12-17g sugar per litre. Nowadays, however, I crave acidity, salinity and all the punchy savoury flavours I can get. And, fortunately, there is so much Italian sparkling wine out there that isn't prosecco. Nigh on every region in Italy has its own take. The Trento DOC, which, like prosecco, is in the north-east, produces metodo classico wines from chardonnay and pinot nero (pinot noir), which are made using the champagne method with a secondary fermentation in the bottle (prosecco, on the other hand, is produced using the charmat, or tank, method). They can command fairly high prices, but they can still be had in your local supermercato for far less than champers. Then there's moscato d'Asti, an off-dry, frizzante wine with a low ABV and a nose that leans towards bouquets of flowers and gentle stone fruit such as peach and apricot. I especially like it in cocktails for which you'd normally use prosecco: pornstar martini, bellini, any spritz you fancy. Franciacorta, meanwhile, is becoming increasingly popular, and also employs the metodo classico makeup of pinot nero and chardonnay. Moving down to Emilia-Romagna, you'll find the previously-out-of-vogue-but-now-really-quite-cool lambrusco, which takes many forms and colours; the one you're most likely to find in the UK is a deep currant colour with a vibrant effervescence. There are also many producers who feel inspired by certain vintages or regional styles and choose to make their own declassified sparkling wines. All that said, if prosecco is your bag, have at it. It's an eternal crowdpleaser, widely available and suited to most palates – there's a reason the UK is the drink's biggest consumer outside Italy. Prosecco: it's not you, it's me. Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Pignoletto Brut £8, 11%. A fun, fresh sparkling wine from Emilia-Romagna. Like biting into a granny smith. Feudi di San Gregorio Falanghina Brut £13.79 Decàntlo, 12.5%. A charmat-method wine from a favourite Campania winery. All white flowers and peach. Ca'D'Gal Lumine Moscato d'Asti Lumine £16.80 Les Caves de Pyrene, 5%. All the classic flavours of peach and orchard fruit with a pleasing, palate-cleansing sweetness. Ferrari Maximum Blanc de Blancs NV £26.50 VINVM, 12.5%. A fancy wine from one of Italy's most iconic sparkling producers. Pastry, nuts and razor-sharp acidity.
The Guardian
a day ago
- General
- The Guardian
There's more to Italian sparkling wine than prosecco
When I was at university, whenever I partook in that most sacred of further educational rituals (that is, pre-drinks), my tipple of choice was an entire bottle of prosecco. More times a week than I feel comfortable disclosing here, I'd trundle down to the Tesco Express in Durham to score a bottle of Plaza Centro prosecco for the sublime price of £5.50 (it's now a princely £7). While many other wine writers' careers begin with a unicorn bottle from a relative's cellar, I'm proud to say that mine started here. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. Why am I telling you this? Well, not only did I feel cool sipping my fizz from a plastic flute while my friends drank rum and orange juice mixed and swigged direct from the carton, but I also loved prosecco. Today, however, I'm more indifferent, which is not to say that prosecco has got any worse or changed in any way over time. But I have. When I was an 18-year-old concerned with getting as trollied as possible in the least amount of time and at little cost, I was drawn to sweetness, as many of us are when we're younger, and most supermarket prosecco is rather sweet – even the confusingly named 'extra dry' category allows for 12-17g sugar per litre. Nowadays, however, I crave acidity, salinity and all the punchy savoury flavours I can get. And, fortunately, there is so much Italian sparkling wine out there that isn't prosecco. Nigh on every region in Italy has its own take. The Trento DOC, which, like prosecco, is in the north-east, produces metodo classico wines from chardonnay and pinot nero (pinot noir), which are made using the champagne method with a secondary fermentation in the bottle (prosecco, on the other hand, is produced using the charmat, or tank, method). They can command fairly high prices, but they can still be had in your local supermercato for far less than champers. Then there's moscato d'Asti, an off-dry, frizzante wine with a low ABV and a nose that leans towards bouquets of flowers and gentle stone fruit such as peach and apricot. I especially like it in cocktails for which you'd normally use prosecco: pornstar martini, bellini, any spritz you fancy. Franciacorta, meanwhile, is becoming increasingly popular, and also employs the metodo classico makeup of pinot nero and chardonnay. Moving down to Emilia-Romagna, you'll find the previously-out-of-vogue-but-now-really-quite-cool lambrusco, which takes many forms and colours; the one you're most likely to find in the UK is a deep currant colour with a vibrant effervescence. There are also many producers who feel inspired by certain vintages or regional styles and choose to make their own declassified sparkling wines. All that said, if prosecco is your bag, have at it. It's an eternal crowdpleaser, widely available and suited to most palates – there's a reason the UK is the drink's biggest consumer outside Italy. Prosecco: it's not you, it's me. Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Pignoletto Brut £8, 11%. A fun, fresh sparkling wine from Emilia-Romagna. Like biting into a granny smith. Feudi di San Gregorio Falanghina Brut £13.79 Decàntlo, 12.5%. A charmat-method wine from a favourite Campania winery. All white flowers and peach. Ca'D'Gal Lumine Moscato d'Asti Lumine £16.80 Les Caves de Pyrene, 5%. All the classic flavours of peach and orchard fruit with a pleasing, palate-cleansing sweetness. Ferrari Maximum Blanc de Blancs NV £26.50 VINVM, 12.5%. A fancy wine from one of Italy's most iconic sparkling producers. Pastry, nuts and razor-sharp acidity.
Telegraph
20-06-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Why English wine is so painfully expensive – and how to find the best-value bottles
The first question I am usually asked about English wine is not which county does it best, or whether English fizz is better than champagne. It's, 'Why is it so expensive?' With English sparklers often weighing in at well over £30, home-grown wine is undoubtedly on the pricey side. But there are good reasons for these eyebrow-raising price tags. Skip to: Best-value bottles to buy How to find the best value in English wines First, grape yields are relatively low in our cool-climate vineyards. Simon Woodhead, founder and winemaker at Stopham Vineyard in Sussex, says the grape varieties capable of ripening in chilly England, such as the pinot family of vines, tend towards 'very small bunches of grapes', so less fruit comes from each vine than from, say, cabernet sauvignon in hotter parts of the world. There are no economies of scale to speak of. The industry is still young and most wineries and vineyards are relatively small – two-thirds of commercial English vineyards are less than 7.5 acres, according to industry body, WineGB. Then there's the, ahem, occasional very poor year for grape farmers – I hardly need to say that English weather is unreliable. Last year, for example – a wash-out for many English wineries. A bad harvest (vintage) obviously pushes up costs overall. As for the sparklers, almost all are made in the meticulous, time-consuming and ultimately expensive méthode traditionnelle (AKA champagne method). Nonetheless, I urge you to try English wines if you haven't already. That pesky cool climate means that when the vintage is a good one, there's a delightful tingling acidity, and super-fresh, zesty fruit flavours – impossible to find in mass-produced, hot-region wines. The coming days are a great opportunity to give home-grown wine a whirl, as it's English Wine Week from 21-29 June, when many local wineries throw open their cellar doors and vineyards for special events, tastings and promotions. The best way to enjoy English wines is at the cellar door, talking to the producer, and sitting among the vines. And there are ways to get better value out of English wines – follow my tips to make the most of them. Best-value bottles to buy How to find the best value in English wines Look out for special offers Obviously, but right now in particular, as English Wine Week always brings on a flurry of special deals. My bottle recommendations below feature several very keen offers running in June and July. Match English wines with food – and drink them now Savour them with light savoury food like summer salads, mild cheeses, light seafood and fish dishes, cold pork and chicken, creamy pasta sauces and simple risottos. With their relatively light styles (English wines generally have lower ABVs than many other wines) they especially suit the summer season, so don't tuck them away until Christmas – they don't work as well with hearty winter food. Seek out own-label stars Some of the best-value English wines are now made for the major retailers under own-labels. There are some in my list of best buys below. Don't overlook cheaper Charmats Char-whats? The Charmat or tank method of making sparkling wine (as used for prosecco) is less expensive than the champagne method, and some English wineries have adopted it for certain labels. You won't get the rich complexity of a traditional bottle-fermented fizz, but some of these new sparklers are more than decent and often have lower price tags. Don't just stick to sparkling wine Still wines from England are getting better and better, and they often come in more cheaply than the fizz as they are cheaper to make. Reds are gradually improving, but for now the whites and rosés, in general, offer more consistent high quality. Don't serve English wines too cold To really appreciate their value, don't treat these wines as easy quaffers; instead appreciate and savour their elegant aromas and fresh-as-a-daisy flavours by serving them the right way. Chill the sparklers, whites and rosés well (but not too cold; I like mine at about 8-10C), and once opened, drink them up within three days.
