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nzgirl's Guide to Drinking Bubbles
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Effervescence is a fine thing to have. If you are lucky  enough to have a bubbly personality, then the world will be served up to you on a big platter.
And, if we’re doing some wine and personality matching, what better wine to go with a sparkling demeanor than bubbles?
 Invented, albeit accidentally, by everyone’s favourite monk, Dom Perignon, sparkling wine is created when a change in temperature causes the still wine to re-ferment in the bottle, creating carbon dioxide and thus fizz.
While the scientific explanation is fairly boring (I saw you yawn just now), the wine is anything but. Made (usually) from a blend of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay, bubbles can be dry and creamy, beastly and fruity, light and invigorating, or any other combinations of deliciousness.
However, only one can be the considered the real thing. Dom Perignon’s place of work, the region of Champagne in France, is home to some of the world’s most outstanding bubbles. One of the northernmost grape growing areas in the world, it is also possibly one of the most strictly governed. There are regulations surrounding things like how long the wines are aged, how much wine is to come from a certain number of grapes, even how the vines are allowed to be watered.
But one sip of Bollinger or Pol Roger, and any thoughts about stuffy, uptight French bureaucrats ruining the fun will fly out of your head. Because these wines are, simply put, beautiful. But there are hundreds of sparkling wine regions all over the world, all of whom make their own delectable wines. Spain is famous for its Cava, Italy for its Prosecco and Germany for its Sekt.
Call me biased, but I’d say that we’re not doing too shabby a job here in New Zealand. Slightly more forward and fruity in style than their French counterparts, Kiwi bubbles are great for barbeques, parties, and any other occasion where you don’t want to spend $70 plus on a bottle of wine. Cloudy Bay’s Pelorus and Daniel Le Brun’s Family Estate are showing us what they’ve got, and on the cheaper end of the scale, Matua and Sacred Hill are making us some elixirs that we can be proud to call our own.
For something a bit different, though, there is the much maligned Asti Spumanti. Now I know that the mention of this wine can invoke memories of yelling at boys while swigging from your bottle of Bernadino in the back of the car, but this wine is actually quite delicious.
Originating in Italy, Asti is made from Muscat grapes, which provide a much sweeter, almost raisiny wine. These wines can also be very low in alcohol (which, I understand, may only serve to put some of you off).
Any decent wine shop should have a small selection of astis, but for a delicious, sub $20 Asti, you can’t go past Riccadonna. Just try not to be tempted by the Bernadino!
A sparkling wine of some description is a real crowd pleaser. It's the perfect droplet at a barbeque, the beach or a party, and to be honest virtually anywhere. It’s not quite the reason we get up in the morning, but it’s certainly a big part of the motivation, I’m sure.
Claire Adamson |
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