Wine Reviews
Celebrate with the best bubbles
"Three be the things I shall never attain: envy, content, and sufficient champagne," quipped the writer and satirist, Dorothy Parker. As the festive season fast approaches, it's time to make sure that you at least have enough bubbles - sparkling wine or Champagne - to service your celebrations. Here are my suggestions for great examples spanning top Champagne to the best budget buys.
Quartz Reef Methode Traditionnelle Rosé NV
Red fruits, fresh citrus and herb combine in one of the country's finest rosé sparking wines.
Dish Sparkling Tasting
Ranked #6 in the Dish Top 10 Sparkling Tasting
QUARTZ REEF METHODE TRADITIONNELLE 2009
Judges Comments: “Very elegant, slightly nutty and very appealing,” remarked Jane Boyle,
while Cameron Douglas enjoyed its rich, bold bouquet, dry expressive personality, lovely
balance and long finish. It also boasts a subtle lemony lift in the mid-palate. Winemaker Rudi
Bauer has crafted a flavoursome, precise wine that sings of sophistication.
Top Ten Summer Wines
QUARTZ REEF METHODE TRADITIONNELLE 2009
Fantastic fizz, which is high praise when you consider that the 2007 vintage frothed into my computer and ruined it. Open with care.
AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND - Experimentation and tradition
In a world of sparkling wines that's often conservative when it comes to change, these two countries have often pushed the envelope. What other parts of the globe could have given us sparkling Shiraz or fizzy Sauvignon Blanc?
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Deutz was the Champagne house that first ventured to New Zealand, drawn by the same cool-climate motivations, but the region's Chauvet family took things a step further when Clotilde Chauvet crafted sparkling wine in Central Otago at Rippon and Quartz Reef.
Today, while many of the French principals have pulled out, their influences remain in the South Pacific.
QUARTZ REEF METHODE TRADITIONNELLE BRUT NV
90 / 100
The 100% Pinot Noir Methode Traditionnelle Rose may be even better - and harder to find - but this blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay is no slouch.
The aromas are toasty and penetrating, the flavors add melon and citrus notes, and the finish is refreshingly dry, with a dosage of only 7 g/l.