Bubble and Squeak
The festive season is a mere three months away and that makes the thought of sparkling things adventuresome. Liquid sparkling things I mean. The French have got the champagne market all sewn up, Reims in particular. And while we mere mortals can only aspire to semantic practises of name-calling Non/Vintage Sparkling wines instead of the french-owned ‘champagne’ I doubt that anyone in their right mind cares as long as it tickles the nose and makes us laugh out loud to boot!
There is a particular attitude down in this part of the world, it’s our pacifika sway if you like, our aberrant tendency to say ‘bugger it’ I can do anything as good as if not better than you (or die trying at least!) that both the aussies and the kiwi’s have in common when competing anytime, anywhere on the world stage.
It’s that peculiar mix of aspiration and frustration that marks them as intrepid explorers and innovators (old as the wine industry is) and perhaps it’s also what makes them the irreverent darlings of the quaffing multitudes. I swear to goodness you can taste it in the mix, the irreverence I mean. It’s that ‘sweet nose’ that hits your nostrils the moment you stick your nose-wiper over the glass lip. You don’t believe me?
Some time ago, wine reviewer Mike Bennie uttered these delicious words, “aussie bubbles that punch above their weight” when he described the Redbank Emily Chardonnay Pinot Noir Brut Curvee. It’s cruiser-class for sure. And maybe there’s more than a touch of the ‘bugger them’ let-them-have-their-fancy-name’let’s just do the business going on down here in the Pacific basin. It’s bubbly yes? Redbank from Whitfield in Victoria, give it a burl (australianism for ‘have a go’).
The kiwi No.1 Cuvee Blanc de Blanc out of Marlborough and the Lindauer Special Reserve isn’t guaranteed to put hairs on your chest but they might definitely put a spring in your step! Liquid sparkles for the festive season? Absolutely!
