Glass of Bubbly
Nino Franco
The Company: Antonio Franco founded the “Cantine Franco” winery in Valdobbiadene in 1919. Valdobbiadene is located at the foot of the Prealps, in the Veneto region, near Venice in the Northeast of Italy and is famous for the Prosecco vine and wine production. This area is designated as the Prosecco Superiore DOGC zone. This winery…
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Champagne Collet
Created in 1921, Champagne Collet in Ay is the oldest society of Champagne growers and takes its name from its founder. The company’s origins go back to the Champagne Revolution in 1911 when winegrowers in Champagne took action against a number of producers who decided to mix grapes coming from other wine growing regions with…
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Styles of Champagne
Styles of Champagne vary enormously. The use of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes generally prevail over minorities such as Meunier, and more often than not white and red grapes are blended. Exceptions are labelled Blanc de Blancs (100% Chardonnay) and Blanc de Noirs (100% Pinot Noir). The latter tends to be fuller bodied, as does…
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Understanding Champagne Label Codes
There are many different combinations in which Champagne grapes can be grown and made into the sparkling wine. How this happens affects what is put on a Champagne bottle label. Here is an explanation of what the letters you see on the bottles mean. NM – Négociant-Manipulant – This appears on the label of large…
Read MoreOrg de Rac Methode Cap Classique La Verne Brut 2011
Organic Methode Cap Classique La Verne Brut 2011 Varietal : 100 % Chardonnay Viticulture: Organically farmed, trellised with drip irrigation with different cover crops and organic mulching to stimulate healthy soil microbic activity. Strict pruning and green leaf management, essential for pest control and optimal ripening of the fruit. Tasted frequently by the winemaker and…
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Glyndwr Vineyard Sparkling Wines
Glyndwr Vineyard produces a range of fine, award-winning wines which have been carefully blended and fermented by their skilled winemaker for over a quarter of a century. Glyndwr Black Label Vintage Sparkling White 2010 An amazing full bodied wine with a golden hue, fine bubbles, ripe fruit and toasty richness. Only 500 bottles of this fine…
Read MoreGlyndwr Vineyard
Glyndwr Vineyard is the oldest established and largest vineyard in Wales. Planted by the current owners in 1982, the estate comprises over 6,000 vines, grown on gently south-east facing slopes in the heart of the beautiful Vale of Glamorgan. The bottle label depicts the Welsh prince, Owain Glyndwr, riding into battle with Carreg Cennen Castle…
Read MoreEmptying carefully filled bottles at Ridgeview
On seeing that Ridgeview Wine Estate in Sussex were doing a monthly tour, Susan and I thought we had better get ourselves down there. We had booked a while in advance and when the day came it was the morning after heavy winds and storms; we even wondered whether it would be cancelled. Our journey along normally busy…
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Thoughts on Champagne, English Sparkling Wine and Sea Monsters
Now that I’ve finished unloading the car of treasures from the Montagne de Reims (it’s taken a while) I thought I’d try and give my thoughts on the question of what’s so great about Champagne. As much as I like English wine, and English sparkling wine in particular, I love Champagne. Not just the wine but…
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