Sparkling Wine

For something crisp, dry and refreshing, look for wines with bright acidity and fresh citrus or orchard-fruit flavours. Traditional-method sparkling wines tend to offer greater complexity, often developing brioche, toast and nutty notes with ageing. Pét-Nat can be fruitier, less formal and sometimes a little cloudy, while rosé sparkling wines often bring more red-fruit character. These are useful starting points rather than strict rules.

Sparkling wine is remarkably versatile with food. Its acidity and bubbles make it excellent with seafood, fried dishes, charcuterie and salty snacks, while richer traditional-method wines can work beautifully with roast chicken, creamy dishes and cheese. Fruitier styles can also be excellent with spicy food. Sparkling wine certainly doesn’t need to be saved for celebrations.

Champagne deserves its reputation, but some of the most interesting sparkling wines are made elsewhere. Crémant offers traditional-method wines from regions across France, England now produces excellent sparkling wine, and small producers around the world are experimenting with local grapes and different production methods. Exploring beyond the familiar can uncover distinctive bottles at a wide range of prices.