September Wine Focus: Bubblies, not Champagne

Hmm, this thread is a bit moribund... so here is a contribution.
2008 Quinta das Bageiras, Bruto Natural Reserva, Vinho Espumante de Qualidade (Portugal):
Made in Bairrada (central Portugal, near Coimbra), a region where the winemakers produce quite a bit of wine by the Metodo Classico, i.e. fermented in the bottle. Mario Sergio Alves Nuno is one of those producers where just about everything is worthwhile; this is one of the more inexpensive sparklers in his lineup, made from Bical, Maria Gomes and Cercial. No dosage. This is great wine for the price (around $10) - chalky, with bright lime and cherry, bone dry (but not austere) with a slightly smokey character. In fact there are similarities between this and their still Branco Garrafeira (old vine Bical and Maria Gomes), which I dare say is one of the best white wines made in Portugal. I'd like to think it is the Bical, but I'm not sure.

I enjoyed this quite a bit more than the '06, which for some reason seemed slightly ponderous. Reasonably fine carbonation with some toasty notes on the nose - sees 18 months on the lees. Speaking of riddling, I've been in the cellar at Bageiras and just about everything is done by hand. Amazing value here. 12.5% abv.

I enjoy bubbly - particularly of this colour.

Sparkling Shiraz.jpg

Oddly enough, Matilda, the mousse reminds me of my kids brushing their teeth.

[James Roscoe]

Last night we celebrated a friend's 25th wedding anniversary. They are not particularly wine nuts but enjoy a good glass. We toasted with a cava, Kila. Great fruit and perfect for a party as I am purchasing it for $9.99. It's hard to beat it for that price and leftovers make great mimosa's the next morning.

Cipes Brut NV
Summerhill Pyramid Winery
Okaganan Valley VQA
BC Canada
$24.95 CDN

Something different. A methode champenoise sparkler based on organically grown Riesling with a little Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay, and aged for at least a month under a huge concrete pyramid, (plus 2.5 - 5 years bottle aging)

A multitude of the tiniest bubbles stream up. On the nose some apples and toast. In the mouth -- well, it has not the classic Champagne taste --rather richer slighty honey with lemon and tropical fruits, without the leanness of Champagne.

I can understand why this is so popular. They say its won gold medals every year since its 1991 introduction Cipes is the surname of the winery owner.
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Where did you get the bottle of Cipes, Peter? I can't imagine that Berry Brothers and Rudd stocks it.

Peter: and what is the idea of the giant pyramid? Is it just for practical reasons or are they trying to harness some sort of "pyramid power" (usually used to sharpen razor blades)? One never knows with some of the biodynamic stuff around....

Bruce - I got the wine at the winery.

Joe - yes, it is to harness the power of the pyramid.

They say they do regular blind tastings with the same wine, some aged in the pyramid, some not and the one that has been in the pyramid is preferred by 98% of the tasters.

Jenise - we have been travelling around and are currently in Osoyoos

pyramid-winery.jpg

The winery tasting room and restaurant overlooking lake is the building at right foreground.

The winery is below the tasting room and viewable from a walkway to the toilets. An assistant winemaker was disgorging sparkling wine and adding the chaampagne cork. Although machines were used, it was a slow bottle by bottle job, each bottle placed by hand in turn into the machines for processing unlike the large automated lines that do the entire process without human intervention that I have seen in France.

Pyramid.jpg

The entrance to the pyramid is under the stone arches. There are 22 steps up into the pyramid chamber. The pyramid is made of wood with thick concrete slabs placed on-top. No mains electricity inside and no magnetic metals, though wide bands of copper were added lining each corner joint and there are crystals hanging from the apex.