Methode Traditionnelle

2005 Cloudy Bay Pelorus Vintage Methode

Cloudy Bay, Marlborough, New Zealand

"93/100 A blend of Chardonnay (60%)and Pinot Noir (40%) grapes were fermented in a mix of stainless steel tanks, large oak vats and small French oak barriques before being held for nine months on the yeast lees prior to blending. The wine spent three years en tirage before being disgorged. A rich and moderately complex wine with integrated apple, citrus, toast, nut and bready autolysis characters. Creamy-textured wine with impressive weight and length."Bob Campbell

Grandin Methode Traditionelle Brut

Champagne - Other, Champagne, France

This is normally $21.99. Gold at the International Wines and Spirits Competition and rated by Wine Spectator alongside Moet saying "Yellow gold fruity bouquet, crisp finish. Outstanding quality." Also Michael Cooper writes "This vivacious bubbly, from a long-established Loire Valley producer, is made by the classic methode traditionnelle technique. Light lemon/green, with an eruption of small bubbles, it is fresh and lively, with good delicacy and depth. Very easy to enjoy, it offers plenty of citrusy, appley, slightly yeasty and toasty flavour and an appetisingly crisp finish." Simply unbelievable value.

Cloudy Bay Non-Vintage Pelorus Methode

Cloudy Bay, Marlborough, New Zealand

Normally $39. 5 stars by Bob Campbell and Top 5 in the Cusine Methode Tasting. Bob writes "This is a blend of chardonnay and pinot noir grapes with at least two years ageing on the lees in bottle. The style has evolved from a big, rich and rather oxidative wine to a finer more elegant model available today. I favour this latest version- a delicately aromatic sparkling wine with a mix of apple, toast, mineral and yeast flavours. It's a fine textured, very elegant and sophisticated methode that gives a faint nod in the direction of Champagne."

Quartz Reef Chauvet Methode Traditionelle Brut

Quartz Reef, Central Otago, New Zealand

Normally $32. An excellent bubbly from Central Otago and named by Joelle Thomson as one of her 'Five favourite Kiwi bubblies'in the Herald. "Drink when: you want to seduce someone extra special. This wine smells and tastes: like New Zealandys most champagne-like bubbly. And not only because it is made from the classic champagne grapes, chardonnay and pinot noir, of which it contains about equal quantities. It is on of the most southerly-grown bubblies in the world, made by Central Otago winemaker Rudi Bauer, in consultation with Frenchwoman Clotilde Chauvet, whose family own the champagne house of Marc Chauvet. The style is refreshingly lively and dry." Joelle Thomson.

2005 Highfield Vintage Methode Traditionelle

Marlborough - Other, Marlborough, New Zealand

Normally $35.00 and great buying for a vintage aged Methode. "Comprises equal blends of chardonnay and pinot noir, with half fermented in French oak barrels and the other half in stainless steel. The Elstree spent three years in bottle before the yeast lees were removed, and the resultant wine has a strong, yeasty aroma with fine, toasty characters from the chardonnay component, while pinot noir promotes obvious weight and richness. This is a complex wine with impressive power and is now showing the benefit of extended bottle age."

Hunters Miru Miru Methode Traditionele

Hunters Wines, Marlborough, New Zealand

This is a methode that we have sold pallets and pallets of because Hunters age the wine far longer than the average methode and this gives the wine that yeasty character that all good bubblys should display. Miru Miru is the Maori term for bubbles. This is one of the few NZ sparkling wines to include the champagne grape varity Pinot Meunier in its blend, although at 5% it plays a relatively minor role to chardonnay ( 58% ) and pinot noir ( 37% ). "A sophisticated sparkler blending Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier to give a delciate, complex and quite champagne-like style with attractive lifted bread-like characters. The wine is dry, soft textured and very attractive." Bob Campbell.

Chandon N.V. Brut Methode Traditionelle

Victoria - Other, Victoria, Australia

Domain Chandon was established by Moet and Chandon in 1986 in the Yarra Valley. Fresh and elegant using premium chardonnay and pinot noir grapes. 'Fresh stonefruit characters combine with extended yeast age complexity and a soft dry finish." Excellent value bubbly

Chandon N.V. Brut Rose Methode Traditionelle

Normally $32. Established in 1986 by Moet & Chandon this immacute Rose is produced by Domaine Chandon Australia. A fresh, vibrant sparkling wine blended from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. A small amount of Pinot Noir provides fresh strawberry and raspberry notes and balances the creamy and complex middle palate, a result of 18 months yeast age. With a crisp, long finish Chandon NV Rose is a refreshing aperitif, or the perfect partner to a range of foods. Great Rose bubbly buying.

des Aubuisieres Vouvray Mousseux Methode Traditionelle

Loire Valley, France

A beautiful bone dry bubbly from the Loire made with chenin blanc grapes. "The current Aubousieres non-vintage Vouvray Brut Methode Traditionelle tweaks the nose with lemon oil, salt spray, and pungent flowers. Chalky, saline and alkaline on the palate, and with moderately fine mousse, it clings impressively with subtly oily honey and bitter-sweet citrus oil. Thes wine has intensity, minerality and distinct Vouvray personality. " Wine Advocate Robert Parker "The new release of the sparkling Vouvray from Domaine des Aubuisieres is outstanding and offers up very good value. Chenin blanc is most impressive for how it can deliver such a wide range of outstanding wines, from bone-dry sparkler all the way up to luscious, honeyed dessert wines, and sparkling Vouvray from a master such as Bernard Fouquet is a more than worthy substitute to Champagne. "Martin Gillman View from the Cellar

2001 Cloudy Bay Pelorus Methode Traditionelle

Cloudy Bay, Marlborough, New Zealand