*gentle reminder to please read the text before asking questions to ensure it's not already covered. thanks!*
Here are my wine recommendations for this year end!
I have avoided supermarket wines but these ones below are worth seeking out because they are not mass produced wines but instead
high quality artisan wines that are delicious, pair well with food and great way to explore wines. Plus you can delight your friends & guests with these nice wines!
I have included also where to get them, most of them being the importers directly so you can get the freshest stock at the best prices.
SPARKLING WINE
PROSECCO
Producer: Sorelle Bronca
There's lots of cheap prosecco out in the market but
Sorelle Bronca, helmed by two sisters are making incredibly elegant and delicious prosecco of the highest quality. Employing traditional techniques and using their own vineyards instead of buying grapes from all over like many mass producers they are able to deliver an incredible prosecco experience.
- Sorelle Bronca PARTICELLA 68 Prosecco @ $45 – From old vines from a small plot it delivers the best qualities of the fruit. A very floral Prosecco, with a complex, elegant structure on the palate. This was award the top wine score among the top wine critics in Italy.
- Sorelle Bronca Extra Dry Prosecco @ $39 - Extra Dry doesn't mean very dry in taste (this is not Asahi Super Dry). Extra Dry is actually the sweetest among their Prosecco (it is not a dessert sparkling wine but compared to the rest of their sparkling wine you can definitely taste a bit more sugars). The Extra Dry Prosecco is crisp and refreshing, with notes of white flowers and pears.
Where to buy:
Luigi Wines
What to drink it with: Poultry based dishes, lighter dishes.
CAVA
Cava is one of the biggest open secrets of the sparkling wine world. Located 45 mins west of Barcelona by train, the region of Penedes produces excellent sparkling wine made from their local grapes. Like Prosecco there are those that make generic mass produced Cava but there are a handful that make world class sparkling wine.
I visited the region back in October and it was utterly amazing the kind of sparkling wine i could taste and the type of price I was paying for, even among their top producers that can easily rival the big names in Champagne.
My pics
Walking in the town where most of the top Cava producers reside in. 45mins train ride west from Barcelona
Tasting at RECAREDO. Arguably the best Cava producer in Spain. Amazing stuff.
Castell D'Age is what I would describe as an artisan boutique producer. Very small in scale and most of their volume is sold to restaurants in Spain. Another female-dominant producer this producer is 3 generations old from grandmother to mother to daughter. Much like the the top Cava producers another facet to their secret is the long long aging in the bottles before release, from 2 years up to more than 10 years; adding complexity and dimension. Their wines below while the entry to medium level, already embody that passion and ethos. Cava tends to be dry wines which make them perfect pairings for a wide range of food.
- NV Castell D’Age Cava Anne-Marie Brut Nature - $30+ Delicious and ripe orchard fruit flavors are just the beginning. The aging process gives it notes of fresh baked brioche that are followed by white floral tones and a delightful nuttiness.
- NV Castell D’Age Cava Aurèlia Brut Nature @ $30+ - Floral & citrussy followed by light touches of honey and jam. A gentle and feminine style of Cava that's perfect for sipping and pairing.
Where to buy:
KOT Selections
What to drink it with: Amazing with seafood and even Dim Sum!
CHAMPAGNE
This one is a no brainer. But not all champagne are made equally. Everyone knows the big houses like Moet, Veuve Cliquot, Piper Heidseck etc... but most wine enthusiasts would agree that while they make amazing wine at the top end, their basic bottlings are nothing to shout about.
For decades these big houses churn out huge volumes of their entry level bottles and top bottlings by buying grapes from many growers throughout the region. In the recent years there has been a shift with the rise of the
Grower Champagne.
People who used to supply to these big houses are now keeping the best grapes for themselves and using their intimate knowledge of their produce to make amazing top notch wine that rival that of the big houses and yet don't command the insane prices that a Dom Perignon or Cristal would usually demand; whose prices are elevated due to successful marketing.
While it may not be as baller or 'hao lian' to pop a bottle of grower champagne versus popping Dom Ps, trust me that these serious grower champagnes will be able to command the attention of your senses and pleasure without destroying your wallet.
Producer: Pierre Peters
Pierre Péters is a small family-run estate making only Grand Cru champagnes, predominantly from Chardonnay grapes since 1919. They harvest from old vines that deliver low yields but high quality each year; they have been blessed with some of the best soils & climate in the region. Together with their sustainable farming methods to produce the best grapes that respect nature and let the grapes express itself through the wine.
Pierre Peters is the darling of the champagne world, being featured side by side with the top big champagnes houses in the world's top restaurants and always highly recommended by sommeliers. Their main production Reserve Grand Cru already blows all the usual champagnes out the water in terms of quality, elegance and flavour while being price competitive. Pierre Peters is also my go-to personal recommendation for those who want to try champagne.
- Pierre Peters Cuvee de Reserve Grand Cru Brut Blanc de Blancs (Blanc de Blancs means its made from 100% Chardonnay grapes) @ $80, half bottles also available at a cheaper cost - Highly perfumed bouquet of yellow apple, pear skin and quinine, with a smoky mineral overtone. Spicy orchard and candied citrus fruit flavors. A focused ending taste shows strong mineral cut and lingering spiciness. Drink this in a
white wine glass because you want it to showcase it's flavours and aromas. This is a wine that can age.
Where to buy:
Wein & Vin. Also available in Isetan Orchard Supermarket, check the chillers for the half bottles.
What to drink it with: Pretty much anything. Did I say Dim Sum already?
To be continued...
Later portions will include Whites, Reds & Desserts.
i just siam all the whites. The effect is like immediate. but for tasting i am ok.
