Margaret River, WA, Australia
RRP$50
Rightly or wrongly, I hold big name producers to a higher standard. I have my reasons, which I won't get into now. Suffice to say, I was a little sceptical about Vasse Felix creating a new sparkling range. But - wow. This is a super fine, super mature bottle of bubbles. Comes in the squat, rounder sparkling bottle too and looks mighty fine.
Pale yellow colour, with a super fine bead and fine mousse. It has a wonderfully complicated nose. Fresh brioche, white peach and green apple, burnt butter, nectar, pear juice, bakery...I could list for ages. The palate, likewise, offers a lot if you have the inclination to think about what you're tasting. Peach juice definitely comes to the fore, grapefruit, warm bread, whipped cream, crushed almond, white blossoms and a very subtle oceanic freshness, all held together but a chalky texture and cleansing acid. Definitely an elegant wine, and would rival a lot of Champagne in the same price bracket. Utterly divine. I can see this with delicate shellfish dishes for date night or with fresh croissants for an indulgent morning after. Needless to say, I am really impressed with the winemaking here. Vasse Felix have done a great job.
Rating: ★★★★★
Have it with? Your typical sparkling wine fare. Brie, shellfish, onion tartlets. Buttered popcorn if you're feeling trashy (I've made a mental note to try this).
Classic, weird or funky? Classic. Could it be anything else?
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