(2024) From the first Malvasía Volcánica grapes planted specifically for the production of sparkling wines on the island, this is made using the traditional method spent 20 months on the lees in bottle. It has less than 1g/l of residual sugar. Fabulous waxy yellow apples on the nose, briny ozone and biscuity richness. The palate does not miss the sugar one little bit, having a fruit concentration and the driving force of the mineral acidity and a herbal streak. I thought this was different and delicious.
(2024) Matured on the lees for 30 months, this is 30% Pinot Noir, 70 % Chardonnay, disgorged March
2021. Ot has "a small amount of dosage," added. There's a richness and robust yeastiness on the nose, truffle and earthy aromas into orchard fruits. The palate has a creaminess to the mousse and flavours that are citrussy and direct, lemons and sharp English apples but the picture softened by the leesy, lightly nutty notes from the long lees ageing.
(2024) Bright, feels a touch sweet despite being Brut - so less than 12g/l of sugar - with crisply defined ripe apple and touches of sweeter peach, a light and forthy mousse, and enough acidity to balance.£10.66 at time of review, which is a better price I think.
(2024) Nyetimber's Classic Cuvée is a multi-vintage blend of the three main Champagne grapes, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Handily, typing in the code from the back label into the Nyetimber website will reveal the precise composition of your bottle: mine has 9.4g/l dosage, was disgorged in April after almost four years on the lees, and has plenty of reserve wines in the blend: based on 2019 (77%), it also boasts reserves from every year back to 2014. Shimmering light gold, there is a pastry and biscuit character, as well as a bold golden yellow apple and quince. In the mouth it is a juicy, flavourful sparkling wine with fruit that touches on the tropical before being drawn back by English orchard apples and citrus into a balanced finish. Delightful at any time, but this special release to celebrate Team GB's Paris Olympics comes in a special livery for the occasion. Watch the video for more information.
(2024) Bottled in 2015 and disgorged in 2022 after seven years of the lees, there's a wonderful balance of singing freshness and biscuity richness. With 6g/l dosage it's on the dry side of Brut, and is a wine made only in exceptional vintages. As well as that biscuit character there's truffle and fresh, nutty apple fruit. In the mouth the mousse is lively and creamy, and though there's a thrilling directness of citrus and apple, hints of a more exotic and sweet nectarine join in. But zipping salts and lemon propel the long, mouth-watering and juicy finish.
(2024) Another new English name for me, a single estate wine from East Sussex composed of 47% Pinot Noir, 47% Chardonnay and 6% Pinot Meunier, part barrel fermented and with 24% reserve wine. This bottle was disgorged in NOvember 2023 after 20 months the on the lees. There's a baked apple pie character, creamy and generous, with ripe yellow apple notes. In the mouth that high proportion of reserves adds depth, a lovely biscuity richness but cut with plenty of crisp lemon and apple. Long, well-balanced, and I have to say, if buying at £28, very good value indeed. A name to watch on this evidence. Watch the video for more information.
(2024) A blend of a very precise 48.5% Chardonnay, 33% Pinot Noir, 18.5% Pinot Meunier and 7% Reserve wine, all from Bluestone's estate vineyards. It spent 36 months ageing on the lees. This has a golden hue and plenty of small, streaming bubbles. The nose has loads of walnut and buttered toast, brioche character, yellow apple and citrus adding zip and freshness. There's plenty of fruit sweetness and ripeness on the palate, the dosage adding to that sense of delicious approachability. The acid structure gives a bracing salt and citrus balance, and that toastiness is the third element in a balanced, long finish.
(2024) Un-filtered 'pet nat' style with its slight yeast haze, undisgorged so a little sediment in the bottom of the bottle. The name means "As it is," in other words, made with minimal process. It has only 2g/l of residual sugar and a frizzante level of sparkle at around half the pressure of regular Prosecco Spumante. A very inviting, lightly meaty and earthy nose, some yellow apple, the pear and floral fruit of the grape subsumed by those yeasty aromas. On the palate it is very dry and has a zipping lemony freshness, and while Umberto Cosmo's description of it as an informal wine to drink with friends, I have to say I found it appetising and delicious. No UK retail stockists listed at time of review.
(2024) From limestone-clay soils rich in deposits from the ancient Piave glacier, this is 100% Glera with a low 6.5g/l dosage. Umberto Cosmo points out that this level of sugar was once standard, but as some people made wine from less ripe fruit, they upped the sugar to compensate, and led to the higher levels that are now common. Here the fresh pear-like fruit sings from the glass, with some higher, floral notes, but then I find a touch of umami that along with very good acidity gives a gastronomic facet than many Proseccos lack. This is kept on the lees a little longer than many, which may account for that.
(2024) This comes from the Rive di Carpesica hillside. Unusually for Prosecco, the second fermenation here is in individual bottles over 18 months. It is Extra Brut with just 2g/l of residual sugar. With a steady stream of miniscule bubbles a biscuity note of autolysis is just apparent, adding a suggestion of a nutty, fudge-like element to the bright, floral and fruity character. The palate is bone-dry, the citrus acidity ensuring that, and yet the fruit sweetness of the Glera and the overall feeling of lightness sets the tone for the usual Prosecco character given a subtle added herbal and nutty complexity. No UK retail stockist listed at time of review.