It's that simple. Sparkling reds are serious and frivolous at the same time – wines that set a fun tone to a dinner party and instantly relax guests, while impressing them at the same time.
Sparkling shiraz is the ultimate Christmas drink, thanks to its particular harmony with Turkey. What better way to smooth over a potential festive family feud than a drop of mood-lifting red bubbly?
This wine is truly Australian, and I reckon there’s a sense of pioneering spirit in every glass.
Perhaps because of this it’s also the source of many happy memories with friends from our time in London. These days we catch up with each other every couple of years in some far-flung corner of the world, and a bottle of sparkling shiraz always finds its way into our bags for future reminiscences.
Originally called sparkling burgundy (a name with a touch of glamour that’s still in use by many of us), sparkling reds have a long history on the Australian wine?scene.
Seppelt winemaker Hans Irvine was making the style back in the 1890s in Great Western near the Grampians, and before that the wine had been made by a few producers in South Australia.
Despite this, it’s still a rather specialised field – there are only about 60 wineries in Australia making sparkling reds today.
The best examples are made using the méthode champenoise process, in which the wines undertake a secondary fermentation in the bottle to create the celebratory bubbles.
The wine also develops character by ageing on the yeast lees left in the bottle after this fermentation before being disgorged (the term for removing the yeast) and topped up with a liqueur.
The storage and extra handling of these wines means they’re not as profitable as still wines, but that just says to me those producing sparkling reds in this style are doing it for the love of the wine rather than for financial reasons.
There is another way to make sparkling wine – red, white and pink – and that’s called the charmat method. The wines undergo a similar fermentation process but it’s done in vast tanks rather than in individual bottles.
Spend $10 on a bottle of sparkling burgundy and it’s a good chance the wine was made this way.
More often than not, sparkling burgundy will be made with shiraz, but it’s not limited to any particular red grape. Being referred to as sparkling burgundy allowed a real flexibility with the grapes that could be used as the style developed to become what it is today.
Coonawarra has developed a good line in sparkling cabernet and merlot.
Sparkling reds might come in a Champagne bottle and undergo the same winemaking techniques, but the similarities to sparkling whites stop there.
The wines are best enjoyed when they’re not served too cold – cool, but not fridge cold is the best way. Having said that, poured straight from an icy cooler at a barbecue is fine, as the wine will quickly warm up on a hot day.
There’s no need to serve them in Champagne flutes either. I’ve found the best way to get the full experience is by drinking them in a red-wine glass.
A flute is fine if you’re serving sparkling whites and reds and there’s a lot of toasting going on, but to get the full spectrum of aromas a bigger bowl on the glass works?best.
Taste this
Quarry Hill Sparkling Shiraz 2006
Canberra, $25; 14.5%
4.5/5
This came with a resealable Zork closure – perfect for picnics when bottles tend to fall over on uneven rugs. And it’s equally tasty cold or warm. It’s packed with perfumed aromas and rich flavours of blackcurrant, dark cherry, spice and violets. A silky texture and a fine, drying tannic grip are well balanced with refreshing acid. It finishes with blackberry and cherry notes along with a slightly bitter herb note that adds character and interest.
Food match \ Duck and pistachio terrine
Seppelt Original Sparkling Shiraz 2006
(Grampians) $24.99; 13.5%
4/5
If you’ve tried a sparkling shiraz, chances are you’ve tried this. Always great value, this is made using the méthode champenoise and spends 16 months on lees before being disgorged and sent out to shops. Flavours of bright cherry, raspberry, mint, blackberry, spice and chocolate show finesse and there’s a fine mousse and a cranberry juice-like drying character on the palate. Fleshy red-berry flavours drive a good finish. You will often find keen prices on this at the chain stores.
Food match \ Spicy beef ribs
Grampians Estate Rutherford Sparkling Shiraz 2008
(Grampians) $35; 14%
4.5/5
I’d read quite a bit about previous vintages of this and wasn’t let down when I tried it recently at one of the monthly wine tastings at Fed Square. Rich, intense flavours of blackberry, glacé cherry, chocolate, liquorice, spice and a hint of mocha oak didn’t disappoint. It is slightly sweet but by no means cloying, with juicy acid acting as a good foil. Drying tannins that offer good grip in the mouth are a highlight of the wine, along with excellent length on the dark berry finish.
Food match \ Christmas turkey
Hollick Sparkling Merlot 2009
(Coonawarra) $32.95; 13%
4/5
I’ve tried the past two vintages of this and have enjoyed both equally. On the nose are complex notes of mulberry, cherry, perfumed rose petals, raspberry and aniseed. Vibrant flavours of plums, berries, spice and leather with a pleasant leafy, grassy character are equally serious and easy to drink – it’s a wine that could be dangerous in the wrong hands. A gentle bead, soft mouthfeel, fine tannins and a dry and refreshing finish round off the wine well.
Food match \ Peking duck with pancakes
Love a bargain?
Payne’s Rise Redlands Shiraz 2010
(Yarra Valley) $26; 13.5%
4.5/5
This isn’t a sparkling, but it’s an interesting wine from the very cool Upper Yarra in Seville. It won a trophy at the recent Yarra Valley Wine Show and is made by Franco D’Anna, of Hoddles Creek fame. Classic cool-climate complexity, with dark cherry, black and white pepper, blackcurrant, mint and raspberry, is on show, as are savoury, meat/game, spice and cherry flavours. It has a smooth, silky texture with velvet-like tannins and a persistent finish.
Food match \ Grilled eye fillet