Australian sparkling and champagne

COMPARING the points is futile, but the best Australian sparkling wines are a credible alternative to champagnes.

Sparkling wine

COMPARING the points is futile, but the best Australian sparkling wines are a credible alternative to champagnes. Australian sparkling: 80 wines submitted, 8 selected. Champagne: 61 wines submitted, 12 selected.

Petaluma Croser Late Disgorged Piccadilly Valley
Pinot Noir Chardonnay 2000
A 63/37% traditional method blend that spent nine years on lees prior to disgorgement. In its youth, it was painfully tight and shy, the transformation quite remarkable; straw-green, its freshness is as outstanding as its complexity; citrus, honey and brioche are all there on the long, balanced palate.
96 points, $50, cork, 12.5% alc
www.petaluma.com.au

Arras Brut Elite
Chardonnay Pinot Noir NV
Cuvee no. 401. A traditional method blend of multi-Tasmanian region pinot noir and chardonnay given many years on lees prior to disgorgement. Pale straw-green, it is at once intense yet fine, brioche and toast nuances in a creamy web, the acidity perfect, the palate long and harmonious.
96 points, $55, cork, 12.5% alc
www.bayoffireswines.com.au

Dominique Portet Yarra Valley
Brut Rose LD NV
A blend of pinot noir and chardonnay grown in the Yarra Valley, and fermented in the bottle; bright pale pink, it has most attractive strawberry fruit flavours, with very good length; the LD signifies light dosage (that is, lesser than normal sugar added to the wine after disgorgement). It all works perfectly to result in a wine for all seasons.
94 points, $28, cork, 13% alc
www.dominiqueportet.com

Domaine Chandon Brut
Rose Vintage 2008
A 55/45% pinot noir/chardonnay, made from 40 different cuvees deriving from eight regions in four states. No other traditional method sparkling wine has such a massive range of terroir. Contains 8% pinot noir table wine and spent 30 months on lees prior to disgorgement. Delicious strawberries and cream mid-palate, and a long, clean and crisp finish.
95 points, $39.95, Diam, 12.5% alc
www.chandon.com.au

Primo Estate Joseph
Sparkling Red NV
The base wine is a traditional method blend of Australian reds from the 1960s and '70s, the amount bottled each year (30 dozen) replaced by the same amount of current vintage Joseph Moda Cabernet Merlot; the liqueur for topping up the bottle after disgorgement is old Australian fortified. A complex wine that invites the second glass.
95 points, $70, cork, 13.5% alc
www.primoestate.com.au

Yarrabank
Cuvee 2007
Pale straw; a complex blend of multi-regional pinot noir and chardonnay fermented in the bottle and given four years on yeast lees; pale bright straw, it is a very elegant and harmonious wine, with white peach and spice flavours and a hint of cashew on the very long palate, the aftertaste clean and fresh.
95 points, $38, cork, 13% alc
www.yering.com

Jansz Tasmania Premium Vintage
Cuvee 2006
Bright straw-green; a traditional method blend of chardonnay and pinot noir that spent 48 months on yeast lees in this bottle resulting in a wine with abundant personality and character, its mix of brioche, citrus and stone fruit framed by acidity only partially tamed by malolactic fermentation - which is as it should be with Tasmanian sparkling wine.
95 points, $39.95, cork, 12% alc
www.jansztas.com

Arras EJ Carr
Late Disgorged 1999
After 10 years on lees, it is still a bright yellow-gold, shot with green. A tremendously complex wine, with bready/nutty/toasty characters through the bouquet and palate; however, there is also an intense citrus/white peach fruit line running the length of the palate, sustained by perfectly balanced acidity. Bollinger beware.
97 points, $190, cork, 12.3% alc
www.bayoffireswines.com.au

Cattier
Brut Premier Cru NV
One of more than half a dozen wines made by a small but highly regarded family-owned business with 20ha of vineyards and an annual production of 35,000 cases. It is a blend of 40% pinot meunier, 35% pinot noir and 25% chardonnay. Fine, elegant and well-balanced, it has some brioche/nutty notes but is predominantly fruit-driven, with a long, clean finish.
90 points, $44.99; Vintage Cellars

Pierre Gimonnet & Fils Selection
Belles Annees Premier Cru NV
The Gimonnet family has been growing chardonnay in Cuis since 1750, but did not begin bottling and selling its wines until 1945, with a single-minded focus on chardonnay. Bright lemon-gold, this blanc de blancs has great length and intensity, with citrus peel and grapefruit flavours enhanced by acidity. Tom Stevenson (World Encyclopedia of Champagne) is a strong advocate. Vintage Cellars exclusive (20% less by the case).
92 points, $59.99; Vintage Cellars

Champagne Devaux
Blanc de Noirs NV
This wine is 100% pinot noir, in stark contrast to the Gimonnet wine, with 20% to 30% reserve wine, and three years on lees. Its strong bronze hue introduces a wine with multiple layers of flavour, its mix of nutty, creamy cracked yeast notes interwoven with small red berry fruits. Devaux is a large co-operative in the Aube that joined Yering Station in 1993 to produce Yarrabank.
93 points, $69; Rathbone Wine Group

Jacquesson Cuvee
No. 734 NV
The back label provides more information than any other: 73% came from '06, 22% from '05 and 5% from '04, the varietal blend 54% chardonnay, 26% pinot meunier and 20% pinot noir. Fermented and lees-aged in cask, it was disgorged in the fourth quarter '10. An immediately appealing wine, full of ripe stone fruit layered with creamy smoothness, the palate long and supple.
94 points, $98; Cellarhand

Pierre Gimmonet & Fils
Special Club Premier Cru 2004
It is most unusual for me to pick two wines from a small family producer, but the wines demanded inclusion, this from 80% Grand Cru vineyards, 50% of the vines older than 40 years. Bright straw-green, it has a fine, persistent mousse, and a very fragrant bouquet pointing
to the bright grapefruit and white stone fruit flavours. It has excellent mouthfeel and a long, lingering finish.
95 points, $99.99; Vintage Cellars

Champagne Taittinger Cuvee Brut
Prestige Rose NV
A deliberately youthful blend of '07 and '08 base wines, 30% chardonnay and 70% pinot noir (of which 15% is back-blended pinot noir red wine). Pale salmon-pink, this is a superfine and elegant rose style, with wild strawberry flavours and a minerally structure. The freshness of the finish is not compromised by excess dosage.
95 points, $130; McWilliam's

Bollinger
Rose NV
First released in 2008; almost identical to the Special Cuvee with the addition of 5% deeply coloured pinot noir table wine made from grapes grown in Ay and Verzenay. This blend of '06 and '07 base wines was tiraged in '07; bright salmon-pink, it starts with almost juicy red berry fruit flavours before changing stride into spice and fruit paste, finishing with an almost toasty, savoury finish. Lovely wine.
96 points, $135; Fine Wine Partners

Billecart-Salmon
Brut Rose NV
Surely the most consistent rose on the market. The pale, bright salmon-pink colour comes from the addition of 7% aromatic pinot noir table wine from Mareuil-sur-Ay, joining the 53% pinot and 40% chardonnay base wines. This release is definitely on song, with an abundance of fragrant red berry fruits and spice on the bouquet and palate; then a long, penetrating, yet fine, finish and aftertaste.
96 points, $144; Domaine Wine Shippers

Bollinger
La Grande Annee 2002
This is a blend of 60% pinot noir and 40% chardonnay. It followed the 2000 Grande Annee with eight years on lees. I tasted it in Champagne in July, and two months later in Australia, and it is a truly superb wine. Bright gold, it has the complexity and power of Bollinger, yet has great purity, precision, freshness and balance through to the finish of its very long lemon/citrus zest palate.
97 points, $240; Fine Wine Partners

Veuve Clicquot
La Grande Dame 1998
First made in 1969 to honour Nicole-Barbe Clicquot Ponsardin, the 27-year-old widow (veuve). A blend of two-thirds pinot noir, one-third chardonnay, almost entirely sourced from 382ha of estate vineyards. Full gold, it is still remarkably youthful, reflecting its long time on lees. There are brioche/dried fruit undertones but it is the vibrantly fresh, lilting finish and glorious aftertaste that inspires.
97 points, $250; Moet Hennessy

Krug
Grande Cuvee NV
After Krug was acquired by LVMH, the wines seemed fresher (and better). This wine is as imperiously complex, rich and mouthfilling as ever, a blend of more than 100 parcels of pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot meunier spanning eight to 10 vintages that spends six years on lees prior to disgorgement. It has a fascinating squeaky acidity that provides the harmony and balance of a truly superb wine.
97 points, $299; Moet Hennessy

Dom Perignon
Rose 1998
However large the make of its big brother may be, that of the Rose is very small, partly due to the limited amount of pinot noir table wine of the right weight, character and quality. This is a wine that you can lose yourself in: spices abound, woven through the warmth of the red fruits, and the mouthfeel is amazingly supple and silky, even with the core of acidity. When only the very best will do.
98 points, $780; Moet Hennessy

AUSTRALIAN SPARKLING & CHAMPAGNE

Australian Sparkling
The same question comes up every year: are the points for the Champagnes comparable with those of Australian sparkling wines? The answer is no, they are not. Nor would points for great red Burgundies compare with those for Australian and New Zealand pinot noirs; First Growth Bordeauxs with Margaret River cabernet merlots. Points are as subjective as the words in the tasting notes, but are a separate way of expressing the taster's opinion, to be assimilated along with the description of the wine in the context of the particular tasting. All this may frustrate some consumers, but the ultimate reality is that Australia can never make Champagne, a Burgundy or a Bordeaux, so direct points comparison is fraught with contradictions and qualifications. It's the old apples versus oranges paradigm.

Champagne
Australia and Champagne have had a love affair stretching back to the last decades of the 19th century, Australia's per capita consumption at times taking it to or near to the top of the tree. Inevitably, fluctuations in exchange rates, waxing and waning in the financial strength of Australia (and elsewhere), changes in ownership of some of the major producers with consequent changes in distribution arrangements, and the GFC have all impacted in one way or another on Australian consumption. But even before the rise in the value of the Australian dollar this year, shipments to Australia were on their way up. In the 2010 calendar year shipments rose 25.8 per cent, outperforming the overall export growth of 19.5 per cent.

AUSTRALIAN SPARKLING & CHAMPAGNE: THE MOST UNLUCKY MISSES
* Petaluma Croser Non Vintage Pinot Noir Chardonnay NV 94 points; $35
* Domaine Chandon Tasmanian Cuvee 2007 95 points; $39.95
* Domaine Chandon Z*D Blanc de Blancs 2006 94 points; $39.95
* Romney Park Adelaide Hills Blanc de Blancs 2009 95 points; $42
* Mount William Macedon 2004 95 points; $45
* Heemskerk Coal River Valley Chardonnay Pinot Noir 2007 95 points; $59.99
* Domaine Chandon Prestige Cuvee 2002 96 points; $65
* Bay of Fires/House of Arras House of Arras Grand Vintage 2003 97 points; $70
* Mount William Special Late Disgorged 11 Years on Lees Blanc de Blancs 1999 96 points; $100
* Mount William Jorja-Alexis Pinot Rose 2003 95 points; $40
* Leasingham Classic Clare Sparkling Shiraz 2004 94 points; $55