Love your sparkling? These trending wines should be at the top of your list.
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1. Sparkling rosé
Rosé has been the belle of the ball these past few years, so it's only natural that her sparkling sister has joined the party. With notes of strawberries and cream, these dry, crisp wines taste similar to a classic rosé, though they offer subtle twists on flavour along with a telltale fizz.
Like any wine, sparkling rosés can differ in style as a result of the grapes and winemaking techniques used to craft them. Take the Jansz Vintage Rosé and House of Arras Premium Cuvée Rosé, both of which come from Australia's sparkling stronghold of Tasmania. The Jansz sparkling – made from 100% pinot noir – is light and floral with fresh raspberries and rose petals, along with those lovely aromas of baked brioche, while the House of Arras blends chardonnay and pinot noir to make an award-winning sparkling with a little more body.
You can also explore an international, cross-country collaboration on the style, thanks to Spanish producer Freixenet and their Italian Sparkling Rosé. It blends glera grapes, which are traditionally used for prosecco, with pinot noir to make a super approachable sparkling that comes in a stunning glass bottle. For best results, pair this – or any sparkling rosé – with light, raw food that isn't too sweet or bitter, or save it for a surprise at the end of your picnic along with lemon cheesecake.
2. Prosecco rosé
This Italian darling is another style of pink bubbly on the rise. The opposite of a sleeper hit, it's only existed since 2020, when it was officially allowed by the Italian wine classification system. As with its white counterpart, there are strict rules around what can be labelled prosecco rosé and the grapes – usually 85% glera and 15% pinot noir – must come from a specific geographic area that has passed the Italian government’s quality requirements.
The strict production regulations mean that every bottle is of a high standard and you can’t really go wrong when choosing, but if we had to, we’d suggest something like the Belvino Rosé Prosecco, which has delicate floral notes, fruity aromas of cherry, and is excellent value for money.
Another great option is the Porta Dante Rosé Prosecco, which is light, lively and super versatile, or the Rosie Prosecco Rosé, which adds hints of watermelon to the fizzy flavours of wild strawberries. Whatever one you choose, you'll soon understand why prosecco rosé has already become a popular wine of choice across Europe, so pop a bottle to find yourself ahead of the curve here in Australia.
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3. Cava
Cava is Spain’s contribution to the world of sparkling wine, and a very welcome one at that. It's crafted in the 'méthode traditionelle' made famous by Champagne and boasts similar flavours to the French classic, particularly those toasted, nougat notes. The biggest difference is actually the price point, with cava being much more accessible than its French counterpart. And though cava has been around for many years, it's becoming more readily available here in Australia, so now's the perfect time to dive in and give it a go.
One of the oldest producers of Spanish cava is Codorniu, who pay tribute to the year of their very first bottle with the creamy, expressive Cuvee Barcelona 1872 Cava. It's a great example of a classic cava, while Freixenet Organic Cava showcases what can be done using environmentally friendly farming methods and organic grapes. It also happens to be an excellent food wine, as does Villa Conchi's Brut Selección, which is a dry, crisp and Mediterranean style of cava, bringing a lot more freshness to the glass than most.
4. Vintage Champagne
Champagne has long been considered the cream of the crop when it comes to sparkling, and there are two distinct tiers that fall under its umbrella: non-vintage and vintage.
This can be a little confusing as the terms aren’t referring to the wine’s age, but rather the grapes used to make them. While NV Champagne can be produced from a blend of different years’ harvests, the grapes for a Vintage Champagne come from a single harvest, the year of which is then shown on the label. These tend to be produced in exceptional years only, making them rare, unique wines that are generally a lot richer in style.
The three Champagne grapes are showcased beautifully in the Nicolas Feuillatte Champagne Special Cuvée Vintage, with apricot and peach notes from the chardonnay, a silky texture from meunier and a complex finish thanks to the pinot noir. It's an interesting comparison with the Castelnau Champagne Brut Vintage, another top choice boasting signature spicy notes on the finish to complement the classic Champagne flavours. And when it comes to exceptional value for money, look no further than the award-winning Lanson Le Vintage Brut Champagne, which is backed by more than 250 years of experience. Crafting these wines is a painstaking task for winemakers, so it’s well worth the splurge to drink something so special, either on its own or with simple dishes that allow the incredible flavour to be fully appreciated.
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5. French sparkling
And no, we don't mean Champagne, as there's actually a huge array of sparkling wines made in other parts of the country that are just waiting to be discovered! French sparkling made outside of Champagne is known as crémant, with the Loire Valley, Languedoc-Roussillon & Burgundy regions being particularly great places to find high-quality drops that are surprisingly affordable.
The Limoux commune in Languedoc-Roussillon may actually be the birthplace of sparkling wine, with records indicating that the style has been produced there since 1531, which is a few years prior to the Champagne region. Try the deliciously flavoursome L'Eglise Saint-Martin Blanquette de Limoux for a little piece of this history.
One of the exciting things about these French sparkling wines is that winemakers have free reign when it comes to the grapes they're allowed to use. This means the flavour profiles vary widely, so it's a great category to spend some time exploring. Soir de Paris Sparkling Brut France, for example, takes advantage of a full suite of white grapes to create a rich and full palate that makes an ideal celebratory drink, while the Veuve Amiot Crémant de Loire Brut is a blend of chenin, chardonnay and cabernet franc, giving it a delightfully creamy texture alongside flavours of fresh white fruits.
