Making Champagne involves two fermentations. The bubbles are formed during the second fermentation in the bottle. But bubbles alone don’t make a Champagne. Blending is essential. To understand the importance of blending we taste the still “Champagne”, called vin clair, when visiting a producer.
This month, Buckingham Palace released a fruit-filled sloe gin and range of beers including a bitter made with hops grown on the Sandringham Estate.
Here, Helen McGinn gives her verdict on royal drinks.
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From the Finger Lakes to Long Island, there are many styles of sparkling wines to explore in the Empire State. It should be no surprise that delicious examples made from Riesling are popping up, as the grape has proven to make excellent still versions in the Finger Lakes. The bright fruit and racy acidity of the variety lends well to savory sekt-style examples or boisterous, fruit-forward Charmat-method and forced-carbonated bottles.
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and even the occasional Pinot Meunier are also yielding quality bubbly offerings, with notable examples from Long Island and the Finger Lakes. These deliver toasty, savory traditional-method wines that often cost less than a typical bottle of Champagne. There are even some forced-carbonated bottles made from these varieties that are fun and fresh.