Celebration

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Festive · Elegant

Barmes-Buecher's vintage-dated extra-brut Cremant. Long-aged on lees in a Champagne-style Alsace Cremant, biodynamic, often zero-dosage.

Dessert · Full-bodied · Medium acidity · Elegant

Botrytised Gewurztraminer at near-Sauternes ripeness, made only in noble-rot vintages. Saffron honey, candied rose and an apricot-jam palate.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Festive · Easygoing

Lucien Albrecht's house Brut Cremant, a Pinot-family blend. Reliable traditional-method Alsace bubbles at the price of a good Champagne entry.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Festive · Easygoing

Lucien Albrecht's 100 percent Pinot Noir Cremant Rose. Albrecht claims to have been the first to receive AOC approval for Cremant d Alsace in 1976. Reliable salmon-pink bubbles at a friendly price.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Festive · Easygoing

Maison Cattin (Voegtlinshoffen) Cremant Jacques Cattin, an accessible Pinot-family blend with longer lees ageing than the basic tier.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Festive · Easygoing

Pierre Sparr's house Reserve Cremant Brut, a multi-grape blend with a touch of Chardonnay (permitted in Cremant d Alsace). Friendly, accessible Alsace sparkling.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Festive · Easygoing

Mure's house Cremant brut, a Pinot-family blend with a splash of Riesling for lift. Reliable traditional-method Alsace bubbles at a friendly price.

Sweet · Full-bodied · Medium acidity · Elegant

Cuvee Christine is Schlumberger's family-named Vendanges Tardives Gewurztraminer, sourced from Kessler and Kitterle parcels. Honeyed and floral, made only in warm vintages.

Sweet · Full-bodied · Medium acidity · Elegant

Late-harvested Gewurztraminer at high natural ripeness, produced only in warm vintages. Honeyed apricot and lychee with the trademark rose-petal lift.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Festive · Elegant

Valentin Zusslin's biodynamic Cremant Rose, made from 100 percent Pinot Noir. Salmon-pink, long-lees ageing, more serious than a typical Cremant rose.

Dessert · Full-bodied · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

Weinbach's noble-rot Pinot Gris from the Altenbourg lieu-dit. Honeycomb, candied apricot and saffron honey; a multi-decade dessert wine made only in exceptional vintages.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Festive · Easygoing

Wolfberger Eguisheim co-op's blanc-de-noirs Cremant from 100 percent Pinot Noir, traditional method. Reliable affordable Alsace bubbles.

Dry · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Contemplative

Cantina St. Michael-Eppan's prestige cuvee, released only in vintages the cellar declares the wine worthy. A multi-varietal blend of the cooperative's best parcels (typically Chardonnay-led with Pinot Bianco, Sauvignon and Pinot Grigio); the blend composition varies vintage to vintage.

Dry · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Contemplative

Cantina Colterenzio's hyper-limited Sauvignon Blanc Riserva from the oldest parcels of the Lafoa vineyard, planted in the late 1980s with French Sauvignon clones. Strictly limited to 4085 bottles per vintage; awarded White Wine of the Year by Gambero Rosso.

Dry · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Contemplative

Elena Walch's flagship white cuvee, predominantly Chardonnay with select complementary white varietals. Fermented and aged in new French oak barriques; dense and complex, creamy yet juicy, the wine's name references the alpine altitude of its vineyards.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Medium tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Contemplative

Manincor's selection Pinot Nero from the Mazzon plateau at 400-450 metres, sourced from the oldest vines in the highest position of the family's four hectares of Mazon Pinot Nero. Demeter biodynamic-certified; described by Manincor as the 'Grand Cru of Grand Cru'.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Medium tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Contemplative

Elena Walch's supreme Pinot Noir achievement, released in limited 3000-bottle allocations and named after the Egyptian sun god. Sourced from vines 15-61 years old at 400-600 metres at Glen and Barleith; clay-calcareous soils, low-yielding French clones.

Dry · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Contemplative

Cantina Terlano's library-release Pinot Bianco: late-disgorged bottlings from vintages typically 15 to 40 years old, released annually in small allocations. The cellar's proof of Pinot Bianco's ageing potential; demonstrating Pinot Bianco's 30-year-plus ageing potential.

Dessert · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Contemplative

Tenuta Lieselehof's hyper-rare passito dessert wine from air-dried Piwi-variety grapes with approximately 300 grams residual sugar. The cellar's Quintessenz bottling sits at the apex of the dessert wine range; tiny allocations of around 800-848 bottles per vintage.

Sweet · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Fruity

Late-harvested noble-rot Gewurztraminer picked in the first days of winter from a single Tramin parcel where botrytis develops. Sweet, deeply concentrated, with bright acidity balancing 150 grams of residual sugar; styled as Tramin's answer to Alsace's Selection de Grains Nobles.

Dry · Light-bodied · Low tannin · Medium acidity · Festive · Easygoing

Duboeuf's Beaujolais Nouveau is the widely-distributed reference for the third-Thursday-November release: carbonic-maceration Gamay bottled and released on the third Thursday of November, with characteristically exuberant fruit and soft structure.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Elegant · Fruity

One of Champagne's most admired roses: pale salmon-pink with wild strawberry, redcurrant and white peach over fine red fruit, saline freshness and a silky, precise finish.

Dry · Full-bodied · High acidity · Savoury · Bold

A structured Pinot-led rose built on the Special Cuvee base with red wine from Ay's Cote aux Enfants: raspberry and spice over smoky, savoury depth.

Dry · Full-bodied · High acidity · Savoury · Bold

A Pinot-led, oak-influenced brut of real depth: ripe apple and peach burst through with bitter orange while brioche and fresh walnut linger on a savoury finish.

Dry · Full-bodied · High acidity · Savoury · Elegant

A richly mature non-vintage built on a large reserve component: ripe lemon and pineapple over buttery pastry and vanilla toast, with textural richness lifted by a saline, chalky finish.

Dry · Full-bodied · High acidity · Elegant · Contemplative

A single-vintage prestige cuvee of silky, sculpted precision: white peach and candied citrus over a smoky, saline mineral core that the house calls its first plenitude.

Dry · Full-bodied · High acidity · Bold · Elegant

A bold, powerful vintage rose led by black cherry and stone fruit over a deep, softly spicy core, combining flesh and richness with zingy drive.

Dry · Full-bodied · High acidity · Savoury · Rustic

Drappier's Pinot Noir-led Cote des Bar house brut: quince, red apple and spice over fresh brioche, with ripe Pinot fruit, a rounded texture and a long finish.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Easygoing · Refreshing

Gaston Chiquet's Premier Cru house brut: playful and zesty with mandarin and lemon complementing red fruit, an affable, forward style with fresh acidity.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Fruity · Elegant

Gosset's non-vintage rose: red berries and rose over spice and white flowers, the palate marked by fresh red fruit, vinous structure and racy non-malolactic acidity.

Dry · Full-bodied · High acidity · Savoury · Elegant

The non-vintage flagship of Gosset, established at Ay in 1584: blackcurrant and gingerbread over dried fruit and white flowers, balanced and deep with a subtle, lasting finish.

Dry · Full-bodied · High acidity · Elegant · Contemplative

A multi-vintage blend of extraordinary breadth: expressive toast and brioche over stone fruit, an unctuous creamy palate and a crisp mouthwatering lemon finish.

Dry · Full-bodied · High acidity · Elegant · Festive

A vinous, spice-driven rose with greater colour and texture from a relatively high red-wine proportion, the fruit framed by Krug's signature toast.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Racy acidity · Refreshing · Easygoing

Lanson's signature non-malolactic house brut: citrus and green apple over white flowers and a touch of honey, the palate crisp and racy with a mineral cut.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Fruity · Festive

A pioneering saignee rose from Pinot Noir alone: fresh red berries, strawberry and raspberry over rose, the palate marked by bright vinous red fruit and a clean finish.

Dry · Full-bodied · High acidity · Elegant · Contemplative

Laurent-Perrier's flagship blends three great vintages: lemon sherbet, ripe pear and yellow plum over lime, peach and chalk, with intense fruit, stylish restraint and toasty layers.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Elegant · Refreshing

Laurent-Perrier's fresh, Chardonnay-influenced house brut: sweet stone fruit and white flowers over nougat and buttery pastry, the palate ample, pillowy and expressive.

Dry · Full-bodied · Racy acidity · Elegant · Contemplative

The original prestige cuvee, created for a tsar: zesty candied lemon and pollen over roasted hazelnut and vanilla, with incredible tension and a chalky, honed precision.

Dry · Full-bodied · Racy acidity · Elegant · Romantic

Cristal in rose form: fine red fruit and pink grapefruit over chalk and spice, with a silky texture and the same saline, racy length as the white.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Festive · Easygoing

The most widely poured Champagne in the world: a bright, fruit-led brut of green apple and citrus with a brioche edge and an approachable, lively palate.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Festive · Easygoing

Mumm's red-sash house brut: citrus and white peach over a touch of caramel, the palate lively and fresh with fine bubbles and a clean finish.

Dry · Full-bodied · High acidity · Savoury · Bold

A 100 percent Grand Cru Bouzy brut: ripe red fruit and citrus over white flowers and brioche, with rich classy fruit, concentrated Pinot flavour and excellent acidity that gains biscuity complexity with age.

Dry · Full-bodied · High acidity · Fruity · Bold

A textbook Bouzy rose from Pinot Noir alone: floral strawberry and red berries over rose and spice, with a deep Pinot character and fresh acidity.

Dry · Full-bodied · High acidity · Elegant · Romantic

The prestige cuvee in Emile Galle's Art Nouveau anemone bottle: white flowers, honeysuckle and citrus over fresh almond, the palate delicate and silky with chalk and floral length.

Dry · Full-bodied · High acidity · Romantic · Elegant

The prestige rose in the anemone bottle: gentle red berries and rose over citrus and soft spice, charming and soft with fresh acidity.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Elegant · Refreshing

Perrier-Jouet's Chardonnay-leaning house brut: white flowers and citrus over pear and brioche, the palate light and fresh with floral lift and a clean finish.

Dry · Full-bodied · High acidity · Savoury · Elegant

Philipponnat's Pinot-led house brut: crisp citrus and summer berries over fine biscuit, the palate vinous yet high-definition with complex red fruit and gentle toast.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Easygoing · Festive

A crisp, fruit-forward Pinot-led brut: almond and fresh hazelnut accompany subtle pear and apple over a clean, fresh palate.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Elegant · Refreshing

Pol Roger's white-foil house brut: mandarin oil, honeycomb and elderflower over fresh bread, the palate fleshy and enveloping with yellow apple, quince and apricot tart.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Easygoing · Refreshing

Ruinart's Pinot-led house brut: yellow fruit and citrus over brioche and white flowers, the palate rounded and fresh.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Fruity · Elegant

An early historic rose, fresh and delicate: red berries and rose over citrus, the palate marked by raspberry and redcurrant with a chalky finish.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Elegant · Refreshing

Taittinger's Chardonnay-leaning house brut: white peach and apple blossom over fresh fruit and brioche, the palate light, fresh and elegant.

Dry · Full-bodied · High acidity · Elegant · Bold

The prestige rose counterpart to Comtes: red berries and blood orange over rose and spice, the palate silky with raspberry, chalk and a long finish.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Fruity · Festive

A delicate, perfumed rose with a bouquet of strawberry, red berries, herbs, blood orange and guava, fresh and lively on the palate.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Festive · Fruity

A richly aromatic rose combining cherry, strawberry and raspberry with white pepper, saffron and biscuit, finished by toast, orange peel and gingerbread accents.

Dry · Full-bodied · High acidity · Elegant · Bold

The rose version of the prestige cuvee: powerful red fruit and citrus over rooibos tea and fine leather, the palate complex with dried flowers and smoke on a luscious finish.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Festive · Easygoing

The famous yellow-label brut: a soft, youthful, fruity nose of vanilla and red apple with a toasty overtone, the palate fresh, rounded and approachable.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · Medium acidity · Elegant · Refreshing

1701's biodynamic Demeter-certified Satèn Millesimato. 100 percent Chardonnay bottled at the soft 4.5 bar of pressure.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Brut Franciacorta from organic Abrami Elisabetta at Provaglio d'Iseo. Pinot Nero-inflected traditional-method sparkling, matched to soil plot by plot.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Pinot Nero-led Rosé Franciacorta from organic Abrami Elisabetta. The cellar's Pinot Nero focus shows clearly in its rosé.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Brut Franciacorta from family Al Rocol at Ome. Chardonnay-led traditional-method sparkling from the agriturismo estate.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Pinot Nero-led Rosé Franciacorta from family Al Rocol at Ome.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Refreshing

Satèn Franciacorta from family Al Rocol. 100 percent Chardonnay traditional-method sparkling at the softer 4.5 bar Satèn pressure.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Romantic

Pinot Nero-led Essence Rosé Brut from Antica Fratta. Wild strawberry and rose petal aromatics over a creamy mousse with 30 months on lees.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · Medium acidity · Elegant · Refreshing

Antica Fratta's 100 percent Chardonnay Essence Satèn from the Monticelli Brusati cellar. Bottled at the softer 4.5 bar with acacia honey aromatics.

Dry · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Contemplative

The Riserva flagship of Barone Pizzini, organic and declared only in the best vintages. Chardonnay-Pinot Nero blend with 7 years on lees and a saline patisserie finish.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Romantic

Pinot Nero-led organic Rosé from Barone Pizzini, awarded Gambero Rosso's Tre Bicchieri. Wild strawberry, raspberry and rose petal over a creamy mousse.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · Medium acidity · Elegant · Refreshing

100 percent Chardonnay organic Satèn from Barone Pizzini, bottled at the softer 4.5 bar of pressure. Yellow apple and acacia honey aromatics over a silky mousse.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Refreshing

Bellavista's base cuvée built on a deep reserve-wine library spanning over a decade. Chardonnay-led with a creamy mousse, white peach lift and a fine almond patisserie finish.

Dry · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Contemplative

Bellavista's Riserva, named after founder Vittorio Moretti and released only in declared vintages. Chardonnay-Pinot Nero blend with 7 years on lees, candied citrus and patisserie depth over a graphite finish.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Romantic

Pinot Nero-led single-vintage Rosé from Bellavista's Erbusco vineyards. Wild strawberry and rose petal aromatics over a creamy mousse with 48 months on lees.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · Medium acidity · Elegant · Contemplative

Bellavista's single-vintage Satèn, 100 percent Chardonnay, bottled at the softer 4.5 bar of pressure with 48 months on lees. Yellow peach, acacia honey and a silky mousse.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

The line that commemorates Franciacorta's 1961 birth year at Berlucchi. Chardonnay-led Brut with green apple lift, creamy mousse and a fresh almond finish at an accessible price.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · Medium acidity · Elegant · Refreshing

Chardonnay-only Satèn from Berlucchi's '61 line. Bottled at the softer 4.5 bar with yellow apple and white peach aromatics over a silky mousse.

Dry · Light-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

The original Berlucchi traditional-method sparkling, the descendant of Franco Ziliani's 1961 founding cuvée. Now bottled outside DOCG as a VSQ at an everyday price.

Dry · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Contemplative

100 percent Pinot Nero Riserva from the historic Palazzo Lana vineyard in Borgonato. Eight years on lees deliver dried cherry, hazelnut and a graphite minerality.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Brut Franciacorta from organic Bersi Serlini at Provaglio d'Iseo. Family property since 1886, bottle-fermented Franciacorta since 1970.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Pinot Nero-led Rosé Franciacorta from organic Bersi Serlini at Provaglio d'Iseo.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Refreshing

Satèn Franciacorta from organic Bersi Serlini. 100 percent Chardonnay traditional-method sparkling.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Brut Franciacorta from organic Biondelli at Bornato. Chardonnay-led traditional-method sparkling from a 10-hectare property below Bornato Castle.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Brut Franciacorta from organic Bredasole at Paratico near the southern end of Lake Iseo.

Dry · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Contemplative

Maurizio Zanella's prestige cuvée, named after his mother Annamaria Clementi. Oak-fermented base wines and 8 years on lees produce a layered, autolytic Riserva with patisserie depth and a saline, mineral finish.

Dry · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Contemplative

Pinot-led Riserva Rosé from saigne with eight years on lees. Wild strawberry and rose petal aromatics over a creamy patisserie palate and a long graphite-tinged finish.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Refreshing

Numbered-edition base cuvée built on the deepest reserve-wine stock in Franciacorta. White peach and pink grapefruit aromatics over a creamy mousse and a saline mineral finish.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Romantic

Pinot Nero-led Rosé Extra Brut with wild strawberry and rose petal aromatics, a creamy mousse and a delicate citrus finish. The numbered base-tier Rosé from Maurizio Zanella's Erbusco cellar.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · Medium acidity · Elegant · Contemplative

100 percent Chardonnay Satèn from a single vintage, bottled at the softer 4.5 bar of pressure. Yellow peach and acacia honey aromatics carried by a silky mousse and patisserie cream palate.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Brut Franciacorta from organic Camossi at Erbusco. Chardonnay-led Pinot Nero traditional-method sparkling.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Pinot Nero-led Rosé Franciacorta from organic Camossi at Erbusco. Red-berried traditional-method sparkling.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Brut Franciacorta from Castel Faglia at Cazzago San Martino. Chardonnay-led traditional-method sparkling from a 300-metre moraine hill.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Pinot Nero-led Rosé Franciacorta from Castel Faglia at Cazzago San Martino.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Refreshing

Satèn Franciacorta from Castel Faglia. 100 percent Chardonnay traditional-method sparkling at the softer 4.5 bar Satèn pressure.

Dry · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Contemplative

Castello Bonomi's Riserva Lucrezia in the Etichetta Nera (black label) format. 100 percent Chardonnay with 5 years on lees from the Coccaglio cellar (Tenute in Franciacorta group).

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · Medium acidity · Elegant · Refreshing

Castello Bonomi's 100 percent Chardonnay Satèn from the Coccaglio cellar. Bottled at the soft 4.5 bar of pressure of the DOCG Satèn category.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Brut Franciacorta from family Castelveder at Monticelli Brusati. Chardonnay-led traditional-method sparkling.

Dry · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Contemplative

Cavalleri's Pas Dosé Riserva (SE for the Selezione Esclusiva label). Five years on lees and zero dosage strip the wine to its chalky moraine spine.

Dry · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Contemplative

Contadi Castaldi's Riserva, named Mariella, 100 percent Chardonnay with 60 months on lees and the autolytic patisserie cream of the Riserva tier.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Romantic

Pinot Nero-led Rosé Brut from Contadi Castaldi with 30 months on lees. Wild strawberry and rose petal aromatics over a creamy mousse.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · Medium acidity · Elegant · Refreshing

Contadi Castaldi's 100 percent Chardonnay Satèn bottled at the softer 4.5 bar of pressure. Yellow apple, acacia honey and a silky mousse.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Brut Franciacorta from family Faccoli at Coccaglio. Minimal-intervention Chardonnay-led traditional-method sparkling from the foot of Monte Orfano.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Pinot Nero-led Rosé Franciacorta from family Faccoli at Coccaglio.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Contemplative

Ferghettina's single-vintage 100 percent Chardonnay Brut. Thirty-six months on lees deliver lemon curd and saline minerality.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Romantic

100 percent Pinot Nero Rosé from Ferghettina, with the cellar's signature flat-bottle format. Wild strawberry and rose petal aromatics over a creamy mousse.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · Medium acidity · Elegant · Refreshing

Ferghettina's 100 percent Chardonnay Satèn, bottled at the softer 4.5 bar of pressure. Yellow apple, acacia honey and a silky mousse from Roberto Gatti's Adro cellar.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Brut Franciacorta from organic La Fiòca at Nigoline Bonomelli in the Corte Franca commune near Lake Iseo. Chardonnay-led traditional-method sparkling from a south-facing crescent.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · Medium acidity · Elegant · Refreshing

La Montina's 100 percent Chardonnay Satèn from the Bozza brothers' Monticelli Brusati cellar. Soft 4.5 bar mousse with acacia honey aromatics.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Contemplative

Lantieri's flagship Millesimato Arcadia. Chardonnay-led with 36 months on lees and a saline finish from the Capriolo cellar.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Romantic

Pinot Nero-led Rosé Brut from Lantieri with 30 months on lees. Wild strawberry and rose petal aromatics over a creamy mousse.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · Medium acidity · Elegant · Refreshing

Lantieri's 100 percent Chardonnay Satèn from Capriolo. Bottled at the soft 4.5 bar of pressure with acacia honey aromatics.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Brut Franciacorta from family Le Cantorìe at Gussago. Chardonnay-led traditional-method sparkling from steep south-facing terraces on calcareous-clay-rocky soils.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Romantic

Le Marchesine's Pinot Nero-led Rosé Millesimato Artio. Wild strawberry and rose petal aromatics over a creamy mousse with 30 months on lees.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · Medium acidity · Elegant · Refreshing

Le Marchesine's Satèn, Brigantia. 100 percent Chardonnay bottled at the softer 4.5 bar of pressure with acacia honey aromatics.

Dry · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Contemplative

Le Marchesine's prestige Millesimato Secolo Novo. Forty-eight months on lees and oak fermentation deliver patisserie cream and saline minerality.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · Medium acidity · Elegant · Refreshing

Lo Sparviere's 100 percent Chardonnay Satèn from the Monticelli Brusati cellar. Bottled at the soft 4.5 bar of pressure with acacia honey aromatics.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Brut Franciacorta from family Majolini at Ome. Chardonnay-led traditional-method sparkling from the rock-excavated cellar.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Pinot Nero-led Rosé Franciacorta from organic Majolini at Ome.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Refreshing

Satèn Franciacorta from organic Majolini. Chardonnay and Pinot Bianco traditional-method sparkling at the softer 4.5 bar Satèn pressure.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Brut Franciacorta from Marchesi Antinori Tenuta Montenisa at Calino. Chardonnay-led traditional-method sparkling from the Tuscan Antinori family's only Lombard property.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Pinot Nero-led Rosé Franciacorta from Marchesi Antinori Tenuta Montenisa at Calino.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Refreshing

Satèn Franciacorta from Marchesi Antinori Tenuta Montenisa. Chardonnay and Pinot Bianco traditional-method sparkling.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Brut Franciacorta from organic Mirabella at Passirano. Chardonnay-Pinot Bianco-Pinot Nero traditional-method sparkling from the converted 1940s cooperative.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Pinot Nero-led Rosé Franciacorta from organic Mirabella at Passirano.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Refreshing

Satèn Franciacorta from organic Mirabella. Chardonnay and Pinot Bianco traditional-method sparkling at the softer 4.5 bar Satèn pressure, leaning on one of the appellation's larger Pinot Bianco plantings.

Dry · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Contemplative

Monte Rossa's prestige Millesimato Cabochon, the cellar's flagship single-vintage. Sixty months on lees deliver patisserie cream and a saline finish from the moraine hills.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Romantic

Pinot Nero-led Rosé Brut from Monte Rossa. The Flamingo label was redesigned around the eponymous pink bird and is one of the most-poured Rosé Franciacorta in Lombardy on-trade.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · Medium acidity · Elegant · Refreshing

Monte Rossa's Satèn, 100 percent Chardonnay bottled at the softer 4.5 bar of pressure. Acacia honey aromatics over a silky mousse.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · Medium acidity · Elegant · Refreshing

Il Mosnel's organic Satèn, 100 percent Chardonnay, bottled at the softer 4.5 bar of pressure with 30 months on lees. Yellow peach and acacia honey aromatics over a silky mousse.

Dry · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Contemplative

Muratori's Riserva del Gelso, named after a heritage mulberry tree on the estate. Chardonnay-led blend with 5 years on lees and a saline patisserie finish.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · Medium acidity · Elegant · Refreshing

Muratori's organic Satèn. 100 percent Chardonnay with 30 months on lees and the soft 4.5 bar mousse from the Adro cellar.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Brut Franciacorta from Quadra at Cologne. Chardonnay-led traditional-method sparkling from the southwestern DOCG edge.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Pinot Nero-led Rosé Franciacorta from Quadra at Cologne.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Refreshing

Satèn Franciacorta from Quadra. 100 percent Chardonnay traditional-method sparkling at the softer 4.5 bar Satèn pressure.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · Medium acidity · Elegant · Refreshing

Ricci Curbastro's organic Satèn, Chardonnay-led with a small Pinot Bianco portion. Bottled at the softer 4.5 bar of pressure with the cellar's signature acacia honey lift.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · Medium acidity · Elegant · Refreshing

Ronco Calino's organic 100 percent Chardonnay Satèn from Torbiato. Soft 4.5 bar mousse with acacia honey aromatics.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Brut Franciacorta from organic San Cristoforo at Villa Pedergnano in the Erbusco commune. Chardonnay-led traditional-method sparkling.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Pinot Nero-led Rosé Franciacorta from organic San Cristoforo at Villa Pedergnano.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Refreshing

Brut Millesimato Franciacorta from organic Santus at Passirano. The cellar bottles vintage Millesimato exclusively, no NV blends.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Refreshing

Satèn Millesimato Franciacorta from organic Santus. 100 percent Chardonnay vintage traditional-method sparkling.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Brut Franciacorta from family Turra at Cologne. Chardonnay-led traditional-method sparkling from the western Monte Orfano slopes.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · Medium acidity · Elegant · Contemplative

Uberti's single-vineyard Satèn from the Comarì del Salem plot at Erbusco. 100 percent Chardonnay bottled at 4.5 bar with 36 months on lees.

Dry · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Contemplative

Uberti's prestige Riserva, named after Francesco I Uberti. Chardonnay-led blend with 7 years on lees and an autolytic patisserie depth.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Elegant

Uberti's volume Brut, Magnificentia, blends Chardonnay and Pinot Bianco from the family's Erbusco vineyards. Creamy mousse and a saline finish.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Brut Franciacorta from family Vezzoli at Erbusco. Chardonnay-led Pinot Nero traditional-method sparkling.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Pinot Nero-led Rosé Franciacorta from family Vezzoli at Erbusco.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Refreshing

Single-vineyard Brut Millesimato Franciacorta from Tenuta Villa Crespia. The Cesonato plot at Adro in the Muratori group's Villa Crespia line.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Refreshing

Satèn Franciacorta from Tenuta Villa Crespia. 100 percent Chardonnay traditional-method sparkling at the softer 4.5 bar Satèn pressure.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · Medium acidity · Elegant · Refreshing

Villa Franciacorta's Boké Satèn. 100 percent Chardonnay with 36 months on lees and the soft 4.5 bar mousse of the Satèn category.

Dry · Light-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Tank-method sparkling Ribolla Gialla from Puiatti. Ribolla Gialla is the historic white grape of Collio and Brda and adapts well to the tank-method sparkling style.

Dry · Light-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Tank-method sparkling Pinot Grigio from Puiatti at Romans d'Isonzo. Vittorio Puiatti was a pioneer of serious Pinot Grigio in Friuli; the cellar has bottled sparkling Pinot Grigio since the 1980s.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · Racy acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Antech's zero-dosage 100% Mauzac Blanquette. Showcase for the heritage Limoux variety with no added sugar at disgorgement.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · Medium acidity · Contemplative · Bold

Rare 100% Syrah parcel cuvée of La Negly from a tiny plot. Single-parcel yield of 10-15 hl/ha, with retail prices typically EUR 180-350 per bottle.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · Racy acidity · Refreshing · Elegant

Brut Nature Crémant from Mouscaillo with no added sugar at disgorgement. Sharp, mineral, made with estate grape must rather than commercial liqueur.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · Medium acidity · Contemplative · Bold

Cuvee exception of Daumas Gassac, 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the original 1972 vines. Produced in 2,000 bottles per top vintage; structured with backbone of freshness and powerful tannins.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Festive · Refreshing

Antech's signature Crémant cuvée named after Eugénie Limouzy. Chardonnay-led traditional method; 12 months on lees adds toasty complexity.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · Medium acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

Prestige cuvée of Hospitalet from a rocky parcel dominated by wind and sun; old vines of Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre on the La Clape limestone.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · Medium acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

Flagship Terrasses du Larzac of La Peira, a 60/40 Syrah-Grenache blend; full-bodied with smoked black fruit, ground pepper, graphite, garrigue, lavender and truffle notes, sweet integrated tannin and a long mineral finish per producer tasting notes spanning 2005-2020 vintages.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · Medium acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

The prestige Terrasses du Larzac of Sauvageonne; Syrah-Grenache-Mourvedre selection from the highest-quality parcels with extended barrique ageing.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Festive · Elegant

Antech's premium Legacy Extra Brut Crémant with Pinot Noir adding red-fruit lift. Extended lees ageing builds creamy texture.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · Medium acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

Aime Guibert's pioneering Bordeaux-style red from the Gassac valley, ~80% Cabernet Sauvignon with twenty other rare varieties. The wine that built the IGP Saint-Guilhem-le-Desert.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Sieur d'Arques' signature Blanquette de Limoux, three-grape blend aged 15 months on laths. The cooperative's reference traditional-method sparkling.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Festive · Elegant

Sieur d'Arques' Toques et Clochers Crémant - meticulous selections at each stage, 30 months on laths for aromatic development and freshness.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Elegant · Refreshing

Langlois's signature Brut Reserve: minimum 58 percent Chenin Blanc, balanced with Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc, 10 percent reserve wines, and a minimum 24 months on the lees (double the appellation minimum). Linden blossom and baked pear on the nose, creamy mousse with biscuit and a mineral finish.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Refreshing · Fruity

Langlois's Cabernet Franc-dominant Cremant de Loire rose. Over 60 percent of the blend comes from clay-limestone terroirs of Montreuil-Bellay and Le Puy Notre-Dame, with 18 months on the lees: pale pink with copper notes, red berry and peach aromatics, fresh and easy on the palate.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Elegant · Contemplative

Langlois's icon Cremant de Loire. Chenin Blanc-led with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc, fully five years on the lees: dried apricot, toasted brioche and candied lemon, with a long honeyed pear and saline mineral palate.

Sweet · Full-bodied · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

Botrytised sweet Chenin Blanc from a south-facing tuffeau parcel. The estate's rare dessert cuvee: candied apricot, honey and saffron over a saline mineral spine, built for decades.

Sweet · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Savoury

Single-vineyard Coteaux du Layon from Baumard's Clos Sainte Catherine. Late-harvest Chenin with honey, peach and chalky lift, the Baumard's most approachable sweet wine.

Sweet · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

Botrytis Chenin Blanc from schist parcels above the Layon. Honey, apricot and preserved citrus over Anjou Noir schist's mineral spine.

Sweet · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

Ogereau's flagship Coteaux du Layon Saint-Lambert from Clos des Bonnes Blanches. Botrytis Chenin Blanc with honey, apricot and saffron over chalky depth.

Dry · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

Nicolas Joly's 7-hectare biodynamic monopole AOC on schist over the Loire. quince, honey and waxy texture over an electric mineral spine.

Dry · Light-bodied · High acidity · Festive · Refreshing

The Bretons' pet-nat Vouvray, made in the ancestral method with no dosage. Saline, citrussy Chenin Blanc with a fine bead and a dry, refreshing finish.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Saigne-method Cabernet Franc Cremant de Loire. Intense pink-salmon hue, wild strawberry and ripe peach aromas, a broad and gently tannic palate with a soft mousse.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

The Foucault brothers' cult cuvee, born from a single tuffeau-limestone parcel at Chace. Dense, perfumed Cabernet Franc with cedar, graphite and a chalky, mineral length that defines what Saumur-Champigny can be.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

Cult Anjou Chenin from a 0.7-hectare parcel of centenarian vines planted 1910 on chalky-clay plateau. A few thousand bottles a year of cellar-worthy dry Chenin Blanc, virtually impossible to find.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Savoury

Cult Anjou Chenin from a 0.45-hectare parcel of 80-year-old vines on light limestone upstream of the Layon. The most lifted of Bernaudeau's three bottlings.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Elegant · Festive

Ackerman's iconic Cremant de Loire, named for the son of founder Jean-Baptiste Ackerman. Chenin, Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc each vinified separately, blended for harmony: ripe white and red fruit, brioche and dried fruit length, with a delicately spiced white-pepper finish.

Dry · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Savoury

Buisson Renard (formerly Buisson Ménard) is the broader, more exotic side of Dagueneau. Yellow plum and exotic spice over a full, ripe-fruited Sauvignon frame.

Dry · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Savoury

Pur Sang, established 1988, sits at the heart of Dagueneau's range. Citrus, saline mineral and flint smoke from a Kimmeridgian-clay terroir.

Dry · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

Pouilly-Fumé from Saint-Andelain flint terroir. Didier Dagueneau's flagship cuvée since 1990; pure pierre à fusil signature on a powerful, age-worthy frame.

Sweet · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

Botrytis-affected Chenin Blanc from Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru AOC. Honey, apricot and preserved citrus on a multi-decade-cellar frame, the Baumard's flagship dessert wine.

Sweet · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

Botrytis-affected Chenin Blanc from Pierre-Bise's Quarts de Chaume parcels. Honey, apricot and saffron over a multi-decade-cellar frame.

Sweet · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

Patrick Baudouin's botrytis Chenin Blanc from Quarts de Chaume schist. Intense honey and apricot over Anjou Noir schist's mineral spine; multi-decade-cellar.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Elegant · Festive

Ackerman's Chardonnay-led Cremant de Loire Royal. 36 months on the lees lend tertiary dried-fruit and almond notes, balanced by zesty lemon and a buttery, biscuity Chardonnay character with a long, dry finish.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Elegant · Contemplative

The Bouvet prestige Saumur Brut and the house's early oak-fermented cuvee. Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay vinified in French oak barrels, then a minimum 24 months on the lees: brioche, cream, lemon peel and roasted peach with a long, mineral finish.

Sweet · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

Botrytis-affected Chenin Blanc from Clos du Bourg in late-harvest conditions. Honey, apricot and preserved citrus over the cuvée's signature chalky acidity.

Dessert · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

Foreau's most rarefied Moelleux. Produced only five times in the domaine's century-long history (1947, 1990, 2011, 2015, 2020).

Sweet · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

Botrytis-affected late-harvest Chenin Blanc from Foreau's tuffeau-limestone parcels in Vouvray. Bottled only a few times per decade, with documented multi-decade cellaring potential.

Dry · Light-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Méthode ancestrale Chenin Blanc from all three Huet crus. A gently sparkling, soft-fizz Vouvray with chalky drive and notable cellaring capacity.

Dry · Light-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Brut Nature sparkling Vouvray from organic Chenin Blanc on clay-limestone and clay with silex. Expressive nose with subtle roasted-almond aromas and great freshness.

Dessert · Medium-bodied · Racy acidity · Festive

A rare Eiswein from the Mulheimer Helenenkloster, a site Richter reserves for ice wine: piercing acidity carrying intense concentrated frozen-grape sweetness.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Racy acidity · Elegant · Festive

A long-lees-aged traditional-method prestige Riesling Sekt from Molitor: taut, mineral and finely structured with persistent fine bubbles.

Off Dry · Light-bodied · High acidity · Festive · Refreshing

A traditional-method Riesling sparkling wine: fresh Riesling fruit, fine bubbles and invigorating elegance with citrus and apple notes.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Racy acidity · Elegant · Refreshing

A zero-dosage traditional-method Riesling Sekt bottled without sugar, showing Riesling in its clearest, most uncompromising and bone-dry sparkling form.

Dry · Light-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Pioneer Chardonnay-led Cava with delicate tropical and citrus aromatics, soft creamy mousse and a refreshing lemon-cream finish at an everyday price point.

Dry · Light-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Brut Nature Cava from organic Parato at El Pla del Penedes. Indigenous-trio traditional-method sparkling.

Dry · Light-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Pinot Noir rose Cava from organic Avinyo. Fresh, red-fruited, fine-bubble Catalan sparkler.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Refreshing

Indigenous-trio Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature under Conca del Riu Anoia. 18 months on lees from the 90-hectare Demeter-certified biodynamic estate; white blossom, lemon zest and fresh almond.

Dry · Light-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Brut Nature Reserva Cava from organic Bolet. Indigenous-trio traditional-method sparkling from the 1619 family farmhouse.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Festive · Elegant

Long-lees Gran Reserva Cava from organic Bolet. Indigenous-trio plus Chardonnay traditional-method sparkling.

Dry · Light-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Indigenous-trio Brut Reserva with the brand's signature trencadis-mosaic label. Crisp apple, pear and apple-crumble register from 15 months on lees; bright zipping citrus finish.

Dry · Light-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Romantic

Garnatxa-led rose Cava with a touch of Pinot Noir for elegance. Wild strawberry, redcurrant and rose petal aromatics over a soft creamy mousse and delicate citrus finish.

Off Dry · Light-bodied · Low tannin · Medium acidity · Festive · Fruity

Indigenous-trio Cava in the Semi-Seco style (37 grams per litre residual sugar), the brand's original launch back to 1941. Ripe pear, melon and quince aromatics with a creamy mousse; the right Cava for spicy food and lighter desserts.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Festive · Elegant

Single-vineyard Cava de Paraje Calificado from organic Vins el Cep at Can Llopart Alzines. Long-lees luxury Cava expression.

Dry · Light-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Indigenous-trio Cava in the iconic black frosted bottle launched in 1974. Bright green apple and pear aromatics with biscuity lees complexity from 12 to 18 months on lees; the global Cava reference at its price point.

Dry · Light-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Brut Reserva Cava from organic Cusco Berga in Les Gunyoles. Indigenous-trio traditional-method sparkling.

Dry · Light-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Biodynamic Brut Nature traditional-method sparkling from Loxarel. Classic Penedes category.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Festive

Chardonnay-led premium Cava blend with Macabeo, Parellada and Pinot Noir. Wild raspberry and citrus aromatics with nutty autolytic depth from extended lees ageing; balanced and round at a fair premium price.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Romantic

Pinot Noir and Trepat rose Cava in the Elyssia premium range. Wild strawberry, raspberry and floral citrus aromatics over an elegant creamy palate; the salmon-pink colour comes from short skin maceration.

Dry · Light-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Corpinnat Brut Nature from the historic Can Feixes estate at the Penedes-Anoia border. Extreme continental climate.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Festive

Xarel-lo-Macabeo Gran Reserva Brut aged 50-plus months on lees, the brand's classic since 1951. Candied fruit and blossom on the nose; fine lees, dry nuts and wild herbs on the palate. Demeter-certified biodynamic.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Festive · Elegant

Single-vineyard Cava de Paraje Calificado from organic Sumarroca. Approved in the March 2026 expansion of the category.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Festive · Elegant

Long-lees Gran Reserva Cava from organic Avinyo at Can Fontanals. Indigenous-trio brut nature.

Dry · Light-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Corpinnat Brut Nature from organic Mas Candi. Indigenous-trio traditional-method sparkling.

Dry · Light-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Brut Nature Cava from organic Vins el Cep. Indigenous-trio plus Chardonnay traditional-method sparkling.

Dry · Light-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Brut Nature Cava from Caves Mascaro in Vilafranca del Penedes. Indigenous-trio sparkling from the modernist Casa Galtes building.

Dry · Light-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Mono-varietal Pinot Noir rose Cava from Caves Mascaro. Fresh red-fruited Catalan sparkler.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Festive

100 percent Chardonnay vintage Brut Nature aged 30 months on lees. White peach, lemon curd and biscuit on a refined Chardonnay frame; one of the early Spanish Blanc de Blancs sparklings.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Festive · Elegant

Long-lees Gran Reserva Cava from organic Sumarroca, named for co-founder Nuria Claverol. Indigenous-trio plus Chardonnay.

Dry · Light-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Indigenous-trio Brut Reserva from Vallformosa's modern range. White apple, lemon and biscuit on a clean, refreshing palate with fine creamy mousse and 15 months on lees.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Festive · Elegant

Mono-varietal Pinot Noir Cava from organic Parato. Blanc de Noirs style traditional-method sparkling.

Dry · Light-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Chardonnay-Pinot Noir Cava from Naveran. Burgundy-influenced traditional-method sparkling.

Dry · Light-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Organic traditional-method sparkling from Albet i Noya under the Classic Penedes category. Fresh, easy, casual Catalan fizz.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Festive

100 percent Pinot Noir Blanc de Noirs Cava with raspberry, redcurrant and wild-strawberry aromatics over a creamy, delicate body and long finish; relaunched in 2010 as the first Cava made entirely from Pinot Noir.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Festive

Macabeo-Parellada Brut Reserva made from nine separate base wines, aged 30 months on lees. Brioche, lemon verbena and honeysuckle aromatics with mid-palate minerality. Iconic pewter-base bottle design.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · Medium acidity · Elegant · Contemplative

Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc from the Finca Les Arnes parcel on Silurian slate soils. Long ageing in French oak.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Festive

Indigenous-trio Gran Reserva Brut Nature aged 36-plus months on lees from organic grapes. Ripe white fruit, Ercolina pear and toasted-bread aromatics; candied citrus, pineapple and honeydew with almond on the finish.

Dry · Light-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Mono-varietal Garnacha rose Cava from Jane Ventura. Pioneer of Garnacha-based rose Cava in Baix Penedes.

Dry · Light-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Indigenous-trio Brut Reserva aged 18 months on lees. Crisp green apple, citrus and biscuit on a refreshing palate with fine creamy mousse.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Refreshing

Indigenous-trio Brut Nature Corpinnat, the most approachable in the Recaredo range. Green apple, pear and chamomile aromatics with creamy lees from 47 months on lees, hand-disgorged. Biodynamic, organic and vegan.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Savoury

Xarel-lo-led indigenous-trio Brut Nature Corpinnat, the entry-tier into Recaredo's biodynamic estate range. 36 months on lees on a saline, herb-driven frame. Demeter-certified, vegan, hand-disgorged.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Festive

Indigenous-trio Gran Reserva Brut Nature with 24-plus months on lees. Yellow apple, apricot and acacia flower aromatics; broad and firm on the palate with well-integrated acidity. Pere Ventura's flagship since 1995.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · Medium acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

First single-variety Cabernet Sauvignon labelled and bottled in Spain. Single-vineyard from the 1963-planted Vinya La Scala plot at Chateau Leon in Torrelavit.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Elegant

Long-lees-aged Chardonnay Blanc de Blancs Sekt: yellow apple, hazelnut, brioche and a long savoury close.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Festive · Elegant

Long-lees-aged traditional-method Pfalz Riesling Sekt: green apple, citrus, brioche and a bone-dry close from Deidesheim and Ruppertsberg parcels.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Festive

Traditional-method Riesling Sekt: green apple, citrus and brioche from lees autolysis on Deidesheim grapes.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Funky · Festive

Low-intervention ancestral-method Riesling Pet Nat: apple, citrus, light yeast and a crisp dry close, hand-disgorged from organic-certified Bockenheim parcels.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Festive

Traditional-method dry Riesling Sekt: green apple, citrus, brioche from lees autolysis and a crisp close.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Festive

Traditional-method dry Blanc de Noirs Sekt from Spatburgunder: green apple, citrus, brioche from lees autolysis and a crisp dry close.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Festive

Organic traditional-method Riesling Sekt: green apple, citrus, brioche from lees autolysis and a clean close.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Festive · Elegant

Von Buhl's traditional-method Riesling Sekt, aged a minimum of 40 months on lees: bottle-fermented sparkling with green apple, citrus, brioche and a crisp dry close.

Sweet · Light-bodied · Medium acidity · Festive · Refreshing

A brilliant straw-yellow Moscato d'Asti with floral, peach and apricot aromas, a creamy, fragrant palate, fine bubble and a particularly fresh finish.

Sweet · Light-bodied · Medium acidity · Festive · Refreshing

A bright straw-gold, slightly sparkling Moscato d'Asti with intense peach, apricot, rose petal and ginger, sweet and delicate with modest acidity and good balance.

Sweet · Full-bodied · Low tannin · Medium acidity · Festive · Romantic

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Refreshing

Tibouren-led Cotes de Provence Cru Classe rose from Galoupet, acquired by Moet Hennessy in 2019. The estate uses native yeasts, gravity-flow winemaking and partial old-oak fermentation for textural depth.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Contemplative

Minuty's flagship premium rose, partially old-oak fermented, with the name referring to the estate's elevation in metres. Vinous and structured, designed to compete with the upper Esclans tier.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Elegant

Joint-venture rose from Chateau Miraval (Perrin family with Brad Pitt and the Stoli Group). Cinsault-led with classic Provencal stone fruit and citrus over a saline finish.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Festive

Joint-venture Champagne Blanc de Blancs from the Peters-Liebart family of Champagne Pierre Peters with Brad Pitt and the Stoli Group, bottled under the Muse de Miraval label; chalky, ginger-driven and built for cellaring.

Dry · Full-bodied · High tannin · High acidity · Bold · Contemplative

The most uncompromising Bandol: near-pure Mourvedre, three to four years in old foudre, no fining or filtration. Tar, iron and dried herb over a tannin frame that demands fifteen years minimum.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Contemplative

Saint Maur's premium single-vineyard rose, partially old-oak fermented for textural depth. Stone fruit and tangerine over saline depth with creamy almond-wax richness.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Contemplative

Sainte Roseline's premium cuvee, partially old-oak fermented for textural depth. Stone fruit and tangerine with almond-wax richness; designed to compete with the Esclans and Minuty upper tier.

Dry · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Contemplative

The Esclans flagship and benchmark for ultra-premium Provencal rose. Grenache from 80-year-old vines, fermented and aged in mostly new 600-litre demi-muids. Dense, structured and built to age.

Dry · Full-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Contemplative

Esclans' premium rose, fermented and aged in 600-litre demi-muids on lees. Vinous and structured, with almond-vanilla texture from oak balanced by saline depth and citrus.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Contemplative

Premium oak-fermented Cru Classe rose from organic Gavoty. Named after Bernard Gavoty, the late music critic who chronicled the estate in the 20th century. Almond and saline depth with stone-fruit lift.

Dry · Full-bodied · High tannin · High acidity · Bold · Contemplative

Almost-pure Mourvedre from a wind-sheltered, low-yielding parcel within La Tourtine. The most structured Tempier cuvee: dense, brooding and graphite-driven, with a tannin frame that demands decades.

Dry · Full-bodied · High tannin · High acidity · Bold · Contemplative

Near-pure Mourvedre from the estate's oldest vines at La Cadiere d'Azur. Dense, brooding and graphite-driven; one of Bandol's most uncompromising flagship cuvees.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Festive · Refreshing

Schoenleber's traditional-method single-vineyard Riesling Sekt: bottle-fermented with extended lees ageing, citrus drive and toasty autolysis brioche.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Festive · Refreshing

Becker's traditional-method dry Riesling Sekt: bottle-fermented, slate-driven, citrus-bright sparkling with toasty lees autolysis.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Festive · Refreshing

Traditional-method dry Riesling Sekt from the Hessian state estate: green apple, citrus and toasty lees autolysis from second-fermentation in bottle.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Festive · Refreshing

Barth's EU-organic traditional-method Sekt: bottle-fermented Pinot blend with extended lees ageing, brioche and toasty autolysis over racy acid.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Festive · Refreshing

Breuer's traditional-method Riesling Sekt: bottle-fermented bone-dry sparkling with green apple, citrus and toasty lees-autolysis brioche.

Medium Sweet · Full-bodied · Low tannin · Medium acidity · Romantic · Contemplative

Sweet · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · Medium acidity · Festive · Romantic

A fresh, floral Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise from Coyeux; delicate apricot and peach blossom with natural sweetness and clean acidity. An ideal dessert aperitif or pairing for fresh fruit.

Sweet · Full-bodied · Low tannin · Medium acidity · Festive · Elegant

The Reserve Muscat from Coyeux; more concentrated and richer than the standard cuvee, with brief time in old oak adding almond and caramel notes.

Sweet · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · Medium acidity · Festive · Romantic

One of Beaumes-de-Venise's most traditional producers; the Muscat from Bernardins is floral, perfumed, and delicate with rose water and lychee notes from high-altitude Muscat vines.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Festive · Refreshing

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Festive · Elegant

Mar de Frades' traditional-method sparkling Albariño, brut nature: the producer's espumoso bottling.

Sweet · Full-bodied · Low tannin · Medium acidity · Festive · Romantic

Ben Ryé (Arabic for 'son of the wind') is Donnafugata's flagship Passito di Pantelleria DOC: sun-dried Zibibbo from the alberello pantesco vines on the volcanic island, exported widely through Donnafugata's international distribution since the 1990s.

Dry · Light-bodied · Low tannin · Racy acidity · Festive · Elegant

Gaudensius is Firriato's traditional-method sparkling wine from Nerello Mascalese on the Verzella contrada: fine persistent bubbles, red-cherry vibrancy and volcanic mineral character - a strong contender alongside Murgo's long-established Etna sparkling.

Sweet · Full-bodied · Low tannin · Medium acidity · Festive · Romantic

Morsi di Luce (bites of light) is Florio's Passito di Pantelleria: sun-dried Zibibbo grapes from Pantelleria producing a sweet, honeyed wine with apricot and orange blossom aromatics.

Sweet · Full-bodied · Low tannin · Medium acidity · Festive · Romantic

Hauner's Malvasia delle Lipari Passito is the benchmark for this rare Aeolian appellation: sun-dried Malvasia di Lipari producing a wine of extraordinary floral complexity, apricot sweetness and the distinctive volcanic mineral character of the island of Salina.

Sweet · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Festive · Romantic

Maggio Vini's Moscato di Noto is a delicately sweet fortified-adjacent late-harvest Moscato Bianco from the sun-drenched Noto terroir: peach blossom, orange and apricot with balancing acidity from the variety's natural freshness.

Off Dry · Full-bodied · Low tannin · Medium acidity · Festive · Easygoing

De Bartoli's Marsala Superiore Riserva Oro is an approachable 5-year expression: lighter oxidative weight than the 10-year Riserva but with the estate's characteristic Grillo purity and a golden-almond character that bridges the aperitivo and dessert register.

Dry · Light-bodied · Low tannin · Racy acidity · Festive · Elegant

Sicily's most celebrated traditional-method sparkling wine: pure Nerello Mascalese fermented in bottle and aged 36-plus months on lees, producing fine bubbles, red-berry freshness and volcanic mineral character.

Sweet · Full-bodied · Low tannin · Medium acidity · Festive · Romantic

Capofaro's Malvasia delle Lipari Passito is produced at the Salina estate, with terrace vines on the island's north slope facing the active volcano Stromboli across the channel. The Tasca d'Almerita team applies modern winemaking precision to the passito style with clean, precise floral-honeyed concentration and the distinctive volcanic mineral signature of Salina.

Dry · Festive · Elegant

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Bold · Elegant

Argiano's annata Brunello from the Renaissance Sant'Angelo in Colle estate. The 2018 vintage was named Wine Spectator's Wine of the Year 2023.

Sweet · Full-bodied · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

Cult Vin Santo from raisined Sangiovese (Prugnolo Gentile), 10+ years oxidative ageing in small caratelli barrels.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

Banfi's flagship Brunello Riserva from the Poggio all'Oro vineyard, released only in top vintages.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

The founding Brunello, traditionally styled in Slavonian botti from the Greppo estate's Sangiovese Grosso vines.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

Released only in exceptional vintages, the Riserva is known for extended cellar capacity (50 plus years in great vintages).

Sweet · Full-bodied · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

Capezzana's flagship Vin Santo from raisined Trebbiano and San Colombano, 8 to 10 years in caratelli.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Bold · Contemplative

Single-vineyard Brunello from Casanova di Neri's Cerretalto cru, one of Montalcino's most concentrated cuvees.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Bold · Contemplative

Castello di Ama's cult 100 percent Merlot Toscana IGT from a tiny Gaiole parcel, plush and graphite-mineral.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Bold

Italy's reference 100 percent Merlot away from Bolgheri. Black cherry, blackberry and violet over a graphite-iron mineral spine, with polished oak and firm tannin in support.

Sweet · Full-bodied · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

Traditional Vin Santo del Chianti Classico from Le Fonti, raisined grapes aged 10 years in caratelli.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Bold · Contemplative

Cult 100 percent Merlot Toscana IGT from Le Macchiole, often compared to its Masseto neighbour.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Bold · Contemplative

100 percent Merlot Toscana IGT from a 7-hectare blue-clay parcel inside the Ornellaia estate; first released as a separate label 1986.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Bold · Elegant

Lodovico Antinori's Bolgheri Bordeaux-blend, founded 1981. Bolgheri Superiore DOC under Frescobaldi ownership; Wine Spectator Wine of the Year 2001 for the 1998 vintage.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

The Riserva amplifies the house signature: rose-petal and dried-cherry depth, iron-and-leather backbone, a very long balsamic finish. Released only in exceptional vintages.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

The founding Super Tuscan: a Bordeaux blend planted at Bolgheri in 1944 by Mario Incisa della Rocchetta. Granted its own single-estate DOC in 1994.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Bold · Elegant

A 50/50 Sangiovese-Merlot Super Tuscan from the historic Siepi vineyard at 850 feet. Black plum, sandalwood and tobacco over a firm cedar-and-cherry core.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Bold · Elegant

Cabernet-led sibling of Tignanello, denser and more international in profile, with cassis and graphite intensity over a long Tuscan acid spine.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

Soldera's flagship pure Sangiovese, now under Toscana IGT after withdrawing from Brunello DOCG. Ethereal, perfumed, profound.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Bold · Contemplative

Tua Rita's flagship 100 percent Merlot Toscana IGT from Suvereto on the Val di Cornia.

Off Dry · Light-bodied · Medium acidity · Festive · Elegant

Rich and aromatic expression from the 107-ha Cartizze grand cru hill. Bisol's long tenure on the hill and multi-generational vine stock give this off-dry sparkler a layered complexity unusual in Prosecco.

Off Dry · Light-bodied · Medium acidity · Festive · Elegant

Col Vetoraz is uniquely positioned above Santo Stefano at the edge of the Cartizze hill, giving its Cartizze expression exceptional altitude and south-facing exposure. The result is an opulent, aromatic Cartizze with great aromatic intensity and length.

Sweet · Full-bodied · High acidity · Festive · Contemplative

San Zeno is Fasoli Gino's Recioto di Soave DOCG, made from dried organic Garganega grapes. Organic farming preserves the grape's natural concentration and flavour integrity through drying. The result is a rich, golden sweet wine of exceptional aromatic purity.

Sweet · Light-bodied · Medium acidity · Festive · Romantic

Dindarello is Maculan's late-harvest Moscato, a lighter and more delicate counterpart to the intense Torcolato and Acininobili. From small Moscato (Muscat blanc a petits grains) grapes left on the vine to develop extra ripeness, it captures the variety's natural floral sweetness without botrytis intervention.

Sweet · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Festive · Elegant

Miele (honey) is Monte Tondo's Recioto di Soave DOCG, a rare sweet wine from appassimento-dried Garganega grapes. Recioto di Soave predates Soave's dry style and is considered the original historic wine of the Soave hills. Monte Tondo's version captures honey, dried apricot and candied citrus balanced by the grape's naturally high acidity.

Off Dry · Light-bodied · High acidity · Elegant · Festive

A single-hill Cartizze grand cru expression from the Stecca parcel, with richer fruit, honeyed florality and greater complexity than the standard Rustico, yet retaining the hallmark lightness of the hill.

Dry · Light-bodied · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

The benchmark entry-level Prosecco Superiore DOCG from Nino Franco. Pale straw with fine persistent perlage; white stone fruit and floral notes lead to a crisp, dry finish.

Off Dry · Light-bodied · Medium acidity · Festive · Elegant

Ruggeri's Cartizze expression from the storied 107-hectare grand cru hill. Off-dry and aromatic with richer fruit and honey than the standard Valdobbiadene range, showing the concentration that the south-facing Cartizze slopes produce.

Medium Sweet · Light-bodied · Medium acidity · Festive · Elegant

Villa Sandi's Cartizze Dry is at the sweeter end of the Cartizze spectrum (17-32 g/l residual sugar). The grand cru hill's concentration of sunny exposure and south-facing slopes amplifies fruit ripeness into ripe peach and mango territory.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

The Adega de Monção cooperative's traditional-method Alvarinho sparkling: lime, green apple and lees over a saline close at a co-op price point.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Elegant

Traditional-method Alvarinho sparkling from Anselmo Mendes, zero dosage. Brioche lees over the wet-granite mineral spine of Monção e Melgaço.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Festive

Aphros' single-variety Vinhão traditional-method sparkling: red cherry, pomegranate and brioche over a saline lift, Demeter-certified biodynamic. The rare native-red sparkling done seriously.

Dry · Light-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Traditional-method Loureiro-Arinto sparkling from Quinta de Gomariz: green apple, lemon zest and white flowers over a saline close.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Festive · Elegant

Traditional-method sparkling with fine bubbles, notes of dried fruit and slight citrus. Extended lees ageing gives the brioche autolysis character.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Festive · Elegant

Traditional-method sparkling blending Avesso body with Arinto acidity. Fine mousse and grapefruit-citrus drive from the granite mountain terroir.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Festive · Elegant

Arinto-based traditional-method sparkling from a producer with multi-generational sparkling and old-spirits know-how. Fine mousse, citrus drive.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Festive · Elegant

Traditional-method sparkling from estate Alvarinho. Fine mousse, citrus drive, autolytic brioche from extended lees ageing.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Festive

Traditional-method 100 percent Alvarinho sparkling, zero dosage. Brioche lees over the saline Melgaço mineral spine; a serious aperitif and Atlantic-seafood bubbly.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Festive · Elegant

Soalheiro's traditional-method rosé sparkling: Pinot Noir-Alvarinho blend with wild strawberry and rose petal over a saline lift and creamy mousse.

Dry · Light-bodied · High acidity · Festive · Refreshing

Traditional-method sparkling from the Vercoope cooperative footprint. Citrus and yeast-driven, fine mousse at an approachable price.