A friend came over for dinner tonight. That in itself makes me happy. On the subject of wine, however, I opened a bottle of Chandon Sparkling Red that has been in my cupboard for an indeterminate number of years. I can’t remember how I came to acquire it or when, which means I had no idea what to expect. I got lucky tonight and it’s delicious. Fruity but complex, nicely balanced, and very moreish.
Sparkling Shiraz is the only uniquely Australian wine, originating in Great Western in the 1880s. The story says that the French sparkling winemakers got bored and started experimenting with red grapes … and the first bubbly shiraz was made. The one I’m drinking has Pinot Noir in the mix and has those lovely secondary fermentation flavours of toast on the nose and the edge of the palate. Cheers!
