Plato's Grapevine

Brown Brothers NV Sparkling White

This is a very good award-winning sparkling white. For those of us who is not very sure what is a sparkling white, basically, this is a bubbly white wine that is made as the same way as a champane. But we can't call it a champagne because it is not made in Champagne, France. The French guards their patent to the name "champagne" jealously.

Brown Brothers' sparkling is white is made in the same method as a good champagne and more importantly, the grapes used for making the wine is source from Victoria, Australia. This is very good because Victoria state of Australia is cool climate and it is ideal for growing grapes for making champagnes. These grapes are Chardonay, pinot noir and pinot meunier.

The best part about this wine is that the price is about half the champagne same quality from France. I am going to get a case of this wine. If there are anyone who is interested, just drop me an email and I will let go a bottle to you.

The following is the tasting notes I download from the Brown Brothers' website:


NV Pinot Noir, Chardonnay & Pinot Meunier

THE WINE
This current release sparkling wine has an attractive pale green-gold colour with lifted aromas of green apples and citrus. One sip and the wine explodes in the mouth, with citrus flavours accompanied by a soft creaminess which provides delicateness and finishing with refreshing acidity.

THE GRAPE VARIETY
The blend of the different wines used to make sparkling wine is called the cuvée. Premium cuvée for sparkling wine is made from various combinations of the grape varieties, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. When grown in areas that experience cool ripening conditions like the King Valley and our high country Whitlands vineyard, the varieties produce sparkling wines of finesse, elegance and delicacy of flavour. The ultimate factor that determines overall quality in the production of traditional bottle-fermented sparkling wines is the grape varieties represented in the various parcels of wine for blending. Chardonnay from cool regions provides finesse, lightness and elegance and on tasting is detectable initially due to its aromatic lift and relatively high fruit intensity. On the other hand, Pinot Noir, the backbone to many sparkling wines, provides fullness, weight and length to the palate while Pinot Meunier adds fruitiness and roundness.

TECHNICAL INFORMATION
This wine is a blend of different parcels of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay & Pinot Meunier fruit from cool climate vineyards in the King Valley and selected vineyards in Victoria. All fruit was gently whole bunch pressed to minimise contact between the juice and the grape skins and seeds. 100% of the fruit underwent malolactic fermentation and after vintage the various wines were assembled and assessed. The selected blend then underwent secondary fermentation in the bottle. The wine then spent time on yeast lees to add complexity and allow greater time for the merging of aged and yeast autolysis characters. It was then disgorged, liqueured and bottled.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS
This wine makes an ideal aperitif or as an accompaniment to a range of appetisers. It is delightful with natural oysters drizzled with a dressing of chopped coriander, lemongrass, lime juice and olive oil two or three minutes before serving. It would also be ideal with smoked salmon and caviar blinis. And for a main meal why not try marinated salmon with avocado, chives and chervil.