Description

Kreglinger Vintage Brut 2006… Well, this was a surprise from a producer who has been off my radar for a long time. To be honest, their wine never wowed me in the past. So it was doubly welcome (get it?) to find that the wine poured into my glasses was magnificent. The nose is all Pinot – red fruits, roses, a hint of spice. The palate shows pure Chardonnay – mineral, stone fruits, chalky. And it is so fresh. Just amazingly so. It spent 13 years en tirage (on yeast lees) but doesn’t taste heavy or autolytic (brioche/toast). It is pure, clean and bright. Yum, I can still almost taste it. There is a pleasant element of brine to it that added a nice pop.

If I were to buy some… And I have… it would be for drinking over the next little while. It doesn’t need anything else to be brilliant except you, maybe a couple of friends (it is a magnum after all) and some time to sit and enjoy. Optional extras – Gabriel Glass for the best drinking experience and La Tur to accompany. It certainly is not a risk of falling over, so feel free to keep some magnums in your cellar. They will evolve and become more toasty/honey/savoury/earthy. And the richness of the palate will develop.

Are you wondering if it is like Champagne/How does it compare to Champagne?

It’s a fair question. I’d drink this wine over most Champagne. A lot of Champagne is boring fizz. I’d happily put this wine on the table with a lot of the Vintage Champagne from the big houses. They’ll look completely different, but the Kreglinger will sit comfortably in the company. And it’ll offer stunning value.

Does drinking Sparkling wine out of magnum make a better experience?

Or is there a chemistry/sorcery that happens when you ferment wine in a larger format bottle? Who cares! It’s bloody delicious.

Tasmania

The beautiful island south of the Australian mainland that has carved out a reputation for quality sparkling wine and Pinot Noir. Tasmania’s cooler climate regions and longer growing season make it perfect for aromatic styles of wine. A wealth of quality focussed producers has helped lift the status of the whole island. Interestingly, despite obvious difference, there is only the one GI in Tassie.

Pinot Noir

This is the most elusive grape. It is relatively early ripening and extremely sensitive to terroir. Its perfect place on earth is the Cote d’Or in Burgundy. So haunting are great red Burgundy’s charms that growers everywhere try to emulate them. Pinot Noir is not just a one-trick pony, it can make great reds, rosé, sparkling and even sweet wines, whites on occasion and I’ve tasted a decent fortified Pinot Noir too.

Chardonnay 

The grape that you can plant anywhere, in any climate and do anything to and it will still taste like an OK wine. When people hit the sweet spot of site, climate, cropping and winemaking, Chardonnay becomes a magical wine that will age gracefully but charm you at any age. Chardonnays can range from cool-climate lean and citrusy to warmer climate tropical and overt. Oak and lees can add flavouring as can malolactic fermentation.