Maschio Dei Cavallieri Prosecco

SO January 27, 2016February 17, 2016

So lately it seems I've been drinking more Prosecco than champagne. This hasn't been a deliberate thing, just something that's happened organically through people bringing me bottles to try and restaurants and bars having a Prosecco as the sparkling wine of choice on their menus.

A recent visit to a friend's place saw me greeted with a lovely cheese board and a bottle of Prosecco on offer. This one was another Italian DOC one, and was called Maschio Dei Cavallieri.

I can't say much about it that I haven't already said about other Proseccos I've had the pleasure of drinking of late, except that it was definitely drinkable by my standards. And in case this is the first post of mine you've read, what I mean by that is that I seem to sway towards the sparkling wines with the lighter coloured tones and more delicate flavours.

So what I will say is that it went down well with the food on offer, worked well with the lovely crumbly strong cheddar and overall was a respectable experience.

At the end of the day, it's just such a subjective thing, and for me, the company I am in will always outweigh the quality of the wine or food.

#proseccotime #iloveprosecco #italiansparkling #wine #champagne #ilovechampagne #sparklingobsession #cheese #wineandcheese #cheeseboard #friends

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RIALTO PROSECCO NV @ Arbory Bar Melbourne

SO January 26, 2016February 9, 2016

On a gloriously sunny Australia Day a walk around the stunning city of Melbourne is the perfect thing to do. Lots happening, people everywhere and plenty to see. And with the Australian Open tennis tournament in full swing, that means even more people flocking to the city from all over Australia and abroad to enjoy what the world’s elite tennis players have dubbed the “Happy Slam”.

My sparkling companion today is keen to get to one of the many pop up food stalls at the Australian Open Festival along Birrarung Marr – an area along Melbourne’s Yarra river that’s long and large, perfect for festivals and open air events of all kinds.

Being Melbourne, the food capital of Australia (and a place that competes side-by-side with other global cities in the culinary arena) the pop up stalls were not what a tourist would expect. There was no predictable greasy junk food, but instead a selection from some of the best restaurants and bars this city has to offer. Feel like some Thai food? Sure. Some Mexican or French? Of course. Authentic, high quality gelato in a myriad of flavours? Definitely. Greek street food? Yep. Modern Australian, naturally.

So we wandered through a well arranged space where we passed by Combi, Gelato Messina, Huxtable featuring Mr Claws, Huxtaburger, Lavazza, Mamasita, Uncle, Gazi, Organisc Avenue Juices, Cobb Lane, Canadian Club Racquet Club, Heineken & Jacob’s Creek Bar, Estelle and Mistress.

We were looking for a place to sit, chat, eat, drink and watch the tennis match de jour.

Of course it was super busy, but we managed to find a shady spot under a tree and park ourselves there for a couple of hours, enjoying the surrounds.

At one point, we decided to move from our space, and check out one of the other big screens at the Canadian Club Racquet Club. This was situated on one of the steep, sloping grassy areas. Great, we thought. No problem seeing the screen here, as impossible for anyone to block your view. So we bought some food and attempted to sit on the grassy slope, and soon discovered it was no easy feat. It was just too steep. I couldn’t even put my handbag down on the grass next to me – it had to go behind me so that it didn’t slide down the hill! And, the game just finished, so we had positioned ourselves pretty much to see nothing...oh well....

Deciding to move on from there, we were considering going across to the other side of the river, but something made us stick to the side we were on, and I mentioned to my companion that I had yet to visit The Arbory Bar – one of Melbourne’s newest, hippest places to be. It’s a cleverly designed area, in what was previously an unused space next to Flinders Street Station, right on the riverfront.

Being a long, narrow space, there are amazing views of this beautiful city making no seat a bad one, plus sexy beats pumping out from the sound system that give the place it’s super cool, yet relaxed vibe. We were in a great spot. Right opposite one of the cocktail bars and under the canopy of trees, making us feel far away from it all and yet still right in the midst.

Ahhh....finally time for a proper drink! And on the list of sparkling wines is an Italian Prosecco! So far, I haven’t been as enamoured by the Italian originals, even though they are the genuine article, but being the eternal optimist, I will give this one a try. Called Rialto Prosecco NV, my sparkling companion treats me to a glass whilst they sip on a specially prepared mocktail, lovingly created by an extremely accommodating and creative barman.

But back to the Rialto Prosecco. Pale in colour than most of the Italian DOC varieties I’ve tried so far, I am now excited to try this one, as I’ve gravitated towards sparkling wines that are less bright yellow. It was beautifully chilled and with that dry, but not too dry taste that I have come to adore. Sipping this cheery beverage on a warm summer’s late afternoon, watching the world on the other side of the Yarra go by, I am reminded what a wonderful city Melbourne is as those perfectly formed bubbles make their way through my body and bring me to a state of perfect relaxation and sheer contentment.

There was some irony, though....sipping Rialto Prosecco whilst looking at Eureka Tower, instead of Melbourne’s Rialto building. Still, it took nothing away from the pleasure of the afternoon and the pursuit of my Sparkling Obsession.

#RialtoProseccoNV #proseccotime #iloveprosecco #ItalianProsecco #ItalianSparkling #ArboryBarMelbourne #AusOpen2016 #sparklingobsession

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Petaluma Croser NV Sparkling

SO January 25, 2016January 28, 2016

One of my favourite things to do is cook for friends. I am particularly fortunate to have wonderful friends who love to try different foods, and this leaves me in the enviable position of being able to use them as guinea pigs, or just surprise them with something special when the occasion arises.

So when it was a long time friend’s birthday, out came the favourite recipe books. Flicking through them I was reminded that one of my most loved dishes is a beautiful risotto that is cooked with champagne. Normally I’d serve it as an entree, but for this occasion, I wanted it as a main.

To accompany either side of this dish, I chose to debut a stunning scallop recipe with cauliflower puree and crispy jamon crumbs as entree, and a silky smooth chocolate brulee with vanilla bean ice-cream and orange cointreau sauce.

Now back to the risotto....

I have to say, with the exception of a few very high end restaurants, that risotto served in most other venues is a flavourless disappointment, and so it’s great when you find a recipe you can make yourself that’s packed full of flavour. This one is made with marscapone for added creaminess, and cooking it with the champagne, then topping with ultra fresh oysters makes it one of the sexiest dinners around.

Adding the champagne definitely adds a lot of theatre to the cooking process, as you watch the bubbles froth up the arborio rice. It’s also an excellent excuse to start drinking the bubbles whilst you stand and lovingly stir the risotto!

I have made this risotto using Chandon NV Sparkling in the past, but on this occasion I thought I’d give the Petaluma Croser NV a try. And it worked beautifully. It’s a true champagne style body of flavour, but not too heavy so it held its own in this dish.

And to drink it is of course a pleasure – with it’s light golden yellow hue it’s simply happiness in a beautiful crystal flute. It’s also incredibly well priced, so you just can’t go wrong.

Pleased to report my friend loved the entire meal, but her favourite part was the risotto with champagne and oysters! Mission accomplished.

#champagne #risotto #oysters #friends #ilovechampagne #sparklingwine #birthdaytreats

https://www.petaluma.com.au/our-wines/croser.html

twitter.com/PetalumaWine

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Sensi Pure 18K Gold Prosecco Brut

SO January 18, 2016

Another warm summer’s evening and I received an invitation to a friend’s home for some quiet drinks and a girl’s natter.

The sun was going down, the neighbourhood was quiet, and I was warmly greeted at the door and ushered down a long and grand hallway, to the beautiful open plan kitchen and dining area and from there, out to the terrace.

Before I knew it a simple, yet elegant and stunning spread of savoury and sweet options was placed before me, and the crowning glory....the Prosecco!

If first impressions count, and you’re a bit of a “bling” lover, then Sensi Pure 18K Gold Prosecco Brut could the be sparkling for you. The entire bottle looks like it’s been dipped in a thin layer of gold, giving it an aura of opulence and grandeur.

We popped it open and watched that beautiful fizz racing into the flutes. New Year’s cheers were made and then the tasting....

As you would know by now, I lean towards the dry wines, and this was about two thirds of the way between sweet and dry...closer to dry. The flavour was fresh, not as heavily chardonnay as some French Champagnes are. There was a hint of that which gave it some body – but not so much that it took away from the bubbles.

My sparkling companion certainly found it drinkable and has already purchased more of the same for their next social gathering. I can actually see this bottle being given often as a gift or as the central piece in a hamper, or even a window display in a jewellery store, it’s just oh so pretty!

And as what seems to be the case with a lot of the D.O.C. genuine Italian Proseccos, the price point is reasonable at around the $20 mark.

#sensi18Kprosecco #italiansparkling #italianwines #prosecco #iloveprosecco #sparklingwines #sparklingobsession #proseccotime #friends #social #summer #tasteofsummer

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Veuve Clicquot Airstream Pop Up Bar

SO January 10, 2016January 13, 2016

On a balmy Melbourne evening, who could say no to sitting down, overlooking the banks of the Yarra river and the stunning Melbourne City skyline? And if there’s a sparkling bevvy or two involved, and the promise of a DJ spinning sexy tunes, then that has to seal the deal.

Sunset drinks are always so beautiful and relaxing, as the mid-summer sun lies low and spreads a sea of gold over the familiar Melbourne skyline.

Tonight my sparkling companion is a friend who is experimenting with art and craft techniques so I looked forward to tasting some ice cold bubbles and hearing about their artistic endeavours. But before I speak about the Champagne, I’ll tell you about the not-so-great experience that the Veuve Clicquot Airstream Pop Up Bar delivered.

We arrived at the space, a splash of golden yellow umbrellas, tables, chairs and barstools with the caravan on site showcasing a menu of light snacks and nibbles. Having not had dinner, I ordered what looked to be the best (and hopefully most satisfying) item on the menu....lobster rolls.

I was advised that there were only two left, so I ordered them along with my glass of Veuve Clicquot and looked forward in anticipation to the food/sparkling wine combo joining in a delectable unison on my taste buds.

My companion ordered the truffle oil fries with aioli, which was a good starting point. I had hoped to hold out for my lobster rolls to enjoy them with the champagne. But time went by, and alas, my much-anticipated lobster rolls were a no-show. So I went back to the caravan to enquire as to their whereabouts. Both staff members looked at me as though they did not have any recollection of my order. One said they would go to follow up. She returned saying they were no longer available. Whaaaat? But I had already ordered and paid for them....

So I ordered something else, and when that plate was brought to me by a very friendly and polite waiter, I see two lobster rolls being served to a gentleman dining alone, facing out to the river, who had arrived there well after us! Not. Happy. At. All.

To add insult to injury, the plate of food I ordered when the lobster rolls were not available was slightly cheaper than the lobster rolls and I was not brought a refund for the difference, nor even offered it. I chose not to follow up as it was clear given the nonchalance of the staff member in charge, it probably wouldn’t have achieved anything. Very poor, (actually disrespectful is a better word) customer service is what I call that. And such a taint on the Veuve Clicquot brand.

How this happened, I do not know. And how it was allowed to happen, I do not know. And to top it all off, only a few minutes later, we ordered our second drink and were told that the kitchen and bar were closing up as the hosting venue (Fatto) was closing it’s kitchen. Surely if a customer has ordered and paid for something, and you have made a mistake with the order, you would follow up with the customer first, and apologise, and offer a suitable solution. Still can’t understand how this happened when it wasn’t even busy (note the photos with lots of empty chairs)!!

I’d also like to note that there was not a DJ in sight, nor were we served in the lovely yellow Veuve Clicquot branded glasses I'd seen in photos.....so all the promises of what I had read online and was looking forward to, were sadly, empty ones.

The only good thing was the beautiful taste of Veuve Clicquot, which never fails to impress. So easy to drink, so smooth, goes down so easily and is almost dry, but sits just below that, which I think is what makes it so pleasing to so many. Even being obliged to drink it out of a plastic champagne flute didn’t detract from it’s deliciousness!

#veuveclicquot #veuveclicquotairstreampopup #ilovechampagne #frenchchampagne #champagne #bubbly #sparklingobsession

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Peradena Brut Sparkling, Yarra Valley

SO January 8, 2016

Summer and Mexican food are one of my favourite combinations, so when a catch up with a friend was on the table, I mentioned Tacos, (surprisingly I couldn't remember the last time I had tacos), and they suggested Fonda Mexican in Richmond. I’d been meaning to go there for quite some time, but as with most things, the intention is there but making it happen either takes time, or requires a reason to get moving.

It was only a Monday at noon and not long after our arrival, the place was brimming with people, loud music pumping out from the speakers.

Normally if I go Mexican, it feels more fitting to have a Margarita, but I just wasn’t ready on what was still pretty much Monday morning to get into a cocktail. And of course, there is my Sparkling Obsession that needs attention, so I ordered the one sparkling wine on the menu, which I’d never heard of (this is a good thing as it means something new to try!), Peradena Brut from Victoria’s beautiful Yarra Valley.

Thankfully they served it super-chilled, which is how it should be served and I was greeted with a plethora of bubbles that were bopping away to the groove of the music over our heads. I did very much like this one, dry – as my preference is – and lots of streaming bubbles. Whoever chose the wine list chose well as it went perfectly with my three tacos of choice : prawn (amazing), fish (really good), and chicken (nice, but nowhere near the taste explosion of the prawn one).

So much life, freshness, movement and colour between the Peradena Brut and the crispy, crunchy, mouth-watering food we ate.

The taste of summer and holidays was definitely in this lunch. Maybe that was also because I was having two of my favourite things....tacos and bubbles!

Either way, I would happily recommend both Fonda Mexican and Peradena Brut.

#tasteofsummer #freshtacos #bubbly #ilovechampagne #australiansparkling #australiansparklingwine #yarravalley #yarravalleywines #victoriansparklingwines #peradenabrut #fondamexican #ilovetacos #tacoheaven #sparklingobsession

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Jacob’s Creek Chardonnay Pinot Noir Limited Edition

SO January 5, 2016

When it comes to any alcohol, everyone loves a bargain. And on New Year’s Eve, when you’re going to be either serving heaps of bubbly (or drinking it), then it’s always nice to find one that’s at the lower end price point that can go a bit further than the pricier ones.

I came across this particular bottle of Jacob’s Creek Chardonnay Pinot Noir Limited Edition I have to confess, by it’s packaging. It was just too pretty and festive looking to not give it a go. I can hear all the wine connoisseurs sighing and rolling their eyes already, but I work in design, so it’s only natural that I would gravitate towards something beautiful. And so different to see the entire bottle covered in a skin, in place of the regular front, back and neck labels.

I had also bought some other higher priced sparkling wines (Prosecco and others) to drink on New Year’s Eve, but as I had planned to make cocktails to start off the festivities, I thought I’d use the lower priced Jacob’s Creek for this purpose and left the others to enjoy in their own right.

This one just wasn’t personally my cup of tea. It had two things I'm not so crazy about : the bigger bubbles and quite a strong flavour. It's just a personal preference that I like my bubbles tiny and the flavour to be more subtle and dry. As I don’t have any knowledge about wine making, the only thing I can say is that for some reason, the wines at the lower price points just don’t agree with me and seem to give me headaches, sadly, even after just one glass. I can only presume it’s something in the preservatives, not the wines themselves.

In fairness, most at the party said they enjoyed it and it did mix well with the cocktails I made, so for the meagre price of $9.95, it did go a long way. And kudos to the label designer...mission accomplished – you caught my eye and made me just have to try it!

#bubbly #ilovechampagne #australiansparkling #australiansparklingwine #southaustralia #southaustralianwines #barossavalley #jacobscreek #sparklingobsession

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Yarra Hill Coldstream Series Blanc de Blancs

SO December 30, 2015January 5, 2016

This time of year I find myself doing a lot more visiting than normal, mostly because people are on holidays and also the friends and relatives who live interstate and overseas are usually here for Christmas, so it’s often back-to-back catch ups in those days between Christmas and New Year.

Dinner on this particular evening was with long time friends in a leafy Melbourne suburb. I was offered a glass of bubbly on arrival, which is always the perfect welcome. My friends had no idea I had started this blog, so were a bit perplexed when they went to toast, and I stopped them to photograph the full glasses and bottle! Note to self: take photos quickly in warm weather as sparkling wine needs to be enjoyed super chilled to be appreciated at its best.

They’re quite the art and wine connoisseurs, so I figured anything they served me would be pretty good. And this one was surprisingly good, and even more surprising given it’s at the lower end of the price points (between $7 and $11). So it’s clear they know what’s good at all price levels.

I sat on it a bit too long though, busy catching up chatting, so probably didn’t get to fully appreciate it at its best. A little stronger and fruitier in flavour than I would normally gravitate towards, but still enjoyable. If you’re having a party and need to buy up big, then this one will do the job nicely.

#bubbly #ilovechampagne #australiansparkling #australiansparklingwine #yarravalley #yarravalleywines #victoriansparklingwines #sparklingobsession

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Montalto Estate Cuvée One Sparkling 2011 – Mornington Peninsula

SO December 28, 2015December 28, 2015

Montalto. Another gem in Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula wine region. A nice easy drive from Melbourne and no bumpy gravel roads to get there either.

We dropped in there after our lunch at Port Phillip Estate, and it was absolutely overflowing with people. At first we didn’t attempt to get a table, because our intention was to taste some wines, and purchase a glass to carry through on our walk through the huge sculpture park surrounding the vines.

Unfortunately their sparkling wasn’t available for tasting, which doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me on such a busy day. But it was available for purchase, so I ordered it at the bar and the person ahead of me in the queue finished a bottle, so I was lucky enough to try it as it should be sampled – freshly popped.

It greeted me with an explosion of super-fast moving bubbles that danced around flute as though they were racing eachother. And the more sparkling I sample, the more I seem to gravitate towards the ones that are very pale in colour, as was this one. It was a beautiful balance of refreshment, dry to taste, and with plenty of flavour that was transported by the frenzy of bubbles.

Walking through the sculpture park with my guests was a beautiful way to spend a sunny afternoon, and it also made me want to savour the glass and not drink it too quickly, so that it would last right through our sculpture viewing trail.

After our sculpture viewing, we had to put our name on a list for coffee and sweets. Since we were at the tail end of our day, we were happy to wait. We waited 45 minutes for a table, after being told one would be ready in 20 minutes. And when we sat down, we were told they were out of all deserts bar one. Our order was simple, 3 coffees, a tea and some water. The water never came, until we asked and re-asked for it. The coffees took about 30 minutes and were cold by the time they came to us. The tea was completely forgotten.

This was the worst experience I’ve had at Montalto, and I’ve been there quite a few times before, but never seen so much disorganisation. The staff were trying their best, but it simply wasn’t good enough.

The downside to this place : if you don’t show up at 11am, you’re not likely to get a table for quite some time. And when you do, the service may be friendly, but it’s too slow, even for something simple like coffee.

Thankfully I have discovered their sparkling which was definitely a winner.

http://montalto.com.au

#montalto #montaltosparkling #ilovesparklingwine #bubbly #ilovechampagne #australiansparkling #australiansparklingwine #victoriansparkling

#morningtonpeninsula #morningtonpeninsulawines #visitvictoria #sparklingobsession

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Port Phillip Estate – Mornington Peninsula

SO December 27, 2015December 28, 2015

Today I took some overseas guests and a family member to the lovely Mornington Peninsula wine region. So many to choose from, so today I took them to Port Phillip Estate Vineyard for some wine tasting and a fabulous lunch. I've been here many times before and it never lets me down.

Entry is through a large, heavy wooden door that opens as though you had just said “open sesame” to it. Quite an impressive start, and one that sure to impress any guests you bring.

Stunning architecture, spectacular view, gloriously long tasting bar and attentive staff.

On Sundays they have a fantastic fixed price lunch menu which gives you the choice of a “bite, smaller plate and larger plate”. As there were four of us, and four options under each course, we ordered the entire menu to share. And wow, what a menu it was.

As the self-designated driver, I didn’t drink the sparkling on offer, as we were ordering a bottle for the table, which I did choose. It was Port Phillip Estate 2014 Chardonnay, and it was as stunning as the food we ate. Both food and drink, not just superb quality, but amazing value.

As this post is not about Sparkling wine, but an experience I had on my Sparkling Obsession, I will just let the pictures speak for themselves. Enjoy!

http://www.portphillipestate.com.au

#chardonnay #portphillipestate #amazingfood #morningtonpeninsula #morningtonpeninsulawines #visitvictoria #sparklingobsession

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Maschio Dei Cavallieri Prosecco