Sparkling wine for Christmas and New Year
You might have noticed that we recently attended Wine Events Scotland’s Fizz Feast in Edinburgh. This is a celebration of sparkling wine and artisan food, which is a good thing at any time of the year but even better when it’s coming up to Christmas and you can then plan some extra special fizz.
As with previous years, there was a wide array of distributors to show off their wares. From supermarkets Lidl and Waitrose, to small independent shops such as Sugarbird from Aberdeen and Goldenacre Wines from Edinburgh.
We always enjoy Fizz Feast as it’s a chance to try lots of new wines and plan ahead for the festive season. For us it’s a good excuse to get into the mood and planning for the Christmas period.
Here are some of the wines worth a specific mention from the day.
Lidl brought a selection of 12 wines ranging in price from a mere £5.49 to £19.99. We especially liked the Prosecco Rosé DOC Millesimato 2021 at £6.99. Perfect for toasting the festive season.
Two from Vino Fandango stood out, Alasia Moscato d’Asti 2021 and Fresita original sparkling wine NV. We had previously tried the Fresita, which is Chilian sparkling wine with strawberry puree, on a summer’s day in Monifieth last year. So were more than happy to taste this again. A light and refreshing drink when you aren’t looking for something stressfull on the palate. It’s made using the Charmat method (the same as Prosecco).
The Alasia Moscato d’Asti was another easy quaffable drink. Light and very sweet, it’s only 5% so one to consider if you don’t want too much alcohol over the festive period.
Goldenacre Wines are based in Edinburgh, inside a Costcutter! There are over 250 wines instore and online orders are accepted. Our favourite wine from here was Villa Sandi Rosso Sandi from Italy, a rare sight in that it is a sparkling red wine and one of only a handful that we have ever tasted.
Finally, SugarBird Wines are an Aberdeen-based wine bar and wine shop. They offer free local delivery and tracked national delivery. Our favourite here was De Grendel Proposal Hill Brut Rose. A crisp and easy to drink dry wine with cherry and strawberry notes.