Seasonal Sparkle with Champagne

Filed in archive Sparkling Wine on December 21, 2006

We still have a few bottles left from our case of Kenwood Sparkling Yalupa Brut wine, so my sparkling drink selection is pretty much made already.

But if you are still on the look out for some bubblie this season, you'll find a number of handy suggestions from Get into spirit of Christmas:

The NICOLAS FEUILLATTE BLANC DE BLANCS (made from 100% chardonnay, hence white from white) VINTAGE 1998 is a steal at asda at under £15, complex, bready yet fresh and punches way above its weight.

To be honest most of the big houses deliver quality, but they do have differing styles. From the lighter LAURENT PERRIER to the big and blousy red grape-dominated BOLLINGER.

Another stunner is BILLECART-SALMON BRUT R SERVE (Oddbins and Howells, Cardiff, around £25). The small family- owned house produces, across its whole range, some world-class wine and one taste of this, their entry level champagne, will have you gagging to try the rest.

Supermarket own- brand champagne is now not so much of a lottery with the ever-increasing discerning palate of our country's wine drinkers refusing to put up with any old tat.

The star performers at the moment are SAINSBURY'S TASTE THE DIFFERENCE PREMIER CRU VINTAGE 2000 (£22.99), an elegant wine, complex but approachable, and WAITROSE BLANC DE BLANCS NON VINTAGE (£17.99), which is beautifully crisp.