Henkell Blanc De Blancs

French cuvee craft meets German artisanal production: experience four first-class wines in one excellent cuvee. Pure joie de vivre and the special feeling of elegance and freshness – with this fruity, tingling premium cuvee of four distinguished white grapes from renowned, traditional wine-growing regions.The grapes are gently pressed and carefully fermented at a low temperature to preserve their full-bodied taste. Following careful maturation, an exquisite premium cuvee is created from carefully chosen wines. This is the journey that results in a great sparkling wine with the typical delicately sweet aromas and a noble, finely beaded mousse.

COLOUR: Delicate yellow

MOUSSE: Finely beaded, lingering

BOUQUET: Delicate aroma of ripe apples, Williams pears and mirabelles

FLAVOUR: Fresh start, elegant floral fizz, complex and balanced with a silky feeling and lingering finish

GRAPE VARIETIES: Cuvée made of four selected, exclusively white wines, including Chardonnay, from traditional viniculture regions.

PRODUCTION METHOD: Méthode charmat in accordance with German sparkling-wine regulations

SERVING SUGGESTION: Perfect accompaniment to a pleasant picnic, with light snacks such as savoury canapés

ANALYSIS RESULTS: Alcohol: 11.5 %

abv Dosage: 28 g/l (dry)Contains sulphites

French cuvee craft meets German artisanal production: this dry, fully matured sparkling wine owes its elegant, international character to a unique premium cuvee of four excellent wines from selected grape varieties.Henkell Trocken fizzes with delicate, long-lasting bubbles for a glassful of glamour. Its finely arranged, harmonic composition makes for a well-rounded, fully developed taste experience.

COLOUR: Light yellow with green reflections

MOUSSE: Finely beaded, lingering

BOUQUET: Fresh, fruity, with gentle notes of green apple, banana and citrus fruit

FLAVOUR: Fresh, harmonic interplay of sweet and sour, medium-strong body, lingering finish

GRAPE VARIETIES: Cuvée made of four selected wines, including Chardonnay, from traditional viniculture regions.

PRODUCTION METHOD: Méthode charmat in accordance with German sparkling-wine regulations

SERVING : perfectly with spicy main courses, e.g. Asian and Indian dishes

ANALYSIS RESULTS: Alcohol: 11.5 %

abv Dosage: 22 g/l (dry) Contains sulphites

The base wine is put into pressurized tanks for the prise de mousse; it ferments in these for 18 - 20 days, with the aid of selected yeasts, at controlled temperatures of between 14 and 16. Once the desired pressure has been obtained (around 6 bar) the wine is chilled to -4 in order to block the fermentation and encourage stabilization. It is then kept at a controlled temperature for at least one month, so as to favor its natural maturation in contact with the lees. At the end of this process, it is filtered and undergoes isobaric bottling.

An unusual gin from the Black Forest in Germany, Monkey 47 contains a unique ingredient. No, not that! Cranberries! The 47 comes from the number of botanicals that go into this unique gin, and the fact it’s bottled at a healthy 47%. It seems that the botanicals speak for themselves, as the gin has received bucketfuls of critical acclaim. Some say less is more, not for Monkey 47!

Tasting Note

Nose: Oh there is a lot going on here… woody, vegetable smells under pin fresh grassy citrus notes and botanical sweetness, like a pine forest after the rain.

Palate: Predictably complex, this is a robust and powerful gin with plenty of spice, fruit and herb flavours. It’s very well structured, and difficult to unpick but a citrus fresh start segues into pine and wood notes for a drying finish.

Finish: Wooded and reassuringly heavy.

Overall: A unique gin, that is crying out to be made into a Martini. It’ll need an equally robust vermouth though.

Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label looks beautiful: golden-yellow, with a foaming necklace of tiny bubbles. Next it is so pleasing to the nose: initially reminiscent of yellow and white fruits, then of vanilla and later of brioche. Note the fine balance between the fruity aromas coming from the grape varieties and the toasty aromas, the result of the three years of bottle aging. The first sip delivers all the freshness and strength so typical of Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label with a symphony of fruit tastes following (pear, lemon).

Find this and more exceptional selections at Kaasak.

Baron D'Arignac is a great companion of the best moments in people's lives. A great, inexpensive alternative to champagne. This sparkler has fine bubbles, a good mousse and crisp, spritzing acidity on the palate. A good aperitif.