April 21, 2026, Old World Sparkling

Flight 1

Wine 1. Bouvet Saumur Saphir 2022, Saumur

Quite aromatic on the nose. Gunsmoke, toast, brioche and a bit of sweaty/lanolin/wet wool funk. Off dry, with decent acidity. Flavours of apple, strawberry and lemon. Finish ends a bit abruptly and the sugar/acid balance seems a bit off, leading to the wine coming off a little cloying.

Wine 2. Ackerman “Bulle Royale,” Cremant de Loire

Pale straw. Subtle aromatics of white flowers, pear drop and melon. Pure and clean with nice acid balance and creamy mousse. Flavours are straightforward and similar to the nose with the addition of an interesting dusty, chalky, talc-like minerality on the finish. A little short on the finish. Soft, clean and pleasant. A bit simple but easy to drink.

Wine 3. Balfour 1503 Classic Cuvee, England

Green-straw hue. Moderately aromatic. Aromas lean heavily toward autolytic characters: toast & brioche with ripe apple and lemon notes lending some further dimension. Expertly managed dosage with pitch-perfect balance between sugar and acid. Flavours of white peach, white cherry, apple and lemon curd. Beautiful mousse. Great intensity and length.

Flight 2

Wine 4. Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Blanc de Blancs 2019, Champagne

Straw-lemon in colour. Very expressive on the nose with classic Blanc de Blancs aromas of sweet brioche, hazelnut and lemon custard. Exquisitely fine mousse with fresh acidity and excellent balance. Flavours are an echo of the nose but with a beautiful chalky minerality coming in on the long finish. Very classy and very approachable.

Wine 5. Roger Barnier Cuvee Blanche 2018, Champagne

Straw-lemon hue. Medium aromatic intensity. Shortbread and hazelnut on the nose. Great intensity on the palate. Quite dry with racy acidity but nevertheless well balanced. Very vinous with a pleasant bit of phenolic grip on the back end. Flavours of apple, lemon curd, shortbread, hazelnut and clove. Saline minerality. Great length.

Wine 6. Ori Marani “Giulia”, Georgia

Extremely intense nose with savoury and earthy notes abounding. Beet root, fennel, floral characters and lemon oil. Very complex and interesting. Well-balanced with a soft mousse. A bit of phenolics present, but in a pleasant palate-cleaning way.

Flight 3

Wine 7. 2021 Segura Viudas Heredad Reserva Cava, Spain

Straw hue. Quite fine mousse. Toasty, rich and complex on the nose. Baking spice, lemon zest, grilled lemon and ripe fruit. Very intense and well balanced. Soft and mouth-filling. Excellent length.

Wine 8. Campo Viejo Cava, Spain

Pale straw. Pronounced fruit aromas on the nose. Melon, candied citrus, pear drop and a hint of popcorn-like reduction. The bouquet almost presents as a Charmat wine. Good balance and concentration. Flavours are dominated by white peach, melon and lemon. Very fruit-driven.