10 of the best Aussie sparkling wines to welcome 2021
Cathy Gowdie
Photo: SHUTTERSTOCK
After all that 2020 has brought us, this year s New Year s Eve toast deserves to be a special one. Few of us will pop the cork on a $265 House of Arras E.J. Carr Late Disgorged 2004, recently named the world s top sparkling by Decanter magazine in the UK, but the win shows how Australian sparkling wines are challenging France s finest – and, increasingly, have price tags to match.
Wine writer and publisher Tyson Stelzer is the author of a series of internationally acclaimed champagne and sparkling guides. For his Australian Sparkling Report 2020 he reviewed more than 240 wines, finding, as in previous editions, that Tasmania rules the roost when it comes to Champagne-style sparklings.
Champagne sales fizz as confidence returns
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A boom in high-end champagne sales in the past few weeks is another symbol of robust consumer confidence in Australia as people barred from travelling overseas splash out on a small luxury.
Even though there are anxious moments as NSW wrestles with the COVID-19 outbreak in Sydney s northern beaches, the contrast between Australia and many other countries is stark.
The boss of one of the world s large champagne houses, Piper-Heidsieck, is surprised at just how robust champagne sales are in Australia. They are down markedly in many European countries. It comes as some liquor retailers in Australia are scrambling to ensure they have enough stock on hand leading in to New Year s celebrations, as shipping delays from offshore disrupt logistics and cause a supply squeeze in some cases.