Fizz Friday Roundup: The Champ, The Loser, The Harvest, and The Little Cork That Did

Fizz Friday Main Image (2)

It’s time for another #FizzFriday Fab Four Roundup bringing you the latest news, discoveries, and interesting tidbits from the world of champagne and sparkling wine. So what are you waiting for–dive right in!

WINNER WINNER, WHICH CHAMPAGNE WITH DINNER?

Champagne Sparkling Wine World Championships

Every year there is a sparkling wine competition held in Europe to select the best champagnes and sparkling wines called the  Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championship. One of these days soon I’m determined to get to attend it, too. You know how, ahem, dedicated I am to my craft . The 11 outstanding national champions chosen from more than 100 Best in Class sparkling wines are {drumroll}:

  • Best Australian Sparkling Wine 2015 – House of Arras 2005 Grand Vintage Brut
  • Best Canadian Sparkling Wine 2015 – Trius NV Brut
  • Best English Sparkling Wine 2015 – Nyetimber 2010 Classic Cuvée
  • Best French Sparkling Wine 2015 – Louis Roederer 2004 Cristal Rosé
  • Best German Sparkling Wine 2015 – Solter 2009 Rheingau Riesling Sekt Réserve Brut
  • Best Italian Sparkling Wine 2015 – Ferrari Perlé 2006 Trentodoc in magnum
  • Best New Zealand Sparkling Wine 2015 – Hunter’s 2010 Mirumiru Reserve
  • Best Serbian Sparkling Wine 2015 – Trijumf 2009 Chardonnay Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut
  • Best South African Sparkling Wine 2015 – Avondale 2009 Armilla Blanc de Blanc Brut
  • Best Spanish Sparkling Wine 2015 – Segura Viudas NV Reserva Heredad Pinot Noir
  • Best US Sparkling Wine 2015 – Caraccioli Cellars 2007 Brut

Interested in the full and complete list of winner from the competition? Click here for all the fizzy glory, then use it to make your bubbly shopping list!

HAS CHAMPAGNE LOST ITS POP?

WSJ Fizz pic

{photo credit: Viktor Koen for the Wall Street Journal}

An article in the Wall Street Journal posits this question: “With countries from Australia to Britain now producing world-class sparkling wine, Champagne’s days as king of the bubbles may be numbered. Sparkling wine is rasing its game–but can it topple champagne?”

*fist raised defiantly in the air* I say nevahhhhhhh! See what the WSJ thinks the answer is though, and then chime in!

IT’S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE {WINE} YEAR!

Harvest in Champagne

It’s time for harvest in the world of wine–including the Champagne region–so its grape-picking time!

Harvesting in Reims began on September 2nd ad will last until around the 18th. and is expected to last until 18 September. The Comité Champagne reported that the grapes were helped by “one of the warmest and driest growing seasons on record,” indicating that it should be a good harvesting season.

With a good harvest we can all breathe a sigh of relief knowing that there’s more delicious champagne in our future!

WHEN POPPING BOTTLES GOES WRONG…

EasyJet pic

An easyJet flight from Britain to Turkey was forced to make an emergency landing after a flight attendant opening a bottle of bubbly accidentally launched the cork into the cabin’s ceiling panels, damaging the roof and causing the plane’s oxygen masks to drop. The feisty fizzy incident caused the plane to be diverted to Milan, which resulted in a 7-hour delay.

With no passenger injuries reported, one troubling question remains: what exactly ended up happening to the bubbly itself? For the love of all that’s good in the world I do hope someone got to drink it {wink}.

Perhaps easyJet needs to hire The Bubbleista to train their flight attendants on how to properly open a bottle of fizz? I’m here for ya’ easyJet–just give me a shout and I’ll have those flight attendants using proper cork opening form in no time!

Holler at me, easyJet.

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