Sparkling wine is experiencing somewhat of a heyday in Australia, and there's no better time to dive deep and explore the country's sparkling wines. There are a myriad of Australian regions producing exceptional sparkling wine, including Tasmania, the Grampians, Yarra Valley, Adelaide Hills, King Valley and more. There's also no shortage of diversity when it comes to grape varieties used, with chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier the most common.
And while Australian sparkling is perfect for any party or celebration, you certainly don't need a special occasion to enjoy it. Discover what goes into some of Australia's most successful examples below, with wines from Bellebonne, De Bortoli and Pipers Brook Vineyard. Priced between $27 and $60, each of these sparkling wines are ripe for drinking now, or putting away for a later date.
Bellebonne
Winemaker Natalie Fryar says: ‘Bis’ is French for ‘the space in between’, the space that is occupied between vintages. No matter the season, bis will always be bis: beautiful, elegant, Tasmanian. Such is the case with this wine, which showcases the purest Tasmanian fruit. Made from 70 per cent pinot noir, with chardonnay and pinot meunier, the Bis Rosé is always created using the traditional method and spends many months resting on lees before making.
H. How do you approach the winemaking process?
NF. Bis is always framed around Tasmanian pinot noir fruit, and my winemaking philosophy ensures this is always the star. The use of older French oak and passionate adherence to the traditional method allows the fruit to be surrounded by the finest of bead and influenced by ageing on yeast, showing fresh cream, brioche, and toast. Tasmania inspires me with its beauty and purity and so I aim to capture this.
H. What are the challenges when it comes to producing sparkling wine?
NF. There’s a constant challenge to see into the future. I think 'What will this beautiful bunch of grapes look like in the future?' – as juice, base wine, a finished wine in two years, and then finally when you enjoy this wine with friends. 'Where we will be in the years to come, and how will this bunch of grapes take us there?'
Wine to try
NV Bellebonne Bis Rosé
With Tasmania’s beauty and strength captured in a bottle, Bellebonne Bis is about absolute floral and fruit gorgeousness. The aromas are a melody of strawberry, Turkish delight, and rose petals. The palate is elegant and long with textures of fresh cream, brioche, and delicate fruit.Best enjoyed: This wine can be enjoyed in every season. Serve in glassware that will show off the beautiful rose pink colour of the sparkling in the pure sunlight, or in the flicker of an open fire, and share with friends in family around a delicious meal. Pairs perfectly with beetroot tartare, Tasmanian oysters, hot smoked ocean trout or a strawberry tart.
RRP $45 | Drink to 2027 | Shop this wine | Bellebonne
De Bortoli
Chief winemaker and manager of the Yarra Valley Estate Steve Webber says: Creating multi-vintage base wines that determine a house style premium sparkling wine takes many years, but the final rewards are worth the expense and effort. Este Cuvée is created from traditional sparkling varieties and is made from base wines dating back to 2010, with the fruit sourced from family-grown, mature Yarra Valley vineyards. This is a top-end sparkling with purity, saltiness, elegance and aromatic intensity.
H. How do you approach the winemaking process?
SW. Each year we make base wines from chardonnay, pinot noir, pinot meunier and pinot blanc. Chardonnay is currently 75 per cent of the final blend with smaller percentages of the other varieties. Each of the varieties give different characters – chardonnay and pinot blanc for creaminess, saltiness and texture, pinot noir and meunier complexity and biscuit characters. Blending these components into vintage and reserve wines is key to the Este house style.
H. What are the challenges when it comes to producing sparkling wine?
SW. One of our strategic advantages as a sparkling wine producer is our vineyard resources in the Yarra Valley. Having said that, the greatest challenge in sparkling wine production is the cost and quantity of the various cuvées needed as components for the reserve wines. It is all about the house style in order to create wines with complexity and character. With an average age of four to five years the stock required on hand is substantial.
Wine to try
NV De Bortoli Este Cuvée Yarra Valley
Elements of chardonnay, pinot and yeasty aromatics. Citrus peel, angel cake, bakery, nuttiness and minerality. Gorgeous balance and softness.Best enjoyed: Premium sparkling always tastes better in a posh glass. We love serving a cold bottle of Este Cuvée in the RIEDEL Veloce Champagne Glass. It holds the super fine bead until the glass is empty. Best with very good friends and hard to beat when served with El Serpis anchovy stuffed olives or some freshly shucked Sydney rock oysters from Appellation Oysters.
RRP $27.95 | Drink to 2026 | Shop this wine | De Bortoli
Pipers Brook Vineyard
Winemaker Luke Whittle says: Reflecting on our journey (2024 is our 50th year), it’s clear to us that it’s our vineyards and our people that set our wine apart. Tasmania is also what makes our 2018 Vintage Brut special. Our Kreglinger vineyard in Pipers River gives us the most beautiful, pristine parcels of sparkling fruit which allow our team to gently craft something truly special.
H. How do you approach the winemaking process?
LW. The winemaking process for me is all about respecting what is already there. Pipers River is renowned for producing exceptional sparkling fruit and we are looking to make the best expression of our region and our vineyard sites. And then being traditional method; giving it the time to develop wonderful richness and complexity. It’s really just getting it right in the vineyard, getting the winemaking fundamentals right and making sure we don’t miss something beautiful.
H. What are the challenges when it comes to producing sparkling wine?
LW. Patience is one of the greatest challenges in creating great traditional method sparkling wines. It’s such a journey from the vineyard to glass, in this case spanning nearly six years. Every bottle is like a time capsule from that year, so when you know you have something special you want to share it as soon as possible. But here at Pipers Brook Vineyard, we’ve been crafting expressive cool-climate wine for 50 years now, so we understand the long game – and we know it’s worth the wait.
Wine to try
2018 Kreglinger Vintage Brut
A classic blend of pinot noir and chardonnay, delivering complexity and richness to the purity of Tasmanian fruit from a single vineyard. Lifted and elegant, displaying notes of white peach, red apple, delicate strawberries and fresh brioche. The palate has depth, length and perfect balance. This single vineyard sparkling wine reflects the beauty of the region it is grown in, Pipers River.Best enjoyed: This wine should be enjoyed with friends – the way all great wine memories should be made. Serve with oysters and drink somewhere in Tasmania near the coast, where the exquisite wilderness of this place can give context to the purity and the beauty in the glass.
RRP $60 | Drink to 2028 | Shop this wine | Kreglinger Wine Estates
