CAVE-IN TO THIS BLACK BOTTLE BUBBLY

David Ellis

WHILE for many Australians Easter’s a 4-day holiday, chocolate eggs and bangers on the barbie, in Spain it’s a much more serious religious occasion celebrated with countrywide processions in which massive wooden crosses are borne tortuously through the streets, and huge floats depicting religious scenes and weighing as much as three tonnes are carried shoulder-high behind by muscly teams who train for months.

And when these processions are over, the people go back to their homes to further respect the meaning of Easter – until Easter Sunday, when they break-out with celebratory family feasting and the drinking of Cava, a traditional Spanish sparkling wine, that can last from lunchtime until well into the late-night hours.

One of the most-popular of these Cavas is Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut, a non-vintage drop dubbed “Black Bottle Bubbly” because of the bottle it comes in, and which is now the biggest-selling sparkling wine in the world, selling over 200-million bottles a year.

Also one of the best-selling bubblies in Australia, it’s a Methode Champenoise-style made from three Spanish grape varieties – Parellada, Macabeo and Xarel-lo – that after two fermentations is cellared in-bottle for 24 months in 54km of caves near Barcelona.

Bargain buying for a mass-produced sparkling of such quality, it costs just $15 a bottle and you’ll find will be ideal with an Easter (or any other Sunday) seafood brunch.

ONE TO NOTE: WE’re unashamed Chardonnay buffs and can never resist Cumulus Estate’s from their ideal growing location 620m up in cool-climate high-country outside Orange in NSW’s Central West.

Their just-released 2011 Chardonnay is deservedly Cumulus Estate’s proud flagship white, a premium drop ($35) with beautiful melon and stone-fruit flavours, creamy nutty oak and a crisp acidity.

A perfect match with white meat dishes or creamy pastas.

(NEED A FOOD/DRINK IDEA? Check out  http://www.vintnews.com )