Cutler & Co.'s Penny Vine on the Victorian bubbles mixing it with world's best.

Drink This Now: 2015 Parkside Winery Methode Traditionelle Sparkling

Cutler & Co.'s Penny Vine on the Victorian bubbles mixing it with world's best.

It takes a lot of skill and practice to make bubbles as good as Parkside Winery’s 2015 sparkling – “it’s such a labour of love”, confirms Penny Vine, the head sommelier at Cutler & Co. Made with equal parts chardonnay and pinot noir, this bottle is an excellent expression of what we can do in Australia when it comes to sparkling: a rich, interesting wine that deserves to be savoured. “We’re lucky to have some producers in our cooler-climate regions, such as the Macedon Ranges, that are willing to put in the work to make wines that stand side-by-side with their French counterparts.”

The Parkside Winery Methode Traditionelle Sparkling goes through a process called extended lees ageing, meaning the grape juice spends time with the residual yeast in the wine, adding an extra layer of creamy, nutty flavours. The process “brings so much to the wine”, according to Vine, and is not a method we see a huge amount of here in Australia. And how best to enjoy this bottle of bubbles? “It’s screaming out for oysters”, suggests Vine, but if molluscs aren’t your speed, she suggests grabbing a soft goat’s cheese and a baguette for an afternoon of solo indulgence.

By Claire Adey

Published on 28 January 2022 by Melbourne Food & Wine Festival