It's the season for frivolous fizz. The wine trade says more of us are developing a taste for luxury bubbles since the Millennium celebrations, but for a summery celebration - a few glasses in the garden - something less grand will do nicely. A simple sparkler, that's the thing.
At an outdoor party or a picnic with friends, even the most nitpicking wine disciples are well able to enjoy a chilled glass of bubbly that isn't champagne without feeling cheated. With a bit of an Irish breeze blowing, however gently, nobody will be able to pick up nuances of aroma as deftly as they might indoors. If the chat's good and the mood lighthearted, subtleties of taste will hardly be analysed. So all you need is a reasonably well-made, pleasant quaffer. Nothing too fizzically demanding.
It should be as easy as going to the wine shop and seizing the first fat, foil-topped bottle you notice at a tempting price. The trouble is that heaps of sparkling wines on the market are so unpleasant that not even belching barbecue smoke and a bunch of witty guests could distract you from their inherent nastiness. Sampling a large batch of bottles under £14 in the past couple of weeks, I seem to have stumbled on far more disappointments than modest treats.
In case you feel like conducting a few experiments yourself (and, moan though I might about quality, I won't pretend sparkler-sampling isn't fun), here are a few things to look out for. Unpleasant smells - chemical, earthy or burnt. A fizzy effect so vigorous that, when the wine hits your palate, it threatens to strip the top layer off your tongue. A flavour profile that moves from over-sweet to over-sour, leaving a wince-inducing aftertaste.
The good ones are all more gently effervescent, more evenly fruity. They slip down so easily that you barely notice you're drinking at all until, hey presto!, you and everybody else with a glass in their hand suddenly seems to have acquired a bubbly personality. The only thing that isn't frivolous about this sort of fizz is its price on Irish shelves. That's because we have by far the highest excise duty on sparkling wine in the European Union: a whopping £3.22 per bottle. Maybe the government might review this on health grounds?
"Sparkling wine should definitely be marketed as a health product," I recently heard South African bubbly maker Nicky Krone declare. "It's full of yeast, vitamin B and amino acids - precisely what the body needs for rejuvenation." Slainte.
A Nice Bit Of Froth
Tesco Cava Brut NV (Tesco, £8.99). At an informal tasting of sparklers I organised for a trio of young visiting Australians, this one earned top marks (beating some of their home produce). Light and very refreshing with no harsh edges, it's a really pleasant drink at what we're obliged to consider here as an exceptionally reasonable price.
Segura Viudas Cava Brut Reserva NV (Oddbins, £9.99; special July offer: buy five bottles, get a sixth free). A slightly more serious Cava, which marries smooth pear and sherbet flavours with a firm, lingering finish. The offer brings the price down to a well-nigh unbeatable £8.33.
Jacob's Creek Chardonnay-Pinot Noir, Orlando, NV (very widely available, usually £10.99). Retasting the less expensive Aussie sparklers again, I still feel this is one of the most quaffable. A nice, gentle fizz with plenty of easy fruit, it's a touch drier (and cheaper) than rival Californians.
Domaine de l'Aigle Tradition Brut NV (River Wines, 1850-794637, £10.99 if you buy a case, which may be mixed). More richness here, a bigger personality. See Bottle of the Week.
Deutz Marlborough Cuvee NV (Oddbins, £13.99; year-round offer: buy six bottles, get a seventh free). If you're prepared to spend just a little more (the offer brings the average price down to £11.99), this previous Bottle of the Week still gets my vote for bracing freshness and refinement. A stylish New Zealander - a joint effort from champagne house Deutz and NZ giant Montana.
River Lore
The source of this week's Bottle of the Week, River Wines, is a relatively new mail-order company based in Termonfeckin, Co Louth. There are about 30 wines on offer - mostly French, and mostly in the £6 to £10 price range, which most of us zero in on for decent everyday drinking. Of the bottles I've tried so far, I recommend an exceptionally attractive Muscadet, Domaine La Haute Fevrie 1999 at £6.99; smooth, creamy-rich Merlot de Campuget, Vin de Pays du Gard 1998 - outstanding value at £5.79; fruity and flavoursome Domaine La Remejeanne Cotes du Rhone Les Arbousiers 1998 at £7.99, and fleshy, peppery Chateau de L'Amarine Costieres de Nimes 1998, also £7.99. Minimum order one case; free delivery countrywide. Tel: 1850-794637.