Sparkling Shiraz

The best examples of this wine variety come from South Australia, where many are made but only a few shine. It is made in the same way as a méthode champenoise, with producers using a mixture of older shiraz vintages. It is this blending of the older base-wine stock that separates the best from the ordinary. The blend is fermented in the bottle then left on its lees for a year, after which it is liqueured — a process that introduces a vintage port or brandy to give a touch of sweetness to what would otherwise be a bone-dry wine.