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vineyards are fading to amber and the leaves falling daily. However, we do share the same seasonal rush in our cellars and wineries, or 'caves', as they are called in Champagne. We are all about getting our bubbles to market for Christmas and New Year. The pressure is on! At this time of the year the bottles that have been sleeping in the cool darkness of the cellars are ready to be awakened and literally turned upside down. Two years ago, after undergoing careful blending and the addition of yeast and sugar, these bottles were placed lying down on their sides to undergo their controlled second fermentation in the bottle. The sugar eats the yeast (I always imagine a little 'pacman' figure) and this process creates the fine bead, or bubble, and also a sediment of yeast cells. It also imparts the 'bready, yeasty' aroma and character known as autolysis, a true stamp of Methode Traditonelle and Champagnes. Neither carbonated nor vat-fermented bubbles can display this classic character. They are simply 'sparkling wine' and should never be labelled Methode Traditionelle as the process bears no resemblance to true champagne making. After their hibernation is over the bottles are then transported into the cellar. Here the yeast sediment, left after the second fermentation, lies stubbornly along the side of the bottle. To remove it and give a clear wine, the bottles are shaken by hand and loaded into large cages for riddling. Riddling is the process of gently shaking and turning progressively upwards over a period of days, day and night, until each bottle is upside down and the sediment rests in the neck of the bottle. The neck is then frozen to safely encapsulate the sediment in an ice block. The ice block is removed and a little dosage of a special liqueur to top up the empty space is then added. Each winery has its own special recipe and preference for the 'dosage', a mix of vintage wine and sugar. The cork goes in, and a cage or 'muselet' is fitted to stop the cork flying out before the desired time. On go the labels and metal capsule, or hood, and voila! Three years after hand-picking the grapes, fermenting once in the tank and a year later in the bottle, we have our hand crafted queen of wines. The ultimate accompaniment to pre-dinner nibbles, champagne breakfasts, Christmas (all day!), New Years Eve, to celebrate, to commiserate for no reason whatsoever, or perhaps simply to celebrate the joy of being alive to see another cycle of life. There are so many styles of Methode Champenoise to choose from. At our winery, No1 Family Estate, we specialise in making only wines in the champagne style, staying true to the family's winemaking origins and honouring the outstanding fruit of the Marlborough region, which gives itself totally to this wine. We grow only the classic grapes of the Champagne district, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and a little Meunier. Our Cuvee No1, blanc do blancs, is just that 'white from whites', made from our only white grape, chardonnay. It has finesse and elegance, a tiny long lasting bead. Our other No1 Cuvee is the Rosé, released last week, it is proving to be a stunner. Rosé is not just a pretty wine, in fact it is one of the most difficult, if not the most difficult, champagne style to master. Every year we have to hold back stock for our domestic market as the Europeans snap it up. This year's offering is no exception. The Cuvee No8 is our blend of pinot noir, chardonnay and a touch of meunier, a classic blend of NV champagnes. It has fuller body yet retains it's elegance. Our prestige wines were made as a tribute to our children, Virginie and Remy. They are made only in outstanding years, are beautifully packaged and made in very limited volumes. They are both blends of pinot and chardonnay, spend longer in hibernation, and like our children, are much treasured. Whilst it is possible, and most enjoyable I might add, to drink bubbles throughout a meal we do drink still wines with great relish in our family. We have many, many favourites, often made by good friends and neighbours, so here are a very few of my picks – just wish I could list them all! I adore chardonnay and am distressed at having to make a choice, I often drink, Seresin, Envoy and Neudorf to name only a few. With Christmas looming I will also make a special recommendation, a unique boxed wine gift for any wine buff, anywhere in the world. Adele Lebrun www.no1familyestate.co.nz Recommended Wines The Specialist Winegrowers of New Zealand Collection Box Hans Herzog, Spirit of Marlborough 2002 Lawson Dry Hills Gewurtztraminer No. 1 Family Estate Rosé HER MAGAZINE | December/January 2012 | 93