WanderCurtis Wine

Wine tastings, corporate events, reviews and recommendations

Author Archives: Kiran


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Fortified wines – Port

A condensed summary of Port wines including history,  regions, growing environment, vineyard management, grape varieties, wine making, styles, wine law and business.

Sources include: WSET Diploma Wines of the World, Oxford Wine Companion by Julia Harding and Jancis Robinson, various producer websites.

Note this document is intended for personal use only not for commercial or promotional use. We accept no liability for any omissions or errors that may be contained in the document.

© Kiran Curtis 2034. Personal use only not to be used for commercial or promotional purposes.

Fortified PortDownload


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The lesser known Nebbiolo from Piedmonte

In the northern stretches of Piedmont, the DOCGs of Roero, Gattinara, and Ghemme offer a quieter yet distinctive take on the region’s hallmark grape, Nebbiolo. In Roero, sandy soils on the western bank of the Tanaro yield reds that are typically more perfumed and earlier-drinking than their Langhe cousins.

Gattinara and Ghemme, by contrast, lie further north in the Alpine foothills, where volcanic and alluvial soils produce wines of structure and longevity. Here, Nebbiolo, locally known as Spanna, just add a bit of confusion, is often blended with Vespolina or Bonarda to add spice and softness. Fermentation is typically followed by long aging, often in large neutral oak, allowing the grape’s natural tannins to settle and complex aromas to emerge. These are wines of precision and heritage, less showy than Barolo or Barbaresco but with a depth that rewards patient exploration.

It was great to visit Travaglini in Gattinara, Alto Piemonte and taste the lovely Nebbiolo wines this estate produces. 

Their sparkling Metodo Classico Nebole a Blanc de Noir of 100% Nebbiolo was a wonderful surprise of honey, smoke and white flowers.  They make this from the green cuttings off the grape bunches traditionally done to concentrate the remaining grapes for the red wine.

The Gattinara and Reservas also a delicious meld of soft red fruits, pot purri and balsamic notes.  Look out for their distinctive bottle shape designed to act like a decanter and hold any sediment back when pouring!

Well worth looking out the wines of Gattinara, Ghemme and Boca Alto Piemonte regions.


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Sparkling Wines, USA

A condensed summary of sparkling wines of the USA including history,  regions, growing environment, vineyard management, grape varieties, wine making, styles, wine law and business.

Sources include: WSET Diploma Wines of the World, Oxford Wine Companion by Julia Harding and Jancis Robinson, various producer websites.

Sparkling Wines USADownload

Note this document is intended for personal use only not for commercial or promotional use. We accept no liability for any omissions or errors that may be contained in the document.

© Kiran Curtis 2023. Personal use only not to be used for commercial or promotional purposes.


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Sparkling Wines Traditional Method, Italy

A condensed summary of traditional method Italian sparkling wines including history,  regions, growing environment, vineyard management, grape varieties, wine making, styles, wine law and business.

Sources include: WSET Diploma Wines of the World, Oxford Wine Companion by Julia Harding and Jancis Robinson, various producer websites.

Sparkling Wines Italy TraditionalDownload

Note this document is intended for personal use only not for commercial or promotional use. We accept no liability for any omissions or errors that may be contained in the document.

© Kiran Curtis 2023. Personal use only not to be used for commercial or promotional purposes.


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Bleasdale Sparkling Shiraz NV. Langhorne Creek, South Australia

Here’s something deliciously unusual: Bleasdale Sparkling Shiraz NV, a wine that manages to be both full-bodied and fizzy, rich yet refreshing, and festive without losing its serious side. If you’ve never tried sparkling red, this South Australian classic is the place to start. It’s as bold and characterful and a lot of fun.

In the glass, it pours a deep ruby, almost inky, with a lively mousse that hints at its playful side. But don’t be fooled, it’s anything but simple. The nose is pronounced and opulent, brimming with dark, ripe fruit: blackberry, blueberry, and black cherry alongside juicy red notes of strawberry, cranberry, and cherry pie. Add in a bouquet of violet and rose petals, and it’s like being handed a bouquet with a side of spiced compote.

There’s more though, this wine is layered. Behind the fruit, there’s a whisper of eucalyptus (classic Aussie Shiraz), black pepper and liquorice spice, and a deeper backdrop of clove, toasted oak and a cedar box of old cigars. It finishes with hints of dried prunes, tobacco and a dusty earthiness that give it a lovely rustic edge. It’s rich, warming, and more complex than you might expect from a sparkling wine.

On the palate, it’s medium-dry, sweet, but not dessert-wine sweet. There’s enough acidity to keep it lifted, a full body that wraps around your palate like a velvet curtain, and ripe, soft tannins that give it structure without harshness. The fizz is creamy and well-integrated, giving everything a playful pop without overwhelming the depth.

It’s a very good wine, full of clearly defined, expressive flavours and balanced beautifully between fruit, spice, sweetness and structure. The finish lingers nicely with a touch of cocoa, spice and cherry jam, though it stops just short of the length you’d expect in truly outstanding wines. Still, it more than earns its stripes.

This is not a wine to tuck away for years, its charm lies in the freshness of its fruit, the vibrancy of its bubbles and the immediate pleasure it delivers in the glass. Leave it too long and that beautiful fruit and floral lift will begin to fade.

Nice slightly chilled.


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Sparkling Wines Traditional Method, England & Wales

A condensed summary of English sparkling wine including history,  regions, growing environment, vineyard management, grape varieties, wine making, styles, wine law and business.

Sources include: WSET Diploma Wines of the World, Oxford Wine Companion by Julia Harding and Jancis Robinson, various producer websites.

Sparkling Wines England & WalesDownload

Note this document is intended for personal use only not for commercial or promotional use. We accept no liability for any omissions or errors that may be contained in the document.

© Kiran Curtis 2023. Personal use only not to be used for commercial or promotional purposes.


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Sparkling Wines, Traditional Method, Cava.

A condensed summary of Cava wines including history,  regions, growing environment, vineyard management, grape varieties, wine making, styles, wine law and business.

Sources include: WSET Diploma Wines of the World, Oxford Wine Companion by Julia Harding and Jancis Robinson, various producer websites.

Sparkling Wines CavaDownload

Note this document is intended for personal use only not for commercial or promotional use. We accept no liability for any omissions or errors that may be contained in the document.

© Kiran Curtis 2023. Personal use only not to be used for commercial or promotional purposes.


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Sparkling Wines, France, Cremant

A condensed summary of traditional method Cremant wines from France including history,  regions, growing environment, vineyard management, grape varieties, wine making, styles, wine law and business.

Sources include: WSET Diploma Wines of the World, Oxford Wine Companion by Julia Harding and Jancis Robinson, various producer websites.

Sparkling Wines CremantDownload

Note this document is intended for personal use only not for commercial or promotional use. We accept no liability for any omissions or errors that may be contained in the document.

© Kiran Curtis 2023. Personal use only not to be used for commercial or promotional purposes.


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Massolino Moscato d’Asti DOCG 2021

Here’s a little bottle of joy that’s as far from serious, brooding reds or oaky whites as you can get, Massolino’s Moscato d’Asti 2021 is the wine equivalent of springtime in a glass. Hailing from the hills of Roero in Piemonte, this lightly sparkling, low-alcohol sweet wine is as fragrant and playful as a picnic in a wildflower meadow.

Pale lemon in the glass, it’s all about the aromatics from the moment you pop the cork. The nose bursts with an enchanting mix of orange blossom, rose petals, elderflower and honeysuckle. Beneath the florals, there’s ripe green apple, fresh grape, and juicy pear, all lifted by a zesty flash of pink grapefruit and rounded out by more exotic notes of lychee, peach and honeydew melon. It’s pronounced, perfumed, and completely irresistible.

On the palate, the gentle fizz gives it a creamy mousse that tickles rather than fizzes aggressively. It’s sweet, yes, but the sweetness is beautifully balanced by a wash of fresh acidity that keeps things lively rather than cloying. That aromatic fruit carries through with clarity, grapey, floral, and mouthfilling, with just enough citrus to keep it fresh. At only 5% alcohol, it’s feather-light in every way except flavour.

The finish is medium-plus, pleasant and fruity, though it doesn’t linger for ages. That said, this isn’t a wine made for deep contemplation or cellaring. It’s made to be drunk now, in its youth, when its delicate floral and fruity charm is at its most expressive.

Ever underestimated Moscato? This bottle might just change your mind.


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Gusbourne Estate, Kent, Premium English Sparkling

Perched on the edge of the old Saxon shoreline in Appledore, Kent, Gusbourne Estate makes a compelling argument for the quality and potential of English wine. With 60 hectares under vine here and another 30 in West Sussex, Gusbourne has focused on a clear ambition since planting its first vines in 2004: to produce vintage wines of the highest calibre using only estate-grown fruit.

The vineyards are planted with Burgundian clones of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier, varieties well suited to the region’s unique microclimates. Yields are deliberately kept low, resulting in grapes of concentration and character. These form the foundation of a range that includes both still and sparkling wines, all made using traditional methods with a low-intervention ethos that carries through from vine to bottle.

A visit to the estate offers more than a picturesque setting. The winery tour is well-structured and informative, culminating in a tasting that includes the rare opportunity to sample base wines before moving on to the finished sparklers. This provides a valuable insight into the effects of lees ageing, adding texture and biscuity complexity, and how dosage lifts the bright citrus notes that are a hallmark of the house style.

Among a strong portfolio, the Blanc de Blancs 2018 stands out for its precision and poise. It’s joined by a limited series of museum releases and small-batch cuvées, including vintage Blanc de Meunier, all reinforcing Gusbourne’s position at the premium end of the market. The still wines, notably the Guinevere Chardonnay, demonstrate real depth and finesse, and make a persuasive case that 51 degrees north is no longer a viticultural outlier.

Thanks to WSET for organising the visit.