No, not the Sauvignon Blanc. There's nothing wrong with that and it is very well known for a good reason; it's reliable and reasonably priced. This one carries the same brand but comes from the other half of New Zealand.
The Sauvignon Blanc comes from Marlborough, like so many similar wines, and that and area found in the North East corner of New Zealand's South Island.
This wine comes from Hawkes Bay, which is a cool climate region on the East coast of the North Island.
Week O (2015) Oyster Bay, Brut NV. Majestic £11.24
Another significant difference is, of course, the grapes used. 100% Chardonnay go into this wine and more specifically a clone of Chardonnay that produces small and intensely flavoured berries.
When Champagne is made exclusively from white grapes (being Chardonnay) it is known as blanc-de-blanc, being white wine from white grapes. So in that respect this is similar to that style of Champagne, however, there is a significant difference.
Champagne and its closest rivals made in the 'traditional method' go through two fermentations. Firstly, to produce a 'base wine' and then a second fermentation within the bottle in which it will be eventually sold. There is another technique which still has two rounds of fermentation, but the second takes place in a pressurised steel tank, allowing greater quantities to be made to sparkle with fewer moving parts (bottles) to manage.
Oyster Bay sparkling is produced in this second way; the 'tank method' or, slightly more charmingly and French, the 'Charmat' method.
The Charmat method tends to produce wines with livelier, bigger, some would say coarser bubbles, or mousse and also with far less of a complex flavour profile. There's little of the yeasty, biscuity flavours that I think make Champagne and Traditional method sparkling wines more interesting and enjoyable, but there is a fruit-driven freshness in the better examples.
This one has crisp white fruits, melon and some softer stone fruits, but not to the fore. The refreshing lively bubbles are accompanied by equally lively acidity, which on its own may make the experience a little tart.
As a style it falls somewhere between another tank method favourite, Prosecco, and a non-premium French Charmat, but in terms of price it is about twice as expensive as a perfectly good Cava, the Spanish traditional method offering.
It is well made and pleasant to drink, but it's not the sensible option from an economic perspective.
The Sauvignon Blanc comes from Marlborough, like so many similar wines, and that and area found in the North East corner of New Zealand's South Island.
This wine comes from Hawkes Bay, which is a cool climate region on the East coast of the North Island.
Another significant difference is, of course, the grapes used. 100% Chardonnay go into this wine and more specifically a clone of Chardonnay that produces small and intensely flavoured berries.
When Champagne is made exclusively from white grapes (being Chardonnay) it is known as blanc-de-blanc, being white wine from white grapes. So in that respect this is similar to that style of Champagne, however, there is a significant difference.
Champagne and its closest rivals made in the 'traditional method' go through two fermentations. Firstly, to produce a 'base wine' and then a second fermentation within the bottle in which it will be eventually sold. There is another technique which still has two rounds of fermentation, but the second takes place in a pressurised steel tank, allowing greater quantities to be made to sparkle with fewer moving parts (bottles) to manage.
Oyster Bay sparkling is produced in this second way; the 'tank method' or, slightly more charmingly and French, the 'Charmat' method.
The Charmat method tends to produce wines with livelier, bigger, some would say coarser bubbles, or mousse and also with far less of a complex flavour profile. There's little of the yeasty, biscuity flavours that I think make Champagne and Traditional method sparkling wines more interesting and enjoyable, but there is a fruit-driven freshness in the better examples.
This one has crisp white fruits, melon and some softer stone fruits, but not to the fore. The refreshing lively bubbles are accompanied by equally lively acidity, which on its own may make the experience a little tart.
As a style it falls somewhere between another tank method favourite, Prosecco, and a non-premium French Charmat, but in terms of price it is about twice as expensive as a perfectly good Cava, the Spanish traditional method offering.
It is well made and pleasant to drink, but it's not the sensible option from an economic perspective.
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