What is Vintage Sparkling?

Vintage sparkling is a sparkling wine labeled with a single year. Producers declare a vintage when fruit quality and ripeness justify it. Lees ageing, dosage, and method vary by region, but the goal is the same. Express the character of that year with clarity and poise.

What Does Vintage Sparkling Taste Like?

While each bottle has its own unique profile, vintage sparkling wines generally share some key characteristics:

• Aromas: Ripe orchard fruit, citrus peel, and stone fruits, with brioche, toast, honey, or nutty complexity if aged on lees.
• Palate: More concentration and depth than non vintage wines, often with a creamier texture and finer bead.
• Finish: Longer, layered, and complex, sometimes showing mineral or savoury notes depending on origin and method.

Serving and Pairing

• Serve: 8 to 10 °C in a tulip or white wine glass to focus aromatics.
• Pair: Chandon Vintage Brut with oysters, scallops, and sushi. Blanc de Blancs styles with goat cheese and citrus dressed seafood. Vintage Prosecco with antipasti and fried calamari. Sparkling Shiraz with glazed ham, spiced barbecue, or dark chocolate cake.

Wines Worth Knowing

Highlights from our current range.

• Chandon Vintage Brut 2018: A benchmark Australian vintage Brut with fine bead and citrus driven precision.
• Chandon Blanc de Blancs 2018: Chardonnay led vintage release with mineral drive and subtle brioche.
• Daosa Blanc de Blanc 2017: Adelaide Hills traditional method Blanc de Blanc from cool climate vineyards.
• Caledonia Australis Umbra Méthode Ancestral 2015: Ancestral method from Gippsland with wild energy and texture.
• Ponte Prosecco DOC Rosé Millesimato 2020: Vintage Prosecco with bright red berry fruit and a crisp finish.
• Rockford Black Sparkling Shiraz disgorged vintages including 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2023. Classic Barossa richness with festive sparkle.

Vintage Sparkling Questions, Answered

Is vintage sparkling the same as vintage Champagne?
No. Champagne is a region in France. Vintage sparkling can come from anywhere. Both are single year wines, but the regions, grapes, and methods can differ.

Does vintage sparkling age longer than non vintage?
Often yes. Many vintage bottlings have the structure to develop for 3 to 10 years or more, especially traditional method wines that spent longer on lees.

Is there such a thing as vintage Prosecco?
Yes. Look for terms like Millesimato on labels. These wines are usually made by the Charmat tank method and show fresh fruit driven profiles.

How do disgorgement dates on Sparkling Shiraz matter?
Disgorgement indicates when lees were removed and the bottle finished. Later disgorgement can show creamier texture and more autolytic complexity. Earlier disgorgement can taste brighter and more primary.

What is the best temperature to serve vintage sparkling?
Aim for 8 to 10 °C. Too cold and aromatics are muted. Too warm and the mousse can feel coarse.

Why Shop Vintage Sparkling at Kent Street Cellars

• Curated releases from Australia, Italy, and beyond
• Rare disgorgements of Rockford Black Sparkling Shiraz alongside classic vintage Bruts
• Same day delivery across Sydney Metro
• Fast, secure Australia wide shipping
• Optional gift wrapping

Explore Vintage Sparkling Wine and discover bottles that tell the story of a single season in the glass.