For many, the end of August means back to school, schedules and the inevitable traffic. For everyone, it's saying goodbye to long, hot evenings, and the end of summer holidays. Sigh.

But don't despair! Technically, summer lasts until September 21, and that means possibly many weeks of good weather on the horizon.  

So, turn on the lights on the terrace and settle in with a nice bubbly from California, Italy, Austria, Spain and of course France to toast summer, which is not yet over.

If we played “Family Feud”, it’s safe to bet that Mumm would be in the top 5 of named sparkling wines. With its Champagne origins, a desire to create the most elegant Pinot Noir-based sparkling wine and the unique potential of Napa terroirs, the estate quickly rose to the top of sales in its category in its native country. The warm days and cool evenings of the famous valley are ideal for creating sparkling wines of exemplary finesse and complexity, while maintaining perfectly balanced acidity.

With its notes of red fruits, citrus and apple, it will be a hit as an aperitif with bites of Californian-style salmon tartare. 

This delicious Catalan sparkling wine will be perfect to kick off the aperitif on what promises to be a lovely evening. Fruity and lively, it offers aromas of lemon, chalk, floral and fruity notes. Excellent value for money and has also garnered praise from customers. And now organic too!

Try it if you haven't already, with the classic melon and prosciutto or with a fattoush salad.

This Italian brut Prosecco is ideal for concocting a nice spritz.  Fruity and lively, with aromas of white flowers, honey and apple, it is also very pleasant on its own as an aperitif.

Bring it to the table under string lights with homemade pesto pasta, if your garden is overflowing with beautiful basil. 

Austrian family estate with the wind in its sails, everything is produced there according to the precepts of organic and biodynamic cultivation. A pleasant cuvée that involves a few local grape varieties with the well-known Pinot Noir, this wine is a real feast on the palate. It's light (10.5% alcohol) very dry, and above all, harmoniously tasty.

Clearly an asset for brunch, it is also the perfect bottle to launch an aperitif with bites of shrimp mousse or a shrimp cocktail.  

Now organic, Cordoniu Brut offers excellent value for money. Behind its 450 years of history, this classic is still very popular thanks to its fruity and floral aromas, its lively texture and its lovely complexity.

An excellent choice to mix in cocktails, or on its own to start the evening with appetizers. Really nice with crab potato skins. 

 

This sparkling wine is aptly named because according to history, it is indeed the very first bubby to be produced. The Benedictine monks are said to be at the origin of this sparkling wine, although not intentionally, having noticed the appearance of bubbles during the second fermentation in bottles. A few years later, the first historical reference to blanquette de Limoux occurred with a handwritten order from a lord of the region, the Sieur d'Arques!  

Today, it still proves to be a wise choice to delight the taste buds as an aperitif accompanied by smoked salmon and cream cheese canapes or cod and mayonnaise fritters. It will charm you with its apple notes and its full mouth revealing citrus notes, with a creamy touch. 

In partnership with Domaine Meinklang, Les Vignerons du Sieur d'Arques, Codorniu SA, Mumm Napa Valley, Segura Viudas et Mionetto.