All the bang of Champers for less bucks...

IT’S THE go-to choice for celebrations of all sorts but Champagne can be pricey. However, you don’t have to look far to find plenty of other winemakers worldwide who make sparkling wines the champagne-way for a fraction of the price. It’s a process known as the traditional method in the Champagne region of France. In other French regions, the méthode champenoise is used to make sparkling wines, in Spain to produce cava and for other sparkling wines across the globe. South African sparkling wines made using the traditional method are labelled Methode Cap Classique.

It’s a fascinating, and highly labour-intensive, process.After the grapes are picked the juice is pressed and fermented as with any wine and then blended using wines from various vineyards.The blended wine is put in bottles along with yeast and a small amount of sugar, stopped with a crown cap and stored for a second fermentation, during which the carbon dioxide is trapped in solution.

After the wine has been left to age for a period, the yeast (lees) is removed.The bottles are placed in racks, crown cap pointed down at an angle, the bottles given a shake daily, turned and gradually moved so they end up upside down so that the lees is settled in the neck.The crown cap and lees are removed, the liquid level topped up with a mixture of wine and sugar and a cork inserted.The resulting wine is then left to age in bottle before being judged ready to drink.

Enjoy some excellent wines below, some via smaller, independent retailers who always appreciate your support.