First Creek 'Botanica' Sparkling Brut NV
Primary flavours
Lemon
White Grapefruit
Chalk
Salt
Details
This sparkling wine is somewhat unusually made from Semillon, but it works so well. The high acidity of Semillon really shines through, and makes the wine so clean and fresh. There's plenty of toasty fruit in there as well though, so it's very well balanced.
Australia has been making sparkling wine since the late 1800s, and some of the first bottles to be produced were actually sparkling red, a style that has stuck with us until today! In the mid 50s the production of the sparkling wines we know today really took off, and the market for it increased – in other words, people got to drinking! The style has been refined over the decades, and now Australia makes world-class sparkling wines, traditionally based on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The style is dry, with flavours of baked bread and green apple, with really lovely, juicy acidity. Great stuff.
Australia has been making sparkling wine since the late 1800s, and some of the first bottles to be produced were actually sparkling red, a style that has stuck with us until today! In the mid 50s the production of the sparkling wines we know today really took off, and the market for it increased – in other words, people got to drinking! The style has been refined over the decades, and now Australia makes world-class sparkling wines, traditionally based on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The style is dry, with flavours of baked bread and green apple, with really lovely, juicy acidity. Great stuff.
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Taste Profile
This wine’s tasting notes.
Sweetness
lowmediumhigh
Body
lightmediumfull
Fruitiness
nonesomelots
Tannins
lowmediumhigh
Acidity
lowmediumhigh
Oak
nonesomelots
Alcohol
low
(under 12%)medium
(12-14%)high
(14%+)
Taste Summary
This wine’s tasting notes are leaning towards light bodied, low sweetness, with high acidity, no fruitiness, low tannins, low alcohol and no oak.
Specs
Region
Hunter Valley
country
Australia
Grape type
Sparkling (Australian)
Wine Maker
First Creek
Alcohol
11%
Vintage
NV
Cellar period
1-3 years
Production method
Maturation on Lees
State
NSW
Pairing guide
We have been massively impressed by this delicious sparkling wine, and not just because it tastes fantastic (and makes us feel like rock stars when we pop the cork) - it’s also a real winner with a wide array of our favourite foods, and boasts the kind of thrilling versatility you can only ever get from a quality bubbly. This wine goes beautiful with charcuterie, strong cheeses, and battered foods. Seriously, give it a try with some fish and chips, and you’ll see what we mean. However, it’s also going to pair really nicely with elegant cream-based desserts, fresh fruit dishes, and grilled meat, too!
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Food
Lobster
Sushi
Oysters
Tastes
Crisp
Light
Moods
Excited
Celebratory
Seasons
Summer
Recipe Matches
Wine region
Hunter Valley, Australia
The Hunter Valley is located in New South Wales, Australia. It is situated approximately 150km northwest of Sydney and is known for producing world-class Semillon and formidable Chardonnay, Verdelho, Sauvignon Blanc, and Shiraz.
The region has a long history of winemaking, with the first vines planted in the 1830s. Today, the Hunter Valley is home to more than 150 wineries, ranging from small, family-owned operations to larger, internationally recognized producers such as Tyrell’s Wines, Mount Pleasant Wines and Brokenwood Wines.
Hunter Valley comprises the following sub-regions: Upper Hunter Valley, Broke Fordwich, and Pokolbin. The region's climate is warm and humid, relying on rain, humidity, cloud cover and sea breeze to mitigate the warmth. Soil types vary across the region. Generally, Semillon performs well on the sandy alluvial flats, whereas Shiraz prefers the red loamy soil types.
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