Which sparkling wine should you buy for a picnic basket if you are looking for an affordable, but high-quality and stylish drink? We blind tasted eight sparkling wines in the affordable Price category and found a winner.
Sparkling wine is an important part of the May Day celebration for many, and it can be seen during the May Day week in Alki, where it is busier than usual. During May Day week, sales of sparkling wines increase by approximately 360 percent compared to the beginning of the year, and champagne also by approximately 260 percent.
The Finns don’t have any actual May Day sparkling wine, but on May Day their stores sell the same flavors as any other time.
– Fruity proseccos and citrusy cavas are delicious both at a relaxed May Day brunch and at a picnic, says Alko’s product communications manager, Master of wine Taina Vilkuna.
On the other hand, the demand for different bottle sizes increases during May Day. Both 0.2 liter piccolo bottles and 1.5 liter magnum bottles are for sale.
Among sparkling wines, especially the Italian Prosecco is currently trendy. Prosecco does its business both in pale and rosé versions.
– Rose prosecco, which entered the market a couple of years ago, sealed its popularity, and Italy is already clearly the most popular sparkling wine country, overtaking Spain and its cava sparkling wines, which held the top spot for decades.
You can get good for cheap
Looking at the list of Alko’s best-selling sparkling wines, it becomes clear that many people prefer sparkling wines in the affordable price range, which include several options suitable for a May Day brunch or picnic.
We tested eight inexpensive sparkling wines, all of which cost less than 12 euros at Alko. The wines were judged by a jury of five people: four journalists from Iltalehti and a wine expert Sari Sirén, whose comments you can find separately for each wine. The jury tasted the wines blind, i.e. they did not know what wines they were tasting.
The jury gave each wine a rating on a scale of four to ten. Listed below the name of the wine is the average of the ratings given by the judges. In addition, you can see the ratings given by the wine expert Sirén.
Iltalehti editors Roosa Pöyhtäri, Katri Koskinen, Oona Mynttinen, wine expert Sari Sirén and Iltalehti editor Eeva Paljakka participated in the jury. ATTE KAJOVA
Sparkling wines were tasted chilled in picnic conditions, but slightly warmer than the optimal serving temperature. The aromas of sparkling wines are best revealed when the sparkling wine is not completely cold.
There were differences in the opinions of the jury, but one sparkling wine garnered only praise from everyone, and this was also reflected in the ratings: The clear winner was Ballet Carte Organic Brut, whose label has just been renewed. The winner was described as, among other things, a safe choice, balanced and suitable for a picnic.
Second is kiri Codorníu Clasico Cava Sec Organic, which was given the best score by wine expert Sirén. The jury described the wine as, among other things, refreshing, elegant and also suitable for food.
1. Ballet Carte Noire Organic Brut
Grade: 9-
Price: €9.48
Country: France
Alcohol: 11.5%
– An easy-to-drink, reliable choice.
– Good and strong scent. This is enjoyed on a picnic.
– Good bubbles that leave your mouth tingling. Good taste.
– A cheeky fellow. A slightly sour aftertaste. As an appetizer, not at the end of the evening.
Sari Sirén reviews:
– Apple, fruity, medium acid, ripe citrus. Slightly spicy, balanced, quite long. Grade: 8+
2. Codorníu Clasico Cava Sec Organic
Grade: 8+
Price: €10.99
Country: Spain
Alcohol: 11.5%
– Powerful bubbles. Not as easy as other tested wines. This sucks!
– Functional basic crust, not too sweet. Goes well with food.
– A sloppy scum, the aftertaste lingers in the mouth.
– A slightly strong scent.
Sari Sirén reviews:
– Green apple, mineral, citrusy, tart. Elegant and balanced structure, also food sparkling. Rating: 9
3. Ballet Carte Noire Organic Demi-sec
Grade: 8
Price: €9.29
Country: France
Alcohol: 11.5%
– Cozy, sweet scumpa. A safe choice. A threat or a possibility?
– Sweet, candy-like. Suitable for a cider lover.
– Now there is a traditional scent, authentic for a picnic!
– A special taste. Skinny bubbles.
Sari Sirén reviews:
– Ripe citrus, yellow apple, fairly good acids and a nice structure. Semi-sweet. Versatile, also suitable for Asian-style picnic snacks. Grade: 8+
4. Freixenet Carta Nevada Cava Medium Dry
Grade: 8-
Price: €10.38
Country: Spain
Alcohol: 11.5%
– Sweet, pear-like. Familiar from the past. Offering this would not offend anyone.
– Summer exploded in my mouth. However, one glass is enough.
– Why am I thinking of mead? The scent reminds me of youth. The taste is ok, not mind-blowing.
– The smell and taste remind me of my college days and, well, actually all cat baptisms.
Sari Sirén reviews:
– Citrus, mineral, rich aroma, medium acidity, floral, fruity, quite short. Rating: 6.5
Shared 5th place Tosti Butterfly
Rating: 7.5
Price: €9.89
Country: Italy
Alcohol: 7.5%
– Sweet! If there are no May Day treats, this will go to waste. I secretly like it, lol.
– Fresh smell, strange taste at first, but not as bad as I thought at first. Peary and sweet.
– Cotton candy, super sweet! My guess is that the sugar hop hits before the actual hop.
– Flowery, funky, mead-like taste.
Sari Sirén reviews:
– Apple, peach, richly fruity. Too sweet, exhausts acids. An easy sparkling wine that can be enjoyed on many hills in the sunshine. Rating: 6.5
Shared 5th place Pizzolato Organic Rosé Extra Dry
Rating: 7.5
Price: €11.99
Country: Italy
Alcohol: 11.0%
– Basic leather jacket. A sure choice for picnics and other glitz.
– A dull and familiar taste. However, a dull taste experience. Not my favorite.
– A rather bitter aftertaste. It’s hard to smell or taste any nuances here. I wouldn’t drink the whole glass.
– Prosecco-like aroma and taste. Big bubbles are felt in the mouth. The taste is pretty bland.
Sari Sirén reviews:
– Fruity, strawberry rosé. Citrus, a little acid. Short. Grade: 6-
7. Blue Nun Gold Edition
Rating: 7+
Price: €11.99
Country: Germany
Alcohol: 11.0%
– Traditional and reliable. Let’s continue!
– This is industrial in nature.
– Let’s continue with the candy line.
– Foams a lot. There are nuggets of gold here, so a familiar product. Maybe sophistication replaces taste.
Sari Sirén reviews:
– Citrusy, richly fruity, peachy, quite acidic, rich mousse, balanced, quite long. Rating: 7.5
8. Gran Passione Organic Dry
Rating: 6.5
Price: €10.99
Country: Italy
Alcohol: 11.0%
– Strong scent. This will leave you drooling in your mouth. Smooth taste, suitable as a social drink.
– Delicately pear-shaped. Leaves an unspeakable impression.
– Well, now there are flowers and fruit. Too cute.
– Sweet, funky aftertaste. Lots of little bubbles. Not to my taste.
Sari Sirén reviews:
– Ripe apple, rich fruit, but slightly acidic in comparison. Therefore rather short and heavy. Grade: 6-