Sparkling wine for most individuals may only be drunk on special occasions and their go to choice when they want to put their head down would be a simple glass of wine. It is no surprise however, for the locals in Champagne region, France, having a bottle of their local bubbly chilled and ready in the fridge at all times is just something of a norm. Visiting the Champagne region has provided me with a profound appreciation towards this magnificent baroque beverage. Taking into account that most wine estates make a sparking wine using a traditional method, which is very complex, it is no wonder that the name Champagne is exclusively designated to the region. 

The historic province of Champagne stuns by its beautiful views of hillsides, vineyards, houses and wine cellars that are protected by UNESCO World Heritage. There are about 260 Champagne houses, representing over 70% of production and 90% export. The region is defined by five wine districts: Vallee de la Marne, Montagne de Reims, Cote de Sezanne, Cote des Blancs and Aube; in total there are over 2000 vineyards to visit. 

While visiting this region one is to realise how much the history of wine making is deeply embedded within the culture and pride of the locals. It also embraces modern sparkling wine making with more experimental blends and organic varieties that sees young production houses emerge.

From world renowned prestigious champagne houses to classic ones, while visiting Aube, Champagne de Barfontarc, is one to mention. In the 1960s around 50 wine makers from the local villages of Baroville, Fontaine and Arconville united to create a Champagne house in Baroville, what is now known as the Champagne de Barfontarc. Champagne de Barfontarc with their roughly 20 employees have grown the brand over the past few decades internationally. Their wines have won numerous awards (including Decanter Bronze 2017) and are listed every year in the Guide Hachette - the most popular wine guide in France.

Champagne De Barfontarc wines have a depth of flavour with delicious green fruit aromas highly influenced by the yeasty character from the bottle ageing. Wines own a remarkable quality and kinfolk, are certainly below their price level. Like most champagne houses, their wines are dominated by three main traditional grape sorts of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. 

Wine of recommendation
Blanc de Noir would surely be one to highlight. Made from 100% Pinot Noir, this wine depicts aromas of green apples and pears, hints of apricot, with the toasty and buttery spicy character from ageing. It is great for every occasion due to balanced palette, lovely freshness and beautiful bubbles. 

Pairing
This champagne is great as an aperitif. It goes well with the cheese palette, beef dishes such as Roast Beef or Pastitsio. The lovely bubbly goes superbly with the a nice vegetarian risotto such as Lemon Saffron Barley Risotto. 

Tips
Highly recommend booking a 'One Day Harvester' activity where you have an opportunity to spend half a day in the vineyards picking grapes as a true harvester. The views are amazingly beautiful, you are able to learn more about the wine making from the experts that is also accompanied with few glasses of champagne to taste. To top it all up, after your hard work you are served a homemade comforting lunch that is so delicious with the company of other pickers. Did I mention? There is some French cheese...

The Kutjevo wine region is nestled in the rims of Pozega valley on the slopes of mountains Krdnija and Papuk, bordering the narrow valley of the river Kutjevcanka. The area capitalises on 800ha of high yield vineyards of Slavonia county. This region is predominately known for its white wines; White Pinot, Pinot Gris, Traminer, Riesling, including a unique wine 'Grasevina'. Grasevina, also known as Welschriesling, is the most planted grape variety and highly consumed from this region. Interestingly it doesn't have any link to German Riesling but like Riesling it thrives on cooler soil and continental climate.  

On my last adventure to the region, I had the honour to visit this special place and admire its rich history and wide range of delicious wines. This region is truly special for its traditions, beautiful nature, delicious food and obviously distinctive wines. There is certainly a lot more to Croatia than its gorgeous blue coastline. 

A little bit of historic background of the wine region that produces the highest yield of wine in Croatia... As the story goes many centuries ago Illyrians arrived to Kutjevo recognising this region as ideal for wine growing, and embraced agricultural enterprises. By the beginning of the 13th century, Cistercian monks migrated to the region and opened the Kutjevo cellar, which now represents the oldest cellar in Croatia. Definitely worth a visit! Some exquisite archival wine can still be found here - only look but can't drink. 

On the Kutjevo wine estate, there is a beautiful castle of Kutjevo that symbolises this region in its genuine nobility. For almost 800 years this estate has a rich story to tell of wine making, visits of prominent historic figures and charming antidotes. One to note is Empress Maria Theresa who lived there and enjoyed local wine. 

Wine of recommendation
Grasevina Quality Wine is certainly one to highlight if you like Chanin Blanc and young Riesling. This wine portrays fresh aromas of sweet apples and pears, flowery notes of elderflower and certain minerality. This wine can also age well but I absolutely loved tasting the young year due to its simplicity. 

Pairing
This wine goes well with food, especially summer food - clams or oysters, pastas, white fish, poultry, smoked dry meat, salads among other. It unquestionably goes well with various dry cheeses. 

Tips
One of the best times of the year to visit this region is at the start of the harvest season. Kutjevo town hosts traditional wine festival, known as Kutjevačko Vincelovo, offering wide range of traditional cuisine such as cooked Slavonian sausage and ham, accompanied by the local famous wine, while you have a pleasure to get entertained by tambourines and visiting a'cappella groups. 

There are many wine estates to explore in the region so highly recommend visiting them. One to note is Krauthaker as their wines will surely leave you in awe! ​

One thing that amazed me the most about South Africa, Cape Town and surrounding wine estates is a close relationship with the art scene. It is incredible how much creativity is nurtured and developed into unique art in this part of the world. Wine making itself is a rather crafty process with the aim to produce an art piece that speaks the poetry of a lifetime. At most of the wine estates I visited I could see a diverse spectrum of art whether it was in the form of a sculpture, painting, or a landscape garden. With the stunning scenery of mountains and vineyards, exotic flora and fauna, a great climate, bright blue skies it almost felt surreal. To an extent it felt like you are in a parallel world, one may call it a Wine Wonderland.

Few wine estates I would like to highlight for it's artistically beautiful settings are:

BARTINNEY ESTATE 
​
Nested on the dramatic slopes of Botmaskop alongside the Helshoogte Pass overlooking Banhoek Valley in Stellenbosch, Bartinney is a family run farm spread over 28 hectare that dates from 1912. With its incredible charm this historic estate doesn't only excel in wine but also has leapt into the spirt industry with its distinctive botanical delicious gin 'The Tempest Gin'. A botanical element is very dominant here even in the wine tasting as the hosts try to portray herbal influence in a wine aroma from the nutritiousness of the land where the vines are grown. 

Their philosophy is simple 'everything has to work in harmony', agriculture with nature, people with animals, sustainability with excellence. Something to admire! This is very evident when you arrive to the estate when you encounter quite a few friendly golden retrievers, beautiful horses, breathtaking views of the well maintained vineyards and their gardens and certainly the balanced production manner of their products and services. 

The Bartinney logo depicts a winged figure sculpture 'Elevage' created by the world famous sculptor Dylan Lewis that can be seen on the wine bottles. The sculpture resides symbolically in the estate's fynbos garden. Elevage resembles 'the French art of the selective maturing and ascension of a wine to its ultimate heights, unfurling its most noble traits.'
​
Wine of recommendation 
​One wine that left me dreamy for days with its long lasting taste is 'Hourglass Chardonnay 2015' vintage. It is from a vineyard that stretches 350m to 550m above sea level, which allowed greater exposure to the sun and winds. 

Absolutely delicious Chardonnay with complex aromas and balanced acidity which make this wine delicate and soft - from my perspective a keeper. White peach, toasted brioche, jasmine and fresh lemon developed from exceptional weather and enhanced by 11 months ageing in French oak barrels. 

Pairing
This wine goes well with poultry, pork and rich fish with herbs and vegetarian dishes. 

Tips 
Don't forget to taste their 'The Tempest' gin. 

Delaire Graff Estate is a state of luxury and art itself. Known for its renowned jewellery design and special gems, the estate also produces premium wine. The estate also offers fine dining at a spectacular restaurant incorporating home-grown fruit, vegetables and herbs.

We arrived to the estate rather spontaneously as the initial plan was to go on a different day a lunch booking. Luckily, the bar was still open so we could order few glasses of wine to taste. 

Wine of recommendation
From this estate I would like to select 'Delarie Graff Merlot 2016' made from hand picked grapes from the Estate's oldest single vineyard. Such a gorgeous Merlot that hints southern sunny notes of spicy aromas of dark plum and berries, ripe tannins that are incredibly balanced and give a long sustaining finish to wine. 

Pairing
This delicious Merlot goes so well with meat, pates, cheeses and vegetarian stews. 

​Tips
Savour the moment with a glass of wine while observing breathtaking views of this luxurious estate. Staff are so friendly and well informed about different wine. The atmosphere was pleasantly buzzing. 

Hidden away in the majestic Jonkershoek Valley on the outskirts of Stellenbosch, Stark-Conde is yet another family run boutique winery that I thoroughly enjoyed visiting for the unique scenery and great food reference to the 'Postcard Cafe'. This estate allows you to have wine tasting by their lake and admire views of surrounding wine estates and a beautiful chateau on the top of the hill, (I believe it's a private property before you venture to check it out...)

Wine of recommendation
Some gorgeous red wines, particularly popular for Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux varieties. One to note is their 'Three Pines Cabernet Sauvignon 2014' awarded a tremendous 95 points by Tim Atkin in 2016 SA Wine Report, including other prestigious recognitions. 

This wine was matured for 22 months in French oak barrels with blends of petit Verdot and Merlot to enhance aromas of blackcurrant, vanilla and leather notes among others. 

Pairing
This wine goes nice with red meat with herbal spices, hard cheeses and aromatic vegetarian curries.

​Tips
Try to book lunch at 'The Postcard Cafe' and try their homemade banana bread with their homemade chocolate spread. So delicious! 

Tucked away in Durbanville Hills Valley, this little gem is family run and they take pride in their homemade wine. Wines at Nitida are predominately white and are intriguing. 'Nitida' name and logo derives from tree leaves, inspired by a wildly recognised South African protea nitidus flower that can also be found in their garden. All wine bottles resemble some form of a plant or animal that can be seen at their farm. 

Wine of Recommendation
I would like to nominate 'The Tinkery' for its effortless harmony. Every year a different grape is selected, 2017 was dominated by 100% Viognier. Exotic and yet fresh - the background jasmine introduces a silky synthesis of fruit and spice - peach, apricot, cinnamon and fennel. 

Pairing
Goes lovely with various tapas and cheeses. 

Tips
Try 'The Matriarch (MCC)' sparking wine for its honey-crisp apples and brazil nuts aromas. 

As a Croat born for the first post I chose a small family run vineyard 'Kuzmanic Estate' from Dalmatia, Croatia. The Kuzmanic family started producing wine in 1720 with love and care, the same formula as they use today. 
​
Wine of recommendation
'Babica' is a beautiful red wine - dominated by strong flavours of plums, figs, red cherries, herbal and earthy notes with elegant tannins. This wine can age well. 

The wine is produced from the indigenous 'Babica' grape that is almost extinct and grows on the historic stone terraces that surround Primosten. Babica is related to Zinfandel but ripens earlier thus creating higher acidity and lower alcohol. 

This wine is a locally handmade masterpiece by the Kuzmanic family produced solely from their own vineyard, which positions it to the highest wine classification 'vrhunsko' in Croatia. Croatia has over 300 geographically defined wine producing areas and they are predominately family run. 

Pairing
Smoked meats, hard and soft cheeses, it actually pairs very well with fish as presented by our friendly hosts. We had the opportunity to eat it with the local Adriatic mackerel. 

Tips
This vineyard is a hidden gem and not easy to come by, as intended by the owner Ivan Kuzmanic! The wine can only be purchased at the estate.
​
If you would like to book your visit, find out more here. 
​