Sparkling Wine | Giggly Grapes

Moët vs Veuve Clicquot: Which Champagne Is Better?

17/05/2024

Two Champagne bottles and two glasses side by side on a timber table

Same region, same method, same parent company, two different personalities. The grapes, the history, the taste and which one to buy for which night.

Vintage vs Non-Vintage Champagne: The Difference Explained

16/05/2024

Two Champagne bottles and two flutes, one paler and one deeper gold

Non-vintage is a blend of years made for consistency; vintage is one great year aged longer. How each is made, how they taste, what they cost and which to buy.

Popcorn and Wine: What to Pour (and What to Avoid)

14/05/2024

Glass of sparkling wine beside a bowl of popcorn

Sparkling wine wins, and the salt is doing more work than you think. What to pour with salted, buttered and caramel popcorn, and what to leave in the rack.

MCC vs Champagne: The Difference, and Which One to Buy

13/05/2024

Two glasses of sparkling wine side by side on a timber table

Same method, different place, very different price. What Méthode Cap Classique is, how the rules compare to Champagne, and when each one is the right bottle.

Best Wine With Nachos: What to Pour (and What to Avoid)

10/05/2024

Platter of loaded nachos with a glass of chilled red wine

The best wine with nachos is a chilled, low-tannin red like Grenache or a cold off-dry Riesling. Why salt, fat and jalapeño heat rule out the big reds, and what to pour instead.

Wine Pairing With Omelette: What to Pour (and What to Avoid)

09/05/2024

Folded omelette with chives on a plate beside a glass of sparkling wine

Egg yolk coats the palate and mutes wine, so the answer is bubbles or acid, then match the filling. Sparkling first, Chardonnay for cheese, Sauvignon Blanc for herbs.

Best Wine for Mexican Food: Tacos, Chilli and What to Avoid

07/05/2024

A glass of red wine and a glass of white beside beef tacos with lime and salsa

Off dry Riesling, dry rose and a light Tempranillo are the best wines for Mexican food. The rule is not red or white, it is alcohol.

Best Wine With Chinese Food: Salt, Sugar and Chilli Sorted

02/05/2024

Steamer of dumplings beside a glass of white wine

Chinese cooking throws salt, sugar, chilli and fat at your glass all at once. Here is the one bottle that survives a shared table, and why alcohol makes chilli worse.

Best Wine With Fish and Chips: What Cuts Through the Batter

01/04/2024

Battered fish and chips on paper beside a glass of sparkling wine

You are not pairing wine with the fish. You are pairing it with oil, salt and vinegar. Sparkling first, dry Riesling second, plus one stocked Australian pick.