Wine

with Moira Carmenate, Expat Lifestyle Editor

Blonde Golden Flakes Sparkling

This Valentine’s Day, why not try something different. With the growing array of new wines to hit the market, Spanish wine makers have been ahead of the game with a vast array of non-alcoholic wines and now they have introduced quirky but popular wines with gold flakes.

Those of us of a certain age, will remember Gold schlager, a Swiss cinnamon , produced in the 1990’s.

Now the craze for gold flakes in drinks, has found its way into winemaking and Bodegas Verdúguez, a winemaking family located in Villanueva de Alcardete, Toledo, Spain have created a sparkling white wine called Blonde.

Verdúguez have achieved a vast array of awards for their quality wines, including fine wines, sangria, organic wines, non-alcoholic wines, and sparkling wines like Blond which achieved the Golden Medal in Frankfurt International Trophy 2019.

Made with a blend of Airen, Chardonnay, Muscatel grapes and 11 % alcohol, this light and fresh sparkling wine pairs well with shellfish, non-oily fish, appetizers or to sip alongside some snacks. Around 15 euros for a bottle and worth a try on Valentine’s Day.

If you want to push the boat out and go for something more pricey and even non-alcoholic then you should try Espora Wines.

A relatively young business, Espora sells a wide range of non-alcoholic wines online. Their spectacular Espora 24k gold sparkling non-alcoholic wine is made following the traditional Champenoise method and is a blend of 50% Chardonnay and 50% Macabeo grapes. Chardonnay gives a touch of dryness and overall, the combination of the two grape varieties create fruity, citrus blossom aromatics, citrus flavours, and a soft creamy texture. This 24k gold masterpiece will cost you around 115 euros for a bottle.

Happy Valentine’s Day