Corks will start popping from next weekend as Bubbles Festival 2023 organised by Natalie Pickett of The Bubbles Review starts its 2023 tour. The Bubbles Festival has been a national event since 2021, having initially started in Melbourne in 2017, where this year’s festival will kick off. Read on to find out about Bubbles Festival and which other cities it will be in and when.
The Bubbles Review
As mentioned above, it’s organised by The Bubbles Review, which is a multi-award-winning blog and website devoted to the enjoyment of drinking champagne and sparkling wine. That website was launched in October 2016 by Natalie Pickett, a Melbourne entrepreneur and international best-selling author. The website shares information on the history, tasting, techniques of making champagne and sparkling wine, and the people behind it. It also creates events and tours so that you can join in and indulge.
Their immensely popular blogs on Aussie sparkling wines really struck a chord, and it brought about the concept of launching The Bubbles Festival featuring a range of sparkling wines all in one boutique event.
What can you expect at Bubbles Festival 2023?
At your selected two-hour session, you’ll be able to meet and engage with producers and distributors of sparkling wine and champagne, and enjoy 10 or more sparkling wine tastings, paired with canapés, and for which tasting notes will be provided. You will also receive a RIEDEL Champagne tasting glass to keep.
There is also a VIP upgrade available for purchase for an additional $65. The VIP upgrade includes priority access with a private tasting of a special cuvée prior to doors opening and a RIEDEL Extreme Champagne glass Twin pack valued at $80. A donation of $5 from every VIP upgrade ticket is given to their chosen charity, which changes for each city in the festival.
There will also be bubbly giveaways at each Bubbles Festival session.
What will you be tasting?
Nathalie Pickett likes to keep that secret each year to build anticipation so we’re unable to let you know what will be poured at Bubbles Festival 2023. However, to give you an idea of what you might taste (no guarantees), the following were just some of the sparkling wines poured at the Adelaide sessions last year: Wick’s Estate Pamela 2015 vintage, Jo Irvine’s Lévrier, a range of Piccadilly Daosa sparkling wines, Champagne Duval-LeRoy, Charles Pelletier Blanc de Blancs, and Villa Jolanda prosecco.
The Bubbles Festival is a fun afternoon with friends for both the sparkling wine connoisseur and those who don’t know much about wine but just like to drink it.
Image: (c) Matilda Marseillaise One of the champagnes on tasting at last year’s The Bubbles Festival in Adelaide
Last week we told you about 12 Tasting Australia 2023 masterclasses related to champagne and French wine varietals being held at Town Square. Today, we are letting you know about other events with French links happening around Adelaide and surrounds on the Tasting Australia program.
Some are sold out and waitlists are available, others still have places available but not for long!
The seatbelt sign is on. Madame Hanoi is taking you on a journey – will it be France or Vietnam?
Enjoy four courses of either nation’s cuisine and matching cocktails at the SkyCity Adelaide restaurant during Tasting Australia. Head chef Raj Kumar will introduce each menu, plus a showcase of French cheeses from across the country.
The multi award-winning Madame Hanoi is loved for fresh, diverse fare celebrating the French influence on Vietnamese dishes.
Flavours of the Market will uncover delights and iconic South Australian cuisine – a great way to discover new favourites and immerse yourself in the Adelaide Central Market atmosphere.
This self-guided tour showcases some of the very best local and artisan produce and is inspired by the market’s melting pot of cultures, from traditional Italian pizza and pasta to authentic French charcuterie, the uniquely crafted delights of Kangaroo Island and native game meats, plus fare from Indigenous-owned Something Wild.
Collect your self-guided tour map and bag and follow the suggested path to discover some of South Australia’s best produce, meet expert makers and enjoy special offers and discounts. Tours include a $10 gift card to spend anywhere in the market.
The finest French champagne is set to meet its culinary match at this lavish degustation.
Gather at the Sofitel Adelaide for a luxurious, one-of-a-kind experience. Each of the meal’s six courses will be paired with exclusive champagnes, among them Veuve Clicquot, Krug, Ruinart, Moët & Chandon and Dom Perignon.
Guests will gather in the beautiful Symphony Room on level nine of the hotel – a space with sweeping views across the city and coastline – and are set to be hosted by a Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy brand ambassador.
Opened in 2021 and found in Currie Street, Sofitel is Adelaide’s first internationally recognised five-star hotel – a space that offers relaxation and inspiration in equal measure.
Indulge in Sofitel Adelaide’s special Tasting Australia High Tea.
Hosted in the beautiful and contemporary Garçon Bleu, this high tea will be a culinary journey of savoury and sweet, featuring the finest seasonal local produce in a new autumn menu with a French twist. Be greeted with a glass of premium South Australian sparkling, then enjoy coffee and tea at your leisure.
Rachel Signer’s first taste of pétillant-naturel – pet-nat for short –sparked a journey of self-discovery that shaped her personally and professionally. Join the US-born afficionado to discuss the book she wrote chronicling the adventure: You Had Me at Pét-Nat:A Natural Wine-Soaked Memoir.
Accompanying Signer will be Olivia Moore from LOC Bottle Bar, Adelaide’s go-to destination for natural and minimal intervention drops. Sample standouts while enjoying locally sourced organic grazing platters. Books and wine will be available for sale after the talk.
In search of Burgundy’s best? The Victory Hotel can help.
Join owner Doug Govan and wine columnist Nick Ryan as they share a dazzling selection of 2019 wines from this iconic French region. You’ll begin with Ruinart Blancs de Blancs NV Champagne, then explore selections from the revered trio of Domaine Roulot, Domaine François Raveneau and Domaine Rousseau Père et Fils.
Settle in with Govan and Ryan to enjoy irreplaceable gems from three fabulous producers. These are rare, beautiful wines from the exceptional 2019 vintage – world-famous for good reason and united by the letter r. Savour their nuances and learn more about the qualities and vineyards that set each apart. A very special tasting awaits.
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THE TASTING TABLE EVENTS AT TASTING AUSTRALIA
Under the category of The Tasting Table, you will find wine events across various Adelaide locations. Some of these events are the opportunity to discover wines that you don’t often get to see in Adelaide or even Australia.
Revel in a selection of exceptional fizz from the wider Champagne region – producers working all the way to Chablis. You know the big houses; it’s time to meet their boutique counterparts.
White Burgundy deserves all the hype. Its fans are many, its nuances profound. Ready to indulge? Join South Australian winemaker Charlie Seppelt for a tasting of regional standouts.
SOLD OUT EVENTS WITH WAITLIST AVAILABLE AT TASTING AUSTRALIA
Adelaide dining destination Stem is hosting an unforgettable night of food and wine inspired by an unheralded source of remarkable produce: France’s Loire Valley.
Explore the region’s food through a four-course, Loire-inspired tasting menu crafted by Darcy Dawes and Sam Clarkson using 100 per cent South Australian-sourced ingredients.
Navigate the wine varietals and techniques of the Loire through eight carefully paired wines. Four will be from the Loire Valley, with four to be the same varietals grown right here in South Australia – all back-to-back.
This Tasting Australia event promises to enliven the senses and introduce you to some of the world’s great winemaking, culinary techniques and fresh produce.
Treat your palate to top expressions of chardonnay from Australia, New Zealand, France and America through this fun-filled tasting.
Hosted at Jennie Wine Bar in Adelaide’s Peel Street, expect an afternoon of exceptional wine paired with delicious Australian cheeses.
Guiding you through the afternoon will be industry experts and chardonnay lovers alike.
Why was chardonnay chosen? Because while its homeland lies in Burgundy, the team at Jennie think it’s the one grape that can truly make world-class examples outside its spiritual home.
Come join Crowne Plaza Adelaide’s culinary team at a sushi and sashimi masterclass perfectly complemented by bubbles.
Gather at 10th-floor restaurant Koomo and learn how to roll sushi, slice sashimi and plate artfully – all with a backdrop of panoramic city views.
Learn new skills and take home your very own sashimi knife: a memento sure to impress guests at your next dinner party. A champagne masterclass will also take place during this Tasting Australia event, with vintage and non-vintage bottles to feature.
Guests will be guided through every step of sushi and sashimi preparation, creating dishes fit for a food-blogger’s Instagram!
It’s a classic sommelier move: stashing special bottles from an overseas jaunt in the suitcase to enjoy at home. Now comes your chance to share them. Discover international gems otherwise impossible to find in Australia.
You know noma. It’s among the world’s great restaurants – and naturally its wine list is impeccable. Discover the wines and philosophy of noma alongside the restaurant’s former manager James Spreadbury.
Take GSM and raise it to the power of three with Kay Brothers wines in McLaren Vale. Guests will taste each individual variety from Kay Brothers alongside the same varietal from two international wine regions, exploring the origins and versatility of each – and how Australian wines compare.
Try grenache from McLaren Vale, Garnacha from Rioja and Grenache from the Rhone Valley. Discover Mataro from McLaren Vale, Monastrell from Valencia and Mourvèdre from the Languedoc. Sip Shiraz from McLaren Vale, Syrah from the Rhone Valley and Syrah from Cortona. Then bring all the varieties together again to experience their power, complexity and nuances as one blended wine. An expertly matched menu will be paired with each flight.
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KEY INFO FOR TASTING AUSTRALIA 2023
WHAT: Tasting Australia 2023
WHERE: Various locations in Adelaide and South Australia
WHEN: Various dates from 28 April to 7 May 2023
HOW: Purchase your tickets via the event links above or view the whole program via this link: tastingaustralia.com.au
HOW MUCH: Prices vary depending on the event
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For other events with French and Francophone links happening in Australia this April, check out our What’s on in April article.
