Tag Archive for: Prosecco

Its’s Pancakes & Prosecco Day!

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Today is Pancake Day!  And on the drive into the office this morning, Jack (our student intern) and I discussed our preferred pancake fillings.  It was no surprise to hear this 19 year old’s response, “Nutella!” he declared.  Indeed, he’d already checked the shelves to see if there was any – sadly not.

My own favourite savoury option is asparagus tips, ham and grated Cheddar, along with a glass of zesty Riesling – it’s a proper feast.  (Jack, needless to say, doesn’t like asparagus, “too green”, he claims.)  

But when it came to the ultimate Pancake combo, there was no discussion – we both agreed that the ‘go to’ option was the classic lemon juice and castor sugar.  Isn’t it curious how some classics are timeless?  As for wine accompaniments, I’m not sure I want to drink anything other than a fresh, light glass of bubbly.  And so it is that today we run a quick competition through our social media – share a video with us of your best pancake ‘flip’, tag us @hannibalbrown on any of our social media feeds – Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and make sure to use #pancakesandprosecco.  Post your entry BEFORE 23.59 tonight!  We’ll choose the best entry and the winner will be announced tomorrow and receive a bottle of Prosecco, compliments of Hannibal Brown.

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Like it of loathe it….. say it with wine this Valentine’s Day

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Like it or loathe it, Valentine’s Day is here to stay.  And as with every other established event in our calendar, global commercialisation is going the whole hog this year and ramming it down our throats.

I was in a (rather significant) store last week in the famed Oxford Street of London, where, to my horror, I discovered just about half of the basement floor had been allocated to all things Valentine-esque.  Mugs, cups, tea towels, furry animals, you name it – it was all there.  Not to do a dis-service to the manufacturers of those products, but, really?

Say it with…..

Then again, are we any better?  I have to be honest, Valentine’s is not an event that sits with much gravitas in the Hannibal Brown calendar of events.  Indeed, in all my years working in the wine industry, it hasn’t seen a great amount of activity.  Unless, of course, you are a restaurant.  In which case, I see many reasons to go out and share some swanky food with an equally swanky bottle of wine with the most important person in your life.

Not to mention our sister website – PersonalisedWineDesign.co.uk – which, at this time of year is surely worthy of mention.   Their special Valentine’s Day promotion offering a personalised wine couldn’t be more suited to this celebration.  They’ve been busy this week designing wine labels for customers who want something unique and memorable – and why not?  Hannibal supplies the great, reliable wine, and the designers do the rest.  Simples.

If you want to read more about personalising your wine for your loved one then hop onto the website at personalisedwinedesign.co.uk/valentines

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Champagne, Prosecco, Cava…all Fizz but what’s the difference?

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There are many different producers of Champagne, Cava and Prosecco, but what is the difference? 

Difference No. 1

Prosecco is from Italy, Champagne is from France and Cava is from Spain.

Fizz?

Difference No. 2

Prosecco is a Grape, Champagne is a Region and Cava is a ‘Denominacion de Origen’ (see my blog entry about the meaning of  AOC as that is the French equivalent).

Difference No. 3

Champagne is really expensive.

Difference No. 4

Both Champagne and Cava are made using ‘Champenoise traditional method’ and the bubbles are generated as a result of a second fermentation which occurs in the bottle once it is corked.  Prosecco, on the other hand, undergoes its second fermentation in the tank and is bottled afterwards.

So, do I keep it safe or can I drink it?

Champagne and Cava alike can be laid down for some time, but only if they are ‘Vintage’, ‘Non-Vintage’ (NV) should be drunk young.  The good news about Prosecco is it’s made to be drunk young, so get stuck in!  In fact in Italy they sell it in cans just like coke or lemonade.

I hope you fell a little more enlightened about the differences and enjoy your bubbles all the more with your new found knowledge!

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Why are there so many bubbles in Brazil?

Porto Alegra is the capital of the state of Rio Grand Do Sul which borders with Uraguay and is the best known wine region in Brazil.regions-of-brazil

The region has the reputation of being especially european in climate and also in its original inhabitants.  Many German and Swiss settlers were attracted there and you can see commemorations to these early settlers in the museums and parks.

Vale dos Vinhedos, in Rio Grande do Sul, is famous for its vineyards and is in fact where a number of our Brazilian wines come from.  The majority of the inhabitants in this area originally immigrated from Veneto in Italy – where you will find an enormous amount of Prosecco is produced.

So, why are there so many bubbles in Brazil? Because the Prosecco loving Italians hopped over the water bringing their wine making skills and their penchant for fizz!

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