2021 Brash Higgins Crystal Sparkling
McLaren Vale, SA
A unique Sparkling wine made from a blend of the mysterious variety, 'Crystal'.
$37.00
About the Wine
As is usually the case with Brash Higgins wines, this is one wild drop. It's made with the elusive Crystal grape, and the way Brad Hickey managed to get his hands on it is one interesting tale that takes us all the way to Greece.
The cuttings were sourced from a fellow grower in the Vale, Chris Pappas, who smuggled over some cuttings in a suitcase in the 1950's, from his hometown in Zitsa, Greece. He couldn't remember what variety it was, but when the Brash Higgins crew got their hands some, they sent it straight to France for DNA testing. And voila! It was the mysterious Crystal.
They propagated a bunch of it, and have gone on to plant another block of it in their Omensetter Vineyard since.
It's been co-fermented with Chenin Blanc (and a splash of Pinot Meunier added later) into a lightly spritzy delight. Don't you know all the cool kids drink "crystal"???
About Brash Higgins
Brash Higgins is the label of winemaking American-turned-honorary-Aussie, Brad Hickey.
In his former life, Hickey was one of America's top sommeliers, working for many years crafting some of New York's finest wine lists. He came to Australia and fell in love with McLaren Vale and local vigneron Nicole Thorpe, with whom he now produces highly characterful, minimalist wines from their much loved Omensetter vineyard.
Hickey's wines are extremely expressive. They fall in two camps - the wines sourced from Omensetter vineyard and those sourced from friends around the Vale and the warm, dry Riverlands.
If you want 'classic' McLaren Vale, or if you want the true avant-garde, it's all available in the Brash Higgins range.
McLaren Vale, SA
From the Producer
Here’s a bubbling wine with a new grape variety and style for Brash Higgins that, once again, we made hardly any of. The future looks pretty good for more, as we have planted another block of Crystal on our Omensetter Vineyard.
On the nose the wine is ALIVE! There’s straw, bread and chenin beer notes; then heaps of juicy, frothy apple and pear, yuzu and ginger ale notes in the mouth, the wine finishes with some wild honey notes and an apple combo of the sweetness of Golden Delicious contrasted with the tart bite of a Granny Smith. Finished clean and pure.
Blend : Crystal, Chenin Blanc
ABV : 13.00%
Closure : Crown Seal
Drink Until : 2024
Bottle Size : 750ml
McLaren Vale, SA
- JAJohn A.Verified BuyerRated 4 stars3 years agoApples!!!
I know nothing about this 'crystal' varietal but it produces a delicious apple and pear driven wine with some real character.
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