With the end of the year in our sights, we’re raising our glasses of bubbly to bubbly. Not just because Constantia Uitsig’s new MCC 2013 is just as good as its sold-out predecessor, but because bubbly in and of itself is worth celebrating, any time of the year.
Made from Chardonnay grapes only (from a single vineyard planted in 1990), Constantia Uitsig’s prized MCC is held back in our cellars for 3 years before releasing it to the public. The long wait is certainly worth it though… on the nose, there’s an abundance of red apples, honey and almonds. The palate is beautifully balanced with notes of apple and tangerine as well as a crisp acidity in homage to its cool origin.
And in homage to bubbly in general, here are some really interesting facts and figures:
- There are approximately 49 million bubbles in a standard sized bottle of MCC.
- The tinier the bubble, the better.
- For the best bubbles in your bubbly, hold the glass at an angle while you fill it.
- A standard MCC bottle contains about 6 times its volume in dissolved carbon dioxide gas, which is responsible for the liquid’s fizz.
- Each bubble carries a number of aromatic compounds, compounds that appear in heavier concentrations in bubbles than in the liquid itself.
And finally, a wise quote from Napoleon:
“Champagne! In victory one deserves it, in defeat, one needs it.”