Six bottles, five countries—and a few surprised palates

Six bottles, five countries, and no label to hide behind. On 11 October, BWC gathered at VNTG Wine & Cheese Bar Dubai with Alex Kovalov to explore sparkling wine beyond Champagne. We knew the candidates—but which wine was in each glass?

The pleasure of being surprised. Fresh, saline Albariño met creamy Blanc de Blanc and expressive rosés. Russia’s Temelion 2016 drew enthusiastic responses, reminding us how easily an unfamiliar origin can become a favourite discovery. Along the way, we explored how base wine, lees ageing and dosage shape the character behind the fizz.

A vineyard story with feathers. Avondale sends Pekin ducks through its vines to eat snails. The ducks do the vineyard rounds; we do the tasting rounds. Browse the gallery for a taste of the morning. Attendees can continue into the full recap for the winemaking lesson, comparisons and a few questions to bring to their next tasting.