Flegenheimer Bros. was originally a high-end beverage company in New York, started in the 1870s by German immigrants. They were thriving, controlling beverage sales from downtown to Yonkers, when Prohibition struck. The business sadly closed, and it wasn’t until three generations later that Benjamin Hammershlag decided to resurrect the family brand – this time as a wine importer focusing on the wines of Australia.

If you’ve never experienced a sparkling shiraz before – let’s give you a little crash course, shall we? This is red wine. Not blush, not rosé, not simply made with red grapes… red wine. The bubbles are added in a pressurized tank, a la Prosecco, and bottled under cork. Fun stuff. This is 96% shiraz and 4% cabernet sauvignon. It’s delicious, it’s bubbly, and yes, it tastes remarkably like shiraz! That’s a good thing, trust me. Chock-a-block with dusty blackberries and blueberries, dark cherry kirsch, creme de cassis, sweet boysenberry pie, all with this delicate and inviting floral note of violets, lavender, and a gentle puff of baby powder. Rich, round, velvety soft, and perhaps most importantly, immensely crushable! 

There’s a whisper of tannin, but that kiss of sweetness I mentioned earlier balances that out seamlessly. This is a bubbly to have in the fridge at all times… I consider it my new party kickstarter. With the temperatures of fall settling in across most of the country, there’s a lot more of these in my future… grab a handful for yourself and see what the buzz is about! Only $10… you can’t afford to miss out!