Disclosure: we earn a commission if you buy through links to our partner wine shops, at no extra cost to you. Links to Bee d'Vine are ordinary links at the moment and earn us nothing. How this works.
This is the bottle to open when you want to surprise wine people. It is made from orange blossom honey, fermented dry, then re-fermented under pressure for natural bubbles. The producer's notes read more like Champagne than mead: yeast, fresh bread, roasted chestnut.
Independent judges agreed that it works. Tastings.com, the review arm of the Beverage Testing Institute, scored it 90 points with a gold medal and an "Exceptional" rating in 2019, describing the style as crisp, lively and off-dry.
At a glance
- Style
- Dry, sparkling
- Alcohol
- 11.5% ABV
- Ingredients
- Raw orange blossom honey and spring water
- Calories
- about 120 per 5 oz glass
- Bottle
- 750 ml
- Price
- $59 (October 2026)
- Best for
- Champagne and Cava drinkers looking for something new to pour
What it tastes like
We have condensed the producer's tasting notes below. If you like Brut Champagne, Cava or Crémant, this is the bottle in the range most likely to feel familiar.
Aroma
Sourdough starter, dried fruit and roasted chestnut
Palate
Crisp and layered: fresh bread, breadfruit and tangy guanabana
Finish
Dry and lingering, with wildflower and almond flour
How it is made
- Made from raw orange blossom honey and spring water.
- Two-step fermentation: a finished base wine is re-fermented under pressure, so the carbonation is natural.
Food pairing and serving
- Oysters and fried seafood
- Salty snacks, fried chicken, potato chips
- Brunch
- Aperitif, on its own
Serve at 40 to 45°F in a tulip glass, which shows the aroma better than a narrow flute. Once opened, keep it corked in the refrigerator with a sparkling stopper and finish it within a day or two. More in how to serve and store honey wine and the pairing guide.
Awards and reviews
Tastings.com (Beverage Testing Institute) rated this wine 90 points (gold medal, "Exceptional") in July 2019.
Reasons to buy, and reasons not to
For
- Independent 90-point gold medal
- Naturally carbonated
- Savory, bready character
- Around 120 calories a glass
Against
- $59 is a lot to spend on a style you may be trying for the first time
- Tastings.com describes it as off-dry rather than bone dry
Best for: Champagne and Cava drinkers looking for something new to pour.
New to this producer? Our Bee d'Vine guide covers who makes it and how the range fits together, where to buy honey wine explains ordering and shipping, and best honey wine ranks every bottle by style.
Grape wines in a similar style
Honey wine is hard to find in shops. If you want something close to this bottle from a wine retailer, these dry sparkling wines from our partner shops share its sweetness level or style. They are grape wines, not mead, and the notes are the retailer's.
Laurent-Perrier Demi-Sec Harmony Champagne
- Champagne Demi-Sec
- Off-dry
- France
A demi-sec Champagne with honeyed notes, sweeter than brut.
Wine On Sale says: Champagne with delicate orchard fruit and honeyed notes and a touch of sweetness, suggested for toasts and desserts.
Canard-Duchene Demi Sec Champagne
- Champagne Demi-Sec
- Off-dry
- France
A less expensive demi-sec Champagne with honey in the notes.
Wine On Sale says: A smooth, slightly sweet Champagne with ripe apple, pear and a hint of honey and a fine, persistent mousse.
Bisol Jeio Prosecco Brut
- Prosecco Brut
- Dry
- Italy
A dry Prosecco for readers who want a brut style.
Wine On Sale says: A crisp, dry Italian sparkler with green apple, citrus and a touch of toasted bread and fine bubbles.
Questions about Brut Sparkling
Is sparkling honey wine the same as Champagne?
No. Champagne is grape wine from one French region. This is honey wine made sparkling by a second fermentation, so it shares the bubbles and the bready notes but not the grapes or the tannin.
How dry is it?
It is labeled Brut. Tastings.com described it as off-dry, so expect a softer impression than a zero-dosage Champagne.
