Dr. David Muhleman

The-Wine-Educator    WINE & SPIRITS EDUCATION AND CONSULTING SERVICES FOR THE CONSUMER AND THE PROFESSIONAL

Bubbles, Sparklers, and Champagne

Whether you call them “Bubbles,” “Sparklers,” or “ Champagne ” this is definitely the time of year for sparkling wines., and your local wine shop has a huge selection to choose from.

First, gift giving. I know of no better gift to take to someone’s home during the holiday season than a bottle of sparkling wine. It doesn’t matter if your hosts enjoy red wines, white wines, or if they know very little about wine at all; a bottle of sparkling wine is always the perfect house gift. One of my favorites is the Veuve Clicquot, Yellow Label. But the experts at your favorite wine shop can always recommend the perfect Champagne for the occasion and price range. If you are looking for a sparkling wine that comes in the greatest package for presenting as a gift get the Spanish cava called Segura Viudas. The bottle is gorgeous, the wine is great, and the price is very affordable. (when I hiked the Grand Canyon this is the wine I celebrated with. If a wine guy celebrates with this wine, you know it’s a great wine). If the occasion calls for a very special gift, for a very special person or occasion, the always recognizable Don Perignon is always the right gift. If you have a business client, or a special love one in your life and you want this person to know they are very special to you, or your business, give them a bottle of Dom Perignon. Even the most novice wine drinker will know that this is something very, very special.

Second, serving sparkling wines. There is nothing better than meeting your guest at the door with a glass of sparkling wine. Nor a more perfect way to start off your holiday dinner than with a glass of sparkling wine. And, of course, the only way to ring in the New Year is with a glass of sparkling wine. My favorite for my holiday dinner is starting with the Gloria Ferrer from California . And for ringing in the New Year the Moet & Chandon (the White Star or the Nectar Imperial) will satisfy your partiers or your partner.

I always keep several bottles of sparkling wines on hand during the holiday season, for guests, or for meals, or just for enjoying when the day is done, presents wrapped, and you have a moment to enjoy the season with your friends and family. I keep using the words “sparkling wines” instead of “ Champagne" and for good reason. “Sparkling wine” is a category of wine; like “still wines” (your table reds and whites), “fortified wines” which are your ports and sherry’s, and “sparking wines” which include Champagnes, Cremants, Cavas, Proseccos, Sekts, and simply sparkling wines. Champagnes are from a very specific region in France (the Champagne Region) and they are so famous that they have become the generic name for sparkling wines in general. Like Xerox has become a generic name for copy machines, even though most copy machines are not made by Xerox. Well most sparkling wines don’t come from the Champagne Region (but often times the best wines do come from there). Cremants are sparkling wines from regions in France that are not from the Champagne Region and sometimes “cremant” will be used as a generic term for any sparkling wine. In Spain they call their sparkling wines “Cava” which refers both to the method of wine making and the area of production. Proseccos are Italian sparkling wines and refer to the Prosecco grape that is used to make the wine. (99% of all Champagne ’s and sparkling wines made in the United States are made from Pinot Noir and/or Chardonnay). Sekts are the German sparkling wine and are very rare in the U.S. , but if you find one, they normally have a little additional sweetness. Speaking of sweetness, there is a “code” used by sparkling wine makers to tell the customer the level of sweetness in their sparkling wine. Here’s a list of the “code” you can use to tell which sparkling wines are driest and sweetest. Brut Very Dry Extra sec Dry Sec Off-dry Demi-sec Sweet Doux Luscious So if you want your sparkling wine to be bone dry, buy the brut and if you want a little sweetness, you can move down the list. One of the most common mistakes is to have a bone-dry Brut with desserts like wedding cake. Not a good pairing. A better choice would be a Doux or Demi-sec with a sweet dessert. Sparkling wines are also made in different ways. The simple answer is the best sparkling wines are fermented in the bottle and the more mass-produced sparkling wines are made in vats or tanks. The wines fermented in the bottle are much better quality and your helpful friends at your favorite wine shop can help you pick out those of the highest quality.

I love bubbles all year around, but especially during the holiday season. So pick up a few bottles and enjoy!!