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Nothing says “celebration” like bubbles. But many people find buying champagne or sparkling wine daunting.
“I think the problem is that some people feel bubbles are a splurge, or one spouse or the other doesn’t care for bubbles, so they don’t buy them,” says Linda Vance, a Central Florida sommelier. “But in that case, we like to encourage people to seek out half-bottles, which are more readily available than they used to be.”
Besides, says Vance, good sparkling wine isn’t as pricey as you might think. “It used to be that you’d think champagne, bubbles, expensive,” she explains. “Now there’s prosecco from Italy, cava from Spain and sparkling wines from California like Mumm Napa. You can get into an affordable bottle of bubbles easily.”
As the holidays approach, Vance takes us through which sparkling wines to drink, what to pair them with, and how to celebrate in style without breaking the bank. Here are six things you need to know about bubbles:
Champagne Isn’t a Synonym for Sparkling Wine Many people assume that champagne is just another word for sparkling wine, but that’s not true. The word champagne, in fact, technically only applies to sparkling wines produced by a strict set of standards in the Champagne region of France.
Bubbles Don’t Have to Be Pricey:Although champagne from France still hovers in the $30-and-up range for a full bottle, you can get a nice prosecco from Italy, cava from Spain or sparkler from California for much less. “I think the nice thing about a cava or a prosecco is that you can go into the under-$20 category and really enjoy a nice refreshing drink,” Vance says.
If You Think You Won’t Like Bubbles, You May Be Wrong: There’s a huge variety among sparkling wines and if you have just tried a supermarket brand such as Korbel or Andre, you might have gotten a big surprise. If you like sweet wines, look for doux, sweet, dulce, demi-sec or semi-seco on the label or read the back label to see if the wine is described as sweet. Those who prefer drier wines should look for the words extra brut, brut, extra dry, extra sec, dry, sec and seco on the bottle. The word brut designates a drier wine than the word dry. If you’re looking for a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, try Banfi Rosa Regale, a soft red sparkling wine from Italy, suggests Vance. “I haven’t met anyone who doesn’t love it,” she says. A full bottle is often available for less than $20 and it’s also offered in a split.
You Can Begin and End an Evening with Bubbles: If you’re hosting a dinner or a get-together this holiday season, sparkling wine is the perfect start to the evening. “We always start off with bubbles, because you toast your guests, you toast each other and it’s festive and fun,” Vance says. “It’s just the best way to start off any festive party or dinner.” People generally switch to non-sparkling wines with a meal, but Vance suggests ending the evening with bubbles too. Her suggestion? Banfi Rosa Regale. “It’s a fabulous ‘big wow’ and it’s not that expensive,” she says. “Plus it pairs well with dark chocolate or chocolate-covered strawberries.”
Bubbles Pair Well with Lots of Foods: Many people think that sparkling wines are meant to be sipped on their own, but au contraire, says Vance. It complements foods that are salty, moderately spicy, creamy or deep-fried, she says. It also works well with sushi, caviar, tart foods, Asian cuisine and certain cheeses. It pairs well with anything yeasty, she adds. “That means that you can do an easy happy hour with Costco or Target puff pastries paired with bubbles,” she says. “It’s fast and easy to do on a budget.”
Bubbles Make a Great Gift: If you’re looking for a perfect hostess gift this holiday season, look no further. “The best gift you can bring is a nice bottle of sparkling wine,” Vance says. “People don’t always treat themselves, so this is nicer than bringing a bottle of red or white. And take it chilled -- that way, they can open it when you get there, if they want to.”
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The art of pairing wines with food is more than just a cool dinner party trick. Getting the pairing right can enhance your dining experience exponentially. We asked local wine expert Linda Vance to recommend some pairings. With this cheat sheet, you’ll never go wrong:
When in doubt, Vance suggests consulting the book Perfect Pairings: A Master Sommelier's Practical Advice for Partnering Wine with Food, by Evan Goldstein. Or simply use a search engine such as Google -- enter the wine or food you’re trying to match as well as the phrase “wine pairing.”
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Want to impress your friends with your wine savvy? Local sommelier Linda Vance shares three of her favorite easy and surprising food-and-wine pairings:
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You’ve decided who will make the turkey, who will bring the green bean casserole and who’s responsible for the pumpkin pie. But what should you pour with your masterpiece holiday meal? Here’s what local sommelier Linda Vance suggests:
Thanksgiving dinner: “Dry riesling and pinot noir are the traditional go-to wines for Thanksgiving because they both pair well with turkey and they also go with ham,” Vance says. Plus, since riesling is white and pinot noir is red, you’re more likely to please the crowd if you offer both varietals.
Christmas dinner: “At Christmas, we see a lot of standing rib roasts, which go well with big pinots (pinot noir), big cabs (cabernet sauvignon), a zinfandel or a merlot,” Vance says. “You can really get into some bigger wines there.”
For those who don’t like red wine: If you have a non red-wine drinker at your table, and you’re serving red meat, you have a bit of a challenge. Whites don’t stand up as well to steaks, roasts and the like. Start off with suggesting a foray into pinot noir, which you can even serve lightly chilled if necessary. “Pinot noir is the entry-level red wine for white-wine drinkers,” Vance explains. But, says Vance, if your guest is intent on white wine, serve a white blend. “It’s complex enough that it usually has some spice, some oak and so many flavors going on that whatever you’re eating will grab those spices.”
