“I love bubbles, everybody loves the bubbles,” said the first sommelier we ever met while we were on a trip out in California on a Tuesday morning while we were enjoying our tasting. That sentence has stuck with me ever since and every time we open a bottle of sparkling wine I always think of that encounter.
Now, I know not everyone loves bubbles, but there is a lot of truth in the fact that sparkling wine is rather popular and has been for a long time. By now I’m sure you’ve come to the conclusion that bubbly wine is the theme of this weeks blog. There are a lot of different routes I could take this blog, but I’m going to stick to a few key things and also share an upcoming event that will be taking place at the vineyard soon, so read on!
Now, I know not everyone loves bubbles, but there is a lot of truth in the fact that sparkling wine is rather popular and has been for a long time. By now I’m sure you’ve come to the conclusion that bubbly wine is the theme of this weeks blog. There are a lot of different routes I could take this blog, but I’m going to stick to a few key things and also share an upcoming event that will be taking place at the vineyard soon, so read on!
Some of you may be asking yourself at this point, why is she using terms like sparkling or bubbles rather than use Champagne? I’m glad you asked! While it is common to use the term Champagne for all sparkling wine, there is actually a difference. All Champagne is sparkling, but not all sparkling wine is Champagne. You can only call a sparkling wine Champagne if it was made in Champagne, France, which is 90 miles northeast of Paris.
There are other types of sparkling wines found all over the world. Some examples include Cava from Spain, Prosecco from Italy, Cremant from various regions throughout France and even American Sparkling from the good ole US of A. Most of these are very affordable alternatives to true Champagne, especially if you just want to open up a bottle for no other occasion other than you want a glass (or two) of bubbles.
Which brings me to another point. Sparkling wine does not have to just be for special occasions! It can be for any day of the week. It is also an extremely food friendly pairing option with its high acidity and crisp flavors. Or when in doubt if you don't know what to pair with a dish, pair it with bubbles! I speak to the last point from experience (on more than one occasion).
There are other types of sparkling wines found all over the world. Some examples include Cava from Spain, Prosecco from Italy, Cremant from various regions throughout France and even American Sparkling from the good ole US of A. Most of these are very affordable alternatives to true Champagne, especially if you just want to open up a bottle for no other occasion other than you want a glass (or two) of bubbles.
Which brings me to another point. Sparkling wine does not have to just be for special occasions! It can be for any day of the week. It is also an extremely food friendly pairing option with its high acidity and crisp flavors. Or when in doubt if you don't know what to pair with a dish, pair it with bubbles! I speak to the last point from experience (on more than one occasion).
Oh and did I mention that all of the types of sparkling wines mentioned above are made with different grapes depending on where they are from and different ways to make sparkling wine? Now, remember the upcoming event I mentioned earlier in the blog? On Sunday, November 3rd the vineyard will be hosting a Sparkling Wine Seminar in the Meeting House led by our winemaker, Lee Hartman. At that seminar attendees will learn more about sparkling wine and how it is made as well as try six styles of sparkling wine. Tickets are available by calling the vineyard. Reservations are required for this event, so don’t miss out, secure your tickets!
Thanks for tuning into this week's edition of Out of the Barrel. Cheers
Thanks for tuning into this week's edition of Out of the Barrel. Cheers
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