Excuse me waiter, my Sauvignon Blanc appears to be bubbling.

Inexpensive sparkling wine imports, namely Prosecco and Cava, have received a lot of press in the last 18 months.  Hoping to relate to a hipper crowd, media outlets like the Wall Street Journal have been frantically trying to place themselves on the cutting-edge of wine consumption: five years too late.  I love Prosecco, and I love Cava too.  But I’d like to suggest a couple of sparkling options you might not have encountered yet that tend to be just as affordable and equally compelling.

Odd Aussies

Australian wine makers are courageous; they will try things that producers from older regions would never attempt, for fear of breaking tradition.  De Bortoli’s new line of sparklers is a perfect example of this.  Named Emeri for a family matriarch, the line includes a sparkling Sauvignon Blanc.  Fresh, herbaceous, lime fruit and a well-balanced effervescence make this the coolest beach wine anywhere.

Emeri de Bortoli Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc: $12.99

Sekt

Few have ever been accused of associating the Germans with jollity.  That being said, and evening spent with their native sparkler, Sekt, is almost always delightful.  Most Sekt producers us the Italian Charmat method to craft their wines, which gives Sekt the same refreshingly volatile carbonation that Prosecco displays.  Henkell’s trocken Sekt contains more residual sugar and adds a layer of richness to the sharp dryness of brut Sekt.

Henkell Trocken Brut Sekt: $15.99

Loire Valley

The Loire never fails to supply drinkers with delicious, and affordable, wines.  Remy Pannier is a Loire stalwart, and a substantial portion of their yearly production is devoted to their Marquis de la Tour sparkler.  Composed largely of Chenin Blanc, this bubbly definitely exemplifies Chenin’s deliciously crisp and dry, fruitiness.

Marquis de la Tour Brut: $11.99

J.

Tags: cava, Chenin Blanc, emeri de bortoli, henkell, Loire, marquis de la tour, prosecco, remy-pannier, sauvignon blanc, sekt, sparkling wine, wall street journal
Category: The Wine Blog | Comments (0)

Girl on Vouvray

I went out to dinner last week to a quirky restaurant in Harvard Square. It is a favorite of mine because the bar is lively, the food is delicate and fun, and there is a bar menu for those of us that want something delicious but can’t shell out the big dough. I dined with two close friends. The night was festive, marked by stories of scandal in the office along with the current dating dramas of my lovely and single friend.

While dipping into my asparagus custard and discussing male pattern balding I noticed my wine glass was empty. The waiter appeared in a flash angling for another glass. Fortunately we had recently ordered a bottle of Cabernet so I was not going to be without for long. The waiter scowled, “you ordered salmon; it will be DISGUSTING with that Cabernet!” I sheepishly shrugged and looked at him as if I had just been caught licking the inside of an empty Lays potato-chip bag – plastic covering my face, crumbs falling down my shirt. “Ooops.”

The truth is that it was a delicious Cab and I didn’t want to budge on my salmon selection. Perhaps it wasn’t the best combo but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Some wines do in fact pair better with food than others. Wines that are particularly food friendly tend to have a high acidity level. The higher the acidity the more alert your taste buds seem. That is my very scientific explanation - picture taste buds standing at attention.

This Vouvray Sauvion 2007 is great with food. With notes of melon and pineapple it has a nice level of acidity. It is dry to off dry and would go well with the slight sweetness of lobster or scallops – or a burger if you prefer to piss off waiters. Loire wines tend to exhibit characteristic fruitiness with fresh, crisp flavors. I didn’t know a lot about Vouvray wines but learned that they have some of the most complex and diverse plantings in the world leading to incredible blends. The whites are mainly based on the Chenin Blanc grape.

So next time you get an unwelcome eyebrow in regards to your wine and food selection I recommend:

1) Cock your head to the side and say, “Well now little man, it sure is better than that miller ice I’ve been drinkin’ at home!”
2) Laugh awkwardly and then start crying silently.
3) Think about the food you are eating, think about the wine you are drinking, and if you don’t want to make a change, politely tell your waiter to put the cork where the sun don’t shine.

Tags: Chenin Blanc, france, French white, Loire, Sarah Osteen, Vouvray, white wine
Category: Girl on Grape | Comments (1)