The problem with champagne is that you just can't get value without paying for it. Sure, you can settle for a different sparkling wine -- we've written before about cava, and prosecco is also a popular option. "Different" shouldn't read as "lesser" in this context, either. For $10-$15 a bottle, you can have quite good sparkling wine, for your dinner table, your brunch, your nightcap, or your run-of-the-mill champagne toast.
But for a special occasion -- and what's a more special occasion than New Year's Eve? -- you need the genuine article. Which means you'll need to spend some
Archive for Sparkling Wine
Sangria
by Dennis Mayer on September 6th, 2011 | Red Wine, Sparkling Wine, Wine
Some day, I will probably hate myself for saying this, but no drink really has a "correct" recipe.
Most drinks have a traceable "original" recipe (cocktail writer David Wondrich has tracked down many of them on Esquire's drinks database.) Many have a popularly accepted recipe, and some even have a "sanctioned" recipe from the International Bartender's Association (which I picture to be something akin to SPECTRE in the James Bond movies.) But the "right" recipe? Drinks change over time, as do tastes, and at the end of the day, the only thing that really matters is my recipe (if
Most drinks have a traceable "original" recipe (cocktail writer David Wondrich has tracked down many of them on Esquire's drinks database.) Many have a popularly accepted recipe, and some even have a "sanctioned" recipe from the International Bartender's Association (which I picture to be something akin to SPECTRE in the James Bond movies.) But the "right" recipe? Drinks change over time, as do tastes, and at the end of the day, the only thing that really matters is my recipe (if
Jaume Serra Cristalino Cava
by Dennis Mayer on June 10th, 2011 | Sparkling Wine, Wine
The term "champagne" is fraught with peril. Technically, champagne is a sparkling white wine made under very specific standards in the Champagne region of France. We'll use it to describe any sparkling white wine, and if we order it from a bar or restaurant, we'll pay a premium for it - for the word, really. Ask for "champagne", and the bartender won't correct you. He'll just pour something cold into a champagne flute and take your money with a smile. There's some awareness of this problem, and people have taken to asking for "prosecco", but that term has a
Moët & Chandon Impérial
by Michele on March 25th, 2011 | Sparkling Wine, Wine
Monday was an extra festive Tapas Monday at our house, as it was my husband's 40th birthday. While we celebrated it with a fabulous 3-course menu, it was only one part of his birthday festivities. On Sunday, we had celebrated with presents and a birthday dessert of frozen key lime pie. This weekend the celebration will continue with a birthday getaway that includes great food, beverages, and entertainment.
On Mondays, we typically enjoy a bottle of sparkling wine with our tapas menu. As this Monday was special, we wanted a bottle of something that was a little more special
On Mondays, we typically enjoy a bottle of sparkling wine with our tapas menu. As this Monday was special, we wanted a bottle of something that was a little more special
All That Sparkles Isn’t Gold
by TJ Davis on July 14th, 2010 | Sparkling Wine, Wine
Normally, when I think of a sparkling wine, what comes to mind are the golden-hued whites such as Cremant, Cava, Espumante, Asti, Sekt, and most notably, Champagne. Traditionally, the sparkle in sparkling wine comes from a secondary fermentation during the wine making process wherein yeast and sugar are added to the wine. This fermentation causes a build-up of carbon dioxide gas inside the wine bottle. Dead yeast cells are removed from the wine through the processes of riddling and disengorgement, but the dissolved carbon dioxide gas remains.
The rampant popularity of sparkling wine is not new; it was sparked in
The rampant popularity of sparkling wine is not new; it was sparked in
