December 2004 The Shoreline Page 17
Sparkling Wines for the Holidays
Wines with bubbles are associated with festivities and cel
ebrations by many people. They are more precious and much
more complicated to make than still wines which is probably
why they have been reserved for special occasions.
Well, folks, you need to reach outside of the box and make
sparklings wines a part of your everyday lives. They are more
versatile with their high acidity, more delicate flavors, and their
unique palate tingle and lower alcohol content than most table
wines and they accompany food very well!
There are awesome sparkling wines coming from all over the
world. Ofcourse,Quunpagne comes fhmi Champagne, France.
Early success making sparkling wines came from France which
is why “champagne” has become the generic name for sparkling
wine. This has caused much aggravation to the resident produc
ers of the Champagne Appellation which has vety strict and very
exact standards for growing, producing and labeling in all the
wine world. Many cheap American brands have copied the
Champagne name, but the quality American producers emulate
the standards, apply the traditional production methods and
leave the Champs name to the creators! Dorn Perignon is
probable one of tiK most famous Champagnes in the worid.
Dom Perignon was a blind Benedictine monk who made some
very significant developments as cellar master at the Abbey of
HauNillers in Epemay. He had the creative idea to harvest
selectively, over a period of days rather than all at once so only
the ripest fhiit would be used. He also was the inventer of the
Coquard or “basket” wine press and it was used to make the first
“Blanc de Noir”. His celebrated remark “I am drinking stars"
brought him his fame!
TTie world is absolutely full of delicious sparkling wines that
you should experience! Several French Champagne houses
have California sparkling wine operations and they are not
second best by any means! In fact, many think the non-vintage
California wines may be as good and some better than non
vintage French Champagnes and the price is right! The Califor
nia sparkling wine wineries are in cooler climates and use the
same grapes, primarily pinot noir and chardonnay with some
pinot meunier. To give you some idea of quality, try a sparkling
wine from Domaine Cameros which is from the house of
Taittinger in France and Domaine Chandon is from the house of
Moet & Chandon. Also give some good sparkling wines a try
that are not from French parentage! S. Anderson, Gloria Ferrer,
Iron Horse from California are delightful. Even Francis Coppola
makes a unconventional, passionate sparitling wine called Sofia.
It’sablendofPinotBlanc,Savignon Blanc andMuscatCannelli.
It's flavors are rich pear, honeysuckle and exotic passion fruit. You can
also get a great Sparkler from Washington State, particularly Domaine
St. Michelle Brut and Gruet Brut New Mexico NV, yes from New
Mexico! See all the possibilities!!
Now, let’s talk about other parts of the world for bubbles to drink!
Spain is the largest consumer of sparkling wine in the world! For the
reasonable producer, try Paul Cheneau which is rarely over $10.00.
Spanish sparkling wine is called “cava” after the word for cellar and is
made in Penedes is northeast Spain. Cavas are made in the French style,
called “metodo classico” This means that the second fermemtation
which produces the bubbles takes place in the bottle. Cavas were
traditionally made fivm the grapes of macabeo, parellada, and xarello,
but more wineries are switching over to chardonnay to have a more
universal taste profile. Spanich cavas are generally light, crisp and very
refreshing. Try a Spanish Sparkling Rose for the Holidays. They are
delicious and go very well with Holiday foods.
In Italy, the name to remember is prosecco, a sparkling wine from the
grape of the same name in the Veneto region of northeastern Italy. One
to experience is Rustico by Nino Franco, it’s bone dry with light citrus
flavors and a faint taste of almond on the finish. The key to good
prosecco is freshness. The other great sparkler from Italy is Moscato
d’Asti, a sweet sparkler made in Piedmont in Northeastern Italy. It the
ultimate Brunch sparkler!! Try it on Christmas morning or New Years
Day for a delightful treat and you don't have to feel quilty about drinking
so early because it’s low in alcohol content!
Next, travel on over to Australia and try some Seaview Brut Spar
kling Wine for around $10.00. It a blend of pinot noir, muscadelle,
chenin blanc and semillon. It’s a fine value-priced sparkler to use for
everyday bubble-heads.
Now, we're going to go back to France and explore the other areas
where more sparlers come from other than Champagne. In the Loire
Bailey, sparkling Vouvray is made ftx)m the chenin blance grapes.
Travel on over to Alsace and try a Cremant d’Alsace made from a
combination of pinot noir, pinot blanc and pinot gris. Because of the
high acidity, they are crisp, and very refreshing. Lucien Albreche and
Mure are two names to remember!
Hopefully, you are going to have some delightful new experiences
with bubbles. Just remember that sparkling wines should have a clean
aroma, citrus notes, and the tinier the bubbles, the better. Your mouth
should feel refreshed and ready for another bite of food and looking
forward to another sip of its delightful pleasures! You will soon realize
that sparkling wines are special during the holidays, but enrich your life
all year long!
Priscilla Livingston
Priscilla’s Crystal Coast Wines
Tournament Participants: These representatives of the 18 Hole Ladies group at Bogue
Banks Country Club recently competed ina two-day end-of-the-year tournament sponsored
by Down East Women's Golf Assn. From left are Rae Jones, Joy Wray, Lib Peele & Janie
Briley. On the first day Lib Peele took a second in fourth flight, low grass & Joy took third
in low net in their flight.
Carteret County
TOP PRODUCER!
Tired of lawn care and exterior maintenance? Ever wish you had a pool?
Need a place to park your boat or RV? I can sell your house and move
you into the newest condo community in Morehead City. Close to
Hospitals, shopping, churches, and less than 10 minutes from the beach!
- cLec^rwater
Couyitr^ CLub
Starting at $94,900
Coastal Propertiet
Tonia Bryan Glasgow
ABR, CRS, GRI
252-726-4700 Ext. 134
252-241-7524 Cell
www.c21 coastalproperties.com
toniaglasgow@c21coastalproperties.com
"Earning your trust one home at a time!"
Listing or Selling, I want to be your Realtor!
Over $6M SOLD in V 6 months of '04!
VOTED
BEST PLACE TO BUY A MATTRESS
VOTED
BEST BED STORE
\r FRED’S
EASTERN
NORTH
CAROLINA’S
#1 DEALER FOR
TfOJU Noticed
Santa Seems A Little
MorSrRelaxed Lately?
pflESBunr nu.)EV(NO
SWE9ISM MATTKE8SE4 AKD PlUOV«
Somebody's Been
Vang fin (Bassett - to JVed’s Beds!
Goldsboro
919-778-7585
402 North Spence Ave
Morehead City
252-726-3888
5360 Highway 70 West
New Bern
252-634-3007
2703 Highway 70 East
Stuff Your
, with Great Gift Ideas
Priscilla’s
Crystal Coast Wines
• Wines • Micro-Brews • Gift Baskets
• Gourmet Foods
Specializing in finding the perfect wine for you
Everyday Value ^ Priced Wines
Mon.-Fri, 10-6 • Sat. 10-5
5370-K Brandywine Crossing
Hwy 70 West, Morehead City
252-240-3234