Tag Archives: sparkling wine

New Year's sparkling wine 2019

New Year’s sparkling wine 2023

Two glasses of sparkling wine on a counter
A sparkling wine beauty shot!

New Year’s sparkling wine 2023 recommendations

I’m not sure if it’s premiumization or Dallas retailers or some sort of bleh surrounding sparkling wine this holiday season, but I had a damned hard time finding quality bubbly at the blog’s prices for this post (or even quality bubbly that cost a few — or a lot — more dollars). And I went through a bunch of wine, since too many were almost as poorly made as this one.

But the WC is persistent. So my suggestions for New Year’s sparkling wine 2023. As always, keep in mind the blog’s annual wine gift guidelines and our sparkling wine primer.

• Cave de Lugny Crémant de Bourgogne Brut Rosé NV ($20, purchased, 11.5%): This French sparkler, which may be a Whole Foods private label, costs more than I like to spend, but it’s worth it. Well made, taut, and surprisingly fruity for a cremant (strawberries?). It takes a while to  open up. Imported by Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits

• Lunetta Prosecco NV ($11, purchased, 11%): This is much better than a supermarket style Prosecco has any right to be, and I’m still surprised I enjoyed it. Soft and sweetish, with candied lemon fruit, but it does the trick with sort of spicy food. Imported by Palm Bay International

• Jeio Bisol Prosecco Brut NV ($15, purchased, 11%): This Italian wine has about three names, but whatever it’s called, it’s a steal at this price. Firmish bubbles, not sweet at all, more apples than lemon, and a long finish. Highly recommended. Imported by Wilson Daniels

• Veuve du Vernay Blanc de Blancs Brut NV ($10, purchased, 11%): I used this French wine on the blog last year at Thanksgiving, but figured it was a one off. Not so — 13 months later, it remains a tremendous value. The bubbles aren’t flabby and the wine isn’t sweet, with some apple  fruit and a zesty finish. Not complicated, but quite enjoyable. Imported by Patriarche USA

More about New Year’s sparkling wine
• New Year’s sparkling wine 2022
• New Year’s sparkling wine 2021
• New Year’s sparkling wine 2020
• Three things to ponder while sipping sparkling in the summer
• Wine scores rant: Top-notch cava gets 86 points, about the same as a crummy supermarket wine

Photo:”My only regret in life is that I did not drink more Champagne. – John Maynard Keynes #cheers #misfitgram” by ajleon is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Wine of the week: Mionetto Prosecco NV

Mionetto Prosecco bottle
Mionetto Prosecco NV/$8-$15

This Italian sparkler shows why Prosecco has become so popular in the U.S.

One of the most fascinating things that has happened in wine over the blog’s history has been the rehabilitation of Prosecco, the Italian sparkling wine. Some 20 years ago, it wasn’t that important in the U.S. — or especially well made, either.

Then, one rather large producer in northern California changed all that. It brought La Marca to the U.S., and — as if by magic — the quality of most Proseccos improved and they started offering value around $10. In fact, by most measures, Prosecco is the best selling style of sparkling wine in the country.

The Mionetto ($8, purchased, 11%) illustrates this change perfectly. Is it taut and sharp? Nope. Is it layered and complicated? Nope. Those are Champagne qualities, and Prosecco never aspired to that. Rather, it wanted to be an everyday sparkler, which means soft, sweetish, and easy to drink — Sunday brunch and Mimosas, anyone?

The Mionetto is softer than I prefer, but it has decent enough bubbles for a Prosecco, since the bubbles aren’t supposed to be too bubbly. But it’s not too sweet, there’s some decent lemony fruit, and even a touch of yeast. In all, there is much more going on than one would expect, and especially for the price.

Drink this for a holiday dinner, to toast the New Year. or just because you want something different to drink with Asian takeout.

Imported by FXM USA

Christmas wine 2023

christmas wine 2020
Yes, this is the last time you’ll have to see this picture in the Christmas wine post.

Four recommendations for Christmas wine 2023

For the final time, the blog’s Christmas wine suggestions, whether for a last minute gift, something to drink when you just want a glass over the next couple of weeks, or for a holiday dinner. Keep our wine gift giving tips in mind — and don’t overlook the blog’s 2023 holiday gift guide.

These wines will get you started:

• Riondo Prosecco NV ($10, purchased, 11%): Italian bubbly is simple but surprisingly enjoyable — much better than I thought it would be. Lots and lots of bubbles, some vaguely tropical fruit, and not especially sweet. Imported by Terlato Wines International

• Falesco Est! Est!! Est!!! 2021 ($12, purchased, 12.5%): This Italian white is a long-time blog favorite, and especially when it cost $8. It tasted has it always has — tart lemon fruit, one-note, and simple, but always fun. Imported by Heritage Collection 

• Perrin & Fils Côtes du Rhône Reserve 2020 ($12, purchased, 14%): This French red is a fairly typical inexpensive Cotes du Rhone (lots of syrah and heavier in the mouth), but mostly balanced with a bit of spice and the requisite amount of black fruit. Imported by Vineyard Brands

• Stemmari Rosato 2021 ($8, purchased, 12%): Italian pink from Sicily made with with the nero d’avola grape. Much going on here for $8; a bit savory, with a bit of berry fruit, and almost stony. Highly recommended. Imported by Prestige Wine Imports

More about Christmas wine:
• Christmas wine 2022
• Christmas wine 2021
• Christmas wine 2020
• Wine of the week: The Curator Red 2021
• Expensive wine 169: Smith-Madrone Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

Photo: “guardian of wine” by marcostetter is marked with CC PDM 1.0

Expensive wine 175: Val de Mer Cremant de Bourgogne Blanc (No Dosage) NV

Vale de Mer cremant bttle
Val de Mer Cremant de Bourgogne Blanc (No Dosage) NV/$21-$25

This French sparkler is about as different from the typical $60 bubbly as possible

What better bottle to use for the blog’s final expensive wine post than this one? It’s purposely made to taste unlike the typical, overpriced Champagne; it’s not especially expensive given sparkling prices; and it got a crummy score on the blog’s unofficial wine inventory app.

In other words, there’s more for the rest of us to enjoy.

The difference between the Val de Mer Cremant de Bourgogne Blanc (No Dosage) NV ($24, purchased, 12%) and Champagne (other than region) is that sugar (called the dosage) isn’t added to the fermented still wine to spur on the second fermentation and soften the bubbly’s acidity. There’s a more complete explanation here, though the subject can get past technical.

For our purposes, it’s enough to know that leaving the dosage out makes a tauter, more dry wine than even really nice $100 Champagnes, which can have a hint of residual sugar. Yes, even this one.

In the case of the Val de Mer, leaving out the dosage produces a wine where the chardonnay really shows off and that is oh so bone dry. So it tastes very little like this Champagne. Which, of course, is the point — and the reason for the crummy scores.

Not that it matters to the WC. This wine has gorgeous, tight bubbles, lots of apple fruit (with a bit of lemon tucked in the back), and what one tasting note calls chalky minerality. It’s an amazing wine; highly recommended and a steal at this price.

Imported by T. Elenteny Imports

 

Thanksgiving wine 2023

Cartoon of turkey with wine glassFour Thanksgiving wine 2023 suggestions

The WC’s favorite holiday is Thanksgiving. I get to cook and share wine and food with the people I care about. How can that not be terrific?

So enjoy the holiday, and especially these Thanksgiving wine 2023 suggestions. The blog’s guidelines for holiday wine buying are here.

• La Fiera Pinot Grigio 2021 ($11, purchased, 12%): This Italian white is about as consistent as this kind of wine gets (though it’s more Kirkland in style this vintage). But its still well made, with a hint of lemon peel and very clean and dry. Imported by Winesellers Ltd.

• Althea Prosecco NV ($15, purchased, 11%): $15 Prosecco for people who like Prosecco — so a touch sweet, terrific fizzy bubbles, and a bit of lemon fruit. Very professional. Imported by La Cigale Wines

• Domaine Laroque Pinot Noir 2021 ($12, purchased, 12.5%): Simple, almost rustic French pinot noir that mostly tastes like pinot noir. Some dark red fruit, a bit more tannin than it should have, a surprisingly pinot noir aroma, and, overall, probably greater than the sum of its parts. Imported by Aquitane Wine USA

• Zestos Old Vine Rosado 2022 ($12, purchased, 12.5%): All of the Zestos Spanish wines are worth buying, and in large quantities. This vintage of the rose is more in the Provencal style, with barely ripe berry fruit and some minerality. Imported by Ole & Obrigado

More about Thanksgiving wine:
• Thanksgiving wine 2022
• Thanksgiving wine 2021
• Thanksgiving wine 2020
• Wine of the week: Santa Julia Malbec Organica 2022
• Expensive wine 167: Ameztoi Hondarrabi Zuri 2021

Labor Day wine 2023

people sitting in front of table talking and eating
“I told you the WC’s wine recommendations were super good.”

Enjoy these four bottles for Labor Day wine 2023

Labor Day traditionally marks the end of the summer in the U.S., which will be most welcome this year. Even the WC, who vowed never to shovel snow again, was getting overwhelmed by 105-degree temperatures. And then some more. And then some more.

So bring on fall, cooler weather, some chilled reds, and relaxing on a shaded place on the porch. And maybe some lemon roasted chicken?

These four bottles will give you a start — and don’t forget the blog’s porch wine guidelines:

• Jolie Folle Sauvignon Blanc 2021 ($13/1-liter, purchased, 11.5%): This French white is more New Zealand in style this vintage, with grapefruit instead of lime and less minerality. But it’s still a fine value. Imported by T. Elenteny Imports

• Umani Ronchi Podere 2021  ($13, purchased, 13%): A surprisingly fresh and berryish Italian red from Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, though it’s not as light as some. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be chilled slightly and served with bacon cheeseburgers.  Imported by Vineyard Brands

• Castle Rock Rose 2022 ($12, sample, 13%): A California pink that is crisp, fresh, and enjoyable — and dry, dry, dry. Look for rose petals on the nose (honest), plus barely ripe berry fruit and a very pleasant stony finish. I’m told it’s available, so its Wine-Searcher entry is probably wrong.

• Campo Viejo Cava Brut Rose NV ($11, purchased, 11.5%): This Spanish bubbly is made with trepat, which is a good thing. But it’s a little less crisp than it could be and it’s not quite up to the standards of what great cheap Cava once was. But it has nice wild berry fruit with decent bubbles, so it will do. Imported by Pernod Richard USA

Photo: Priscillia Du Preez on Unsplash

More about Labor Day wine:
• Labor Day wine 2022
• Labor Day wine 2021
• Labor Day wine 2020
• Wine of the week: Zestos Blanco 2021

Three things to ponder while sipping sparkling in the summer

plastic sparkling wine cork and cage
This is sure different from the stuff on the $300 bottles.

A new way to close?

The wine business talks a lot about going green, but progress doesn’t always seem to keep up with the talk. That’s why I was so surprised to see this – a less expensive and much simpler wire cage. Obviously, it was on a cheap bottle; a $6 French charmat, in this case (which wasn’t too bad, either). We’ll never see it on a bottle of Champagne, but it did the job here. Much easier to take the cage off and the plastic cork was also easier to take out.

Of course, wine being wine, this may not have anything to do with the environment, and could just be a result of the supply chain shortages during the pandemic.

It’s also worth noting that sparkling “alternative” closures are quite rare. I got a sample several years ago of a cheap domestic sparkling with a screw cap, which worked reasonably well. But it made such an impressive on the industry that I don’t even remember what brand it was.

Looks like sparkling glasses are officially passe

One of my favorite posts to write is about Champagne glasses, whether it’s that we’re supposed to buy weird, expensive ones or that flute glasses are no better than old-fashioned coupes and that we should use a white wine glass.

Has the latter become more or less the rule? Perhaps, given this piece from Yahoo. It strikes me as the kind of thing non-wine people would write about wine because they’re told it’s true. I didn’t see any specific sparkling glasses listed; rather, a variety of white wine glasses were listed as OK for bubbly.

Regardless, I’m sticking with flutes, if only because I own a set. How is that for curmudgeonly?

Why is there so much flat sparkling wine?

I wrote about thiis several years ago and the problem seems to have reappeared. Ten or so of the last dozen bottles I’ve opened have been flat. And no, this isn’t just cheap stuff that comes with a weird-looking cage (that one wasn’t flat). It was expensive samples as well, including a $40 bottle of Champagne. The consensus among readers last time was that it was the crappy wine that I drink that was flat, but I think there’s a lot more going on this time.

Maybe a lot of bubbly is sitting on store and warehouse shelves, getting old and worn out. Maybe it’s some sort of leftover from the pandemic and the supply chain woes (bad corks?). Maybe it’s a retail storage problem. Hopefully, it’s nothing more than than just my bad luck.