The Cellar: Budget Bubbles for New Year’s Eve
Friday, December 31, 2010
New Year's Eve is inching closer, and the all-important question becomes more and more imminent: ‘Which sparkling wine do I serve?’ Today I have decided to highlight three different sparkling wines under $20, one Dry, one Extra-Dry and one Sparkling Rose, from three different parts of the world; Italy, Washington State and Spain. Get ready to pop open the bubbly. Happy New Year!
Mionetto Prosecco Brut - $15
Prosecco is becoming increasingly popular with American wine consumers as an alternative to Champagne. While Italian winemakers have been producing bubbles for ages, Prosecco never really achieved the name recognition that Champagne has. That is a good thing for us consumers who can enjoy quality sparkling from Italy at very reasonable prices.
Mionetto is a big producer and its wines have received good reviews from various critics over the years. This is a very nice every-day sparkling wine and the Brut on the shelves this season is one to try. It is very dry, but comes across extremely fresh, light in body and well balanced filled with green apples and pears and a hint of minerality. Not overly complex but a great welcome aperitif and very reasonable priced.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTDomaine Ste. Michelle Extra Dry - $14
The Columbia Valley wine district runs through much of South and Central Washington State. One of the top producers in the Columbia Valley is Domaine Ste. Michelle Winery, which has been producing wines for over 30 years, among them sparkling wine. Long summer days and cool nights in the Columbia Valley, similar to the climate of France’s Champagne district, allow grapes to ripen fully while retaining naturally high acidity giving the wines balance.
It is misleading, I know, but the Ste. Michelle Extra-Dry is actually the sweetest sparkling wine the winery produces. That being said I don’t find it overly sweet at all. While it comes across sweet on the initial contact with your tongue, there is acidity in this wine that cleans your palate. The wine stops a bit short, but it is still a nice wine worth trying. It has nice pear aromas on the nose that continues on the palate, along side Granny Smith apples.
Cristalino Brut Rose Cava - $10
Another great place to look for less expensive alternatives to Champagne is Spain and their version of sparkling wine; Cava. I have highlighted several Cavas in the past so I decided to go with a different kind of sparkling wine this week; a sparkling Rose. Cristalino makes a version that is both delicious, inexpensive and should be readily available. If you want to serve a variety of sparkling wines on New Year's Eve, consider a Rose. For ten bucks, you can’t go wrong!
The Cristalino Brut Rose Cava is made from 60% Pinot Noir and 40% of the high acid Spanish grape Trepat, which is grape specifically used to make Rose wines. I am surprised how dry this wine is. The nose is reserved with hints of cherries and cream on the nose, while on the palate the wine displays both ripe and under-ripe strawberries. This wine is clean and has a surprisingly long finish.
Happy New Year!
Besides from writing about wine Steffen Rasch also consults, hosts lessons, tastings and other types of wine events privately, as well as for businesses. If you are interested in knowing more please contact [email protected], and follow him on Facebook, here.
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