Sparkling wine: the affordable luxury

If you associate Champagne with special occasions, that's understandable. That unique pop! sound is often preceded by a proposal, an announcement, or a major accomplishment. But sparkling wine can be a very refreshing option on a hot summer day and it pairs well with many types of food (especially ethnic cuisine like Mexican or Chinese food as well as sushi and dim sum). 

Don't rule out it because of price!

There are many sparkling wines made outside of the Champagne region that go by other names ("cremant" in other regions in France, "prosecco" in Italy, "cava" in Spain, and of course, the sparkling wines made here in the US). 

 

These other sparklers offer a great value, so start celebrating this weekend with one of the value-priced bottles described below. At these prices, you might want to sip sparkling all week-long.

I discovered the Toques et Clochers Cremant de Limoux at BevMo; it’s currently on sale for $13.39. I was pleasantly surprised by this sparkler from the Limoux region located near the southernmost tip of France. It is zesty and light with bright lemony notes. Delightful on its own, it would also pair well with appetizers, salads, olives and cheese.

BevMo is also the best place to stock up on my favorite Napa bubbly in the $17-$25 range, particularly Mumm Brut Rosé and Domaine Carneros Brut. They also carry many Spanish sparklers between $8-$15.

There are also some good less-expensive options at Whole Foods, too. As tempting as the top-shelf varieties of Veuve Cliquot, Moët, and Nicholas Feuilante can be, disregard them and look a little lower for La Marca.

La Marca is a reliable Italian prosecco for $15.99. I’m not adventurous when it comes to Prosecco because some can be borderline sweet (or super-sweet), but the La Marca is crisp and clean and very food-friendly.

And when you have a legitimate special occasion that allows for something a little pricier ($50+), remember the B’s—go for a bottle of Bruno Paillard, Billecart-Salmon, or Bollinger (these three legit Champagnes are all available at Whole Foods, too). 

Get your sparkle on this Saturday and Sunday and celebrate something (anything)!

A refreshing rosé on a hot day...

It might not officially be summer yet, but the weather is certainly appropriate for my favorite summer beverage--French rosé.

With the temperature in the mid-80's today, I chilled a bottle of the 2011 Saint Roch Les Vignes Côtes de Provence Rosé, which I purchased at Whole Foods this morning. And it was on sale for $12.99! The regular price is $15.99.

The light pink hue of this wine might make you think it is either sweet or will be lacking in flavor, but neither are true. It is dry (meaning the wine has very little residual sugar) with robust, fruity flavors.

A blend of 50% Grenache and 50% Cinsualt, the Grenache shows itself in the aroma of the wine with an attractive perfume of wild strawberry. The palate demonstrates a playful combination of ripe watermelon, playful peach, and juicy strawbery--the ultimate fruit salad. There is a slight essence of lime that lingers in the finish.

This is a delicious rosé, and other than being the ideal refreshment for a hot afternoon, it pairs nicely with seafood, cheese, and summer salads.

Wine and asparagus: a match made for me!

Last night when my boyfriend and I sat down to dinner, he looked at his plate and laughed. "You just might have been an asparagus in a past life," he joked. 

It's true. I'm an asparagus addict (luckily my boyfriend likes it, too). Whether roasted with olive oil and garlic, par-boiled and drizzled with a Dijon mustard vinaigrette, sauteed with bell peppers and soy sauce, or served with a runny egg on top, I could eat asparagus almost every day--and at any meal. It's a versatile vegetable that, contrary to what others may say, can be enjoyed with a wide array of wines.


For dinner last night, I cooked the asparagus on the stove top and dressed it with olive oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. It was accompanied by pan-seared pork chops with pesto and whole baked sweet potatoes. Sweet and savory. Yum!

A white or red wine (specifically a fruit-forward Pinot Noir) would have paired nicely with this meal. I had a bottle of 2010 Lucinda and Millie Mendocino County Chardonnay (www.lucindaandmillie.com) open from the night before, and it paired perfectly.

This lighter style of Chardonnay is made from organic grapes and 10% is aged in French oak. It is crisp and clean, with notes of green apple, melon, and citrus. And it's the most affordable wine I have ever enjoyed ($9.99 at Whole Foods)!

In fact, this entire meal was less than $20 (and purchased entirely at Whole Foods); it took less than an hour to prepare.

I'm not drinking much Sauvignon Blanc these days, but the grassy Sauv Blanc from Honig or a minerally Chablis would also have complimented this meal nicely; a sparkler (particularly Domaine Carneros Brut or Mumm Blanc de Blancs) would have also been a good match. Depending on how you prepare the asparagus and what the other components of the meal are, the wine-pairing possibilities are endless!