THESE WINES ADD SPARKLE TO HOLIDAY ENTERTAINING
Cava tops the list, but Prosecco is also an affordable Champagne alternative
While I drink sparkling wines all year long, most people wait for the holiday season before popping bottles. But with 463 sparkling wines and Champagnes available at the SAQ, what to buy? I have tasted close to 200 over the last few months; here are my top sparkling wines at various price levels.
CAVA OR PROSECCO?
These two styles anchor the entry-level category, and it’s an eternal debate. I vote Cava. It’s made like Champagne, going through a second fermentation in bottle, not in large tanks like Prosecco. I find Cava is drier, more complex and has more refined bubbles. My favourites are the 2013 Sumarroca Brut Nature Gran Reserva ($19.10, SAQ # 13408929) and the 2016 Raventos i Blanc L’Hereu Conca del Riu ($24.10, SAQ # 12097946). While they may not have the aromatic complexity or texture of great Champagne, they’re pretty close, and for a third of the price. Want to pay even less? Cava has you covered with the Villa Conchi ($15.70, SAQ # 12956456), Parés Baltà Brut ($16.80, SAQ # 10896365) or the 2015 Parxet Cuvée 21 from Gleva Estates ($18.20, SAQ # 13676771). If you do love the easy-drinking nature of Prosecco, I would go for the 2017 Bisol Crede ($22.15, SAQ # 10839168) or the 2017 Astoria Fanò Asolo ($19.05, SAQ # 13056370). They both show good fruit and are nice and dry on the finish.
OTHER BARGAIN BUBBLES
For an easy-drinking party wine, Moingeon’s Crémant de Bourgogne ($19.85, SAQ # 871277) might not have depth, but it shows great fruit and texture at an easy-to-swallow price. The 2016 Tête de Cuvée from Laurens ($22.90, SAQ # 10498973) is another wine that always makes the list from the Limoux region. It has great tension and is very elegant for the price.
THE “I WOULD BE SO IMPRESSED IF YOU SERVED THESE TO ME” CATEGORY
Bubbles are made the world over, and while I love Champagne most, there are other exceptionally interesting sparkling wines, and they’re often much less expensive. Serve any of the following to a Champagne snob like myself, and you’ll get major props. At the top of the list is the 2015 Vouvray from Vincent Carême ($25.35, SAQ # 11633591). Aromatic, dry, focused, mineral and organic to boot. A touch funkier, and an ideal wine to be served with hors d’oeuvres, is the Breton Épaulé Jeté ($30.75, SAQ # 12100279). Beautiful florals, with a baked apple and mushroom note that makes it one of the most interesting aromatic sparklers on the market. Even more daring is the Crémant du Jura Brut Sauvage from Domaine Baud ($29.10, SAQ # 12100316). It’s beautifully textured, very dry and shows the Jura’s signature nuttiness. Italy produces more than just Prosecco; Ferrari’s Brut ($23.60, SAQ # 10496898) is an exceptionally good Chardonnay-driven sparkling. Bellavista’s Franciacorta Gran Cuvée Brut ($40.75, SAQ # 340505) is a step up in both finesse and depth.
PINK POWER
I’m very tough on rosé bubbles. I like them to be reserved and nuanced, and not fizzy red wine. If you want bargains, the 2017 Berceau from Paul Mas ($14.60, SAQ # 12841510) and Parés Baltà Pink Cava ($17.70, SAQ # 12888043) fit the bill. For a bit more money, La Vida al Camp Cava Brut Rosé ($24.40, SAQ # 13090666) is spectacular and wonderfully subtle. And finally, if you’re looking for some Canadian content, Nova Scotia’s Benjamin Bridge produces a superb rosé ($49.75, SAQ # 12937280), loaded with fruit and very elegant. We need more Nova Scotia sparkling wines in Quebec! Most of these wines are coming in limited quantities, so buy them up as soon as possible. Next week: 15 Champagnes that are very much worth the expense. You can hear Bill Zacharkiw pair wine with rock on CHOM-FM (97.7) Fridays at 7:45 a.m. twitter.com/BillZacharkiw facebook.com/ billzacharkiwwine Every week, Bill Zacharkiw identifies his top wine picks available at the SAQ and offers ideas for food pairings.