Singing the praises of the bubbles
It is somewhat ironic to be making the case for enjoying sparkling wine year-round, a few days before New Year’s Eve.
On the other hand, it may be the best time of year to sing the praise of effervescent wines in the hope that revelers will take time to truly consider these wines for all that they offer: elegance and a sense of festivity, yes; but also tremendous diversity, versatility and in some cases, great value.
Many wine regions have valid claims to the “invention” of wine containing bubbles of dissolved carbon dioxide, from Limoux to Die in France, and even some Italian regions. However, there is no doubt that in the global social consciousness, Champagne is the spiritual home of sparkling wine.
Although produced for hundreds of years, and long associated with royalty, the wines of Champagne as we know them today – that is to say, fully and consistently sparkling, were born only in the first half of the 19th century.
In addition to the méthode traditionelle used in Champagne, modern era sparkling wines have since been produced by various processes including the Charmat method, the Asti method, and, for entry level sparkling wines, via carbonation, a process similar to making sodas.
Effervescent wines are produced on a large scale in various regions such as Catalonia in Spain where it is called Cava; in the Prosecco appellation of Italy, in Germany where it is known as Sekt, and in many regions of France other than Champagne, where it is collectively referred to as crémant (e.g. crémant d’Alsace).
Sparkling wines are also made in the cooler wine regions of Australia, California, New Zealand and South Africa to name just a few important producers. Some regions with really cool climates (from a wine-growing perspective) have emerged as “sparkling stars” in recent years: Tasmania, England and closer to home, Nova Scotia.
Although a primer on sparkling wine-making, or an overview of sparkling production around the world are worthy topics, today’s column is about suggesting instances where sparkling wines would shine and pair beautifully with everyday foods.
Sparkling wines are too often confined to holidays and special occasions. They are, to some extent, victims of the pedestal where we set them apart from still wines. As soon a special occasion arises, they are some of the first wines we think of, but when it comes to choosing wine for a regular, relaxing Friday night, bubblies are some of the last wines most of us grab on the way home. Hopefully this is changing as the popularity of sparkling wines continues to grow around the globe.
The adjacent table proposes some ideas for pairing sparkling wines with foods that are not specifically associated with holiday celebrations.
Jean-Sébastien Morin is a category manager with P.E.I. Liquor. He is an accredited sommelier, wine writer, educator, and wine judge. His love of wine was born in the late 1980s, while studying and working in Europe. Inspired Grapes aims to transmit Morin’s passion for wine while never forgetting that the pleasure of a glass of wine often resides in the moment and the company in which it is shared. To reach, Morin email infopeilcc@liquorpei.com