Sparkling Wine - Not Just for New Year's Eve

I had the pleasure of attending a Sparkling Wine and Champagne class put on by Savvy Cellar Wine Bar and Wine Shop, a local go-to for all things wine. The class was an early Christmas gift from my husband and I had a great time, despite being one of a few people going solo for the night. I learned so much about champagne and sparkling wine that I felt compelled to dispense my knowledge before the night of champagne (New Years’ Eve) commences.

Some food (or wine for thought): many people believe that sparkling wine is only meant for special occasions but I happen to belong to the camp of people that believe sparkling wine is good for any day AND any special occasion! Sparkling wine can be used with many different types of food and can be served throughout a meal. It is also great by itself either in the company of others or by you alone as well. There is no wrong time or occasion to enjoy sparkling wine.

I was able to try seven different sparkling wines, all of them wonderfully distinct from the other. Being a bit traditional in my wine choices and an ardent lover of Pinot Noir, I of course prefer champagne. I love the yeasty, full, creamy flavor of the French beauty. Champagne is only made from three wine varietals – Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, or Pinot Meunier.

Good champagne can be a bit pricey so I was so happy to learn of a close cousin of champagne, the sparkling wine from the region of Champagne, France. There is a delicious and very similar type of wine to champagne and it’s called Crémant (pronounced cray-mawn). Crémant is simply any other sparkling wine from France! So it’s still a French sparkling wine with all its lusciousness, just from a different region of France. At the class, I had the opportunity to try Crémant d’ Alsace, which is a Crémant from the region of Alsace, France. It was divine and it only runs about $18-20 for a bottle. I tried a Rosé variety made from 100% Pinot Noir.

The Cremant that I was served at the class

Sparkling wine is made all over the world and has many different tastes. As I mentioned earlier, the French sparklers are creamy and yeasty, with a full mouth feel. New World sparklers (California) are a bit crisper with higher mineral feel in the mouth. Other sparkling wines that I tasted were Prosecco from Italy, Espumante Bruto from Portugal, a sparkling Shiraz from South Africa, and a sparkling Moscato (sweet wine) from Italy. I purchased a bottle of the Moscato for Ashwin, as he loves the sweet stuff.

My personal favorite for New World - Domaine Carneros

Cheese plate and sparkling from Domaine Carneros

Some sparkling wine tips: Avoid the wines that have had CO2 added to make the carbonation, as this will result in horrible headaches. You don’t have to spend a fortune to get a good sparkling wine. Be adventurous and buy a couple of different types of sparkling wine to try. Pair it with any type of food and I guarantee it will be great.

Please share what type of sparkling wine you have chosen for your New Years’ Eve celebration (or any random Monday).

Happy New Year – Cheers! 

With Gratitude and a Happy Tummy

It has been over a month since my last post (forgive me) and Thanksgiving has come and gone. Although the holiday of gratitude and thankfulness is behind us, I would still like to my express my appreciation for a few things in my gastronomical world.

First and foremost, I am most grateful for the fact that my husband and I can fill our kitchen with any type of food that we desire. We are not food insecure as many of our fellow Americans are. Food insecurity and hunger is a huge problem, especially as the price of healthy food rises and wages remain stagnant. Recently, my husband and I donated a monetary contribution to our local food bank because we would like the support to remain in our community. I encourage you to give anything - donated food items, money, or your time if you can't afford either.

Next, I am very thankful for the ability to afford wholesome, healthy food including organic fruits and vegetables. We are so fortunate to be living in an area where there is an abundance of farmer's markets, farm stands, and ethnic markets (our local Indian grocery store sells produce for a fraction of the cost of the regular grocery store). Cooking and eating healthy does not have to cost a fortune and it can be fun too! I have a pot of Portuguese potato and kale soup (Caldo Verde) on the stove right now and the cost was minimal and it is very healthy. It's even vegan (we left out the sausage).

Lastly, I am grateful for having access to so much great wine, beyond Napa Valley. Don't get me wrong - Napa is fantastic and is one of my favorite places. But California has so many wonderful little wine countries to explore - Lodi, Mendocino, Anderson Valley, Jackson/Plymouth, etc to name a few. I recently became a member of a winery in Anderson Valley. The experience and the wine at Navarro Vineyards won me over and if you are ever on a drive up to Mendocino, I urge you to stop in for a tasting. They even make their own cheese!

Watch for this sign on Highway 128

To conclude, I am grateful for so much more but these are my top three when it comes to my love of food and wine. What are you grateful for in regard to epicurean delights? Please feel free to leave comments - I would love the feedback.

Until next time...cheers and happy eating!