Bubbly Resolutions: Try Something New
No, wait. Let’s not call it a “resolution”, because resolutions are too easy to break. Let’s call it Bubbly Goals! When most of us think about selecting a bottle of bubbles, there are some typical go-to names that pop-up, such as Mumm, Korbel, Gloria Ferrer, and Freixenet to name just a few. Why is that? Because it’s what we’re used to. But what about bubbles that come from alternate wine regions in the U.S., or even sparkling wines that come from other countries? There’s a host of them, and my recommendation is to try any from these REGIONS:
- Cava (Spain)
- Prosecco, Asti or Lambrusco (Italy)
- Espumante (Portugal)
- Sekt (Germany)
- Pezsgo (Hungary)
And don’t forget all the alternate STYLES of sparkling:
- Natural
- Extra Brut
- Brut
- Extra Dry/Extra Sec
- Dry/Sec
- Demi-Sec
- Sweet
Finally, a sparkling wine doesn’t HAVE to be made from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir or Pinot Muenier. Why not try something made with:
- Muscat/Moscato
- Lambrusco
- Syrah
- Riesling
- Pinot Blanc
- Gamay
- Gruner Veltliner
- Blaufrankisch
What you should do now is select a bottle or two that deviates from your comfortable path, be sure to report back here about what you enjoyed, and where you found it so others can try it out. What you shouldn’t do is feel overwhelmed by all the options. Your best bet is to hit your local bottle shop first, and then fall back onto a larger chain store if time is running out. There are so many kinds of bubbly, so asking someone that works at the shop for a recommendation will help you go a long way. I’ll be posting my thoughts on a couple of bottles shortly, and look forward to your comments here.
What a wonderful way to kick-off our wine deviance…with bubbles!
