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A Taste of Bubbly for the Holiday Season

As the holiday season quickly approaches, it is a time for reflection with family and friends. It is also a time to sip Champagnes and sparkling wines as we enjoy the holiday season, ending with a toast to the New Year. Champagnes and sparkling wines can be enjoyed anywhere, any time, but have historically been used to toast special occasions or as an aperitif. There are just so many options available today as global producers have entered this market at every price point. even our own Long Island wineries have produced sparkling wines with some very good success.

First, we should clarify the differences between Champagne and sparkling wine. Simply stated, Champagne is produced from grapes grown and harvested in the Champagne region of France. All others are considered sparkling wines and cannot be called Champagne. There is a storied history of Champagne that dates back to 1700, where a Benedictine monk named Dom Perignon founded the process of producing Champagne. Upon tasting this beverage for the first time he declared, "I see stars". This wonderful discovery has paved the way for our enjoyment of bubbly for over 300 years. To this day, Dom Perignon Champagne has set the standard for premium Champagne and is regarded by some experts to be the finest available. I would agree that this wine will never disappoint you and is certainly a wonderful treat. Currently the 1996 vintage is available at retailers at about $120 a bottle.

Non-vintage Champagne is an interesting category. Winemakers may blend several vintages to create non-vintage Champagne. The result is wonderfully consistent Champagne that is enjoyable year after year. The finest expression of this concept is the Veuve Cliquot Yellow Label Brut. I had the opportunity to speak with the winemaker this past summer. He mentioned that over 800 wine components are blended to make this wine consistent from year to year. Think of components as ingredients in the Champagne recipe that round out the final blend. The addition of vintage Champagne to the blend is the ultimate key to consistency. The current release (2000) includes Champagne from as early as the 1996 vintage. This Champagne retails for about $40 and is a wonderful accompaniment to cheeses, smoked salmon or just on its own.

One of my favorite sparkling wines is Prosecco. This Italian sparkler from the Prosecco grape has skyrocketed in popularity. It is an extremely versatile wine, used in the Belini cocktail, which along with peach nectar and raspberry was made famous by Harry's Bar in Venice. By itself, a dry brut Prosecco is a smooth and well-balanced wine with a light effervescence. Italians serve Prosecco to guests as a welcoming cocktail, which also serves to increase the appetite. A Prosecco I really enjoy is from the producer Toffoli. The quality of this wine is outstanding and at $12 a bottle, it can also be enjoyed often with or without light appetizers and cheeses.

Local sparkling wines have varied in quality and consistency over the years. I believe the best sparkling wine is produced by the Lenz winery. I recently opened a 1988 sparkling wine in a hand painted bottle and it was superb. I had the opportunity to taste the current vintage of sparkling wine, which is I was surprised to hear was 1996. The extended yeast contact results in a toasty sparkling wine, complete with tiny pinpoint bubbles in the glass. This is a fine example of what the local vintners are capable of in our region, at prices that are fairly reasonable. Why not try a local sparkling wine this holiday season to make your celebrations a bit bubblier? I want to wish to all of our readers a joyous holiday season and a happy new year. Please drink responsibly.

In Search of Wine Values

Every day I am faced with the challenge of merchandising wines that represent good value to my customers. You would be surprised at the number of people that do not realize inexpensive wines are not always a good value. The key is to find wines that will sell for a reasonable price and taste as if they cost a whole lot more. Believe it or not, there are many wines in this category, including some Long Island wines that never make it to retail stores.

Here are just a couple of the many reasons I can cite for this very common problem. First, many retailers have limited wine knowledge and do not understand the concept of value wines. Second, wholesalers sell wines to retailers based upon their specific performance objectives, which results in mass produced wines reaching the retail store shelves. Third, the large discount retailers will only buy name brands in large quantities and at huge discounts so they may advertise those wines at the "lowest price". Additionally, these outlets employ individuals with extremely limited wine knowledge. However, as the consumer fortunately, you have options.

Wine values can come from all regions and producers, even Long Island. I try to merchandise the value brands from Long Island wineries that will typically retail at $10 or less. Many customers are surprised there are such wines available and even more surprised that they are quality wines. For example, the Macari Collina 48 red and white wines are a fantastic value at $9.99. The white wine is a light Chardonnay with nice body and pairs well with seafood and chicken dishes. The red wine is a Merlot blended with a little cabernet franc. This is a great pizza or barbecue wine.

An Australian wine I have discovered for under $10 is the Yalumba Oxford Landing Chardonnay. This wine has soft oak undertones, shows nice fruit and has a smooth finish. This wine also pairs well with shellfish and seafood dishes.

From France there is tremendous value in Beaujolais Villages wines. Not to be confused with Beaujolais Noveau that is released each November, Beaujolais Villages is a light, fruity wine that pairs well with any dish. It is the perfect transition wine before the cold weather arrives. I particularly like the Louis Latour Beaujolais Villages that offers great black cherry aromas and a smooth, delicate finish. At less than $8 a bottle, this is a wine to buy by the case.

I know what you must be thinking, that I cannot find any value wines produced in California. Well, with all of the extra juice in California, you have undoubtedly heard of some great values for as little as two bucks. But I am trying to stick with the theme of smaller production, high quality wines. My choice from this region would be Castle Rock Zinfandel. A full-bodied wine with a great peppery taste and ripe fruit aromas make this wine a great partner for pasta and pizza. Priced at about $10 a bottle, it represents an excellent value.

Wine values are not impossible to find it just takes a little effort and research. There are great wine publications and internet sites that can assist you in your quest for high quality wine. Also, locate a knowledgeable wine merchant that can recommend some good wine values from around the world (Often these relationships are most effective with small, owner-operated wine shops.) Once the wine merchant understands your individual taste, he/she can recommend wines that you will enjoy time after time. Ask retailers which wines may be new, small production wines, and experiment with them. At these price points you can experiment without feeling guilty. Remember that the wine should drink as if it costs a whole lot more or it really is not a great value.