May Your New Year’s Eve Be Filled with Lots of Sparkle & Cheer!

 As we gather with friends and loved ones this New’s Year Eve, it’s important to have the right sparkling in hand for that midnight toast! 

Here you will find a few tips and a shopping guide to help take the mystery out of selecting that perfect bottle for your celebration.

Walking into a wine store can be a daunting task for many.  Do you pick a Champagne, a Cava or what about a Prosecco? There are so many options from around the world to choose from, it can be simply overwhelming.  Fear not, I am here to help make your next purchase a simple one.

Let’s begin with the dryness scale for sparkling wine. I often here people say I don’t care for sparkling because it’s too sweet or it’s too dry.  This will help you make a more educated decision and pick something that’s best suited for your palate.

Extra Brut/Grand Brut/Brut Zero – This label is going to be the driest end of the spectrum.  Typically these bone dry sparklings are best paired with food because of the bright acidity.  The following go in order from the next driest to the very sweetest:

• Brut
• Extra Dry
• Dry
• Sec
• Demi-Sec
• Doux 

If you are new to sparkling wines, go for an extra dry. If you like your wines a little sweeter, go with a Demi-Sec.

Here are some of my favorites at all different price points to help you ring in the New Year! The sparkling wines below are non vintage (NV) unless otherwise noted.

Carpe Vino: Every day wine that’s simply divine (Under $20)

·      Domaine du Margalleau Vouvray, Demi-Sec, Loire Valley, France - $15

·      Mionetto Prosecco, DOC, Treviso, Italy - $15

·      Gruet Demi-Sec, Albuquerque, New Mexico - $16

·      Segura Viudas Cava, Brut Reserva Heredad, Spain - $20

·      Thibaut-Jannison, Blanc de Chardonnay, Charlottesville, Virginia - $20

            

A Little Splurge: ($21-$49)

·      2008 Schramsberg Blanc de Noirs, Napa, California - $30

·      J Brut Rose, Sonoma, California - $32

·      Perrier Jouet, Grand Brut, Champagne, France  - $38

·      Veuve Cliquot, NV, Champagne France - $40 (Yellow Label)

·      2008 Schramsberg Brut Rose, Napa, California - $42

Indulge: ($50-74)

·      Bollinger Brut, Special Cuvee, Champagen, France $58

·      Pommery Brut, NV, Champagne, France - $70

Grand Dame: When you’re looking for the something over the top! ($75)

·      1998, Veuve Cliquot, Le Grand Dame -$130

·      Dom Perignon, NV, Champagne, France - $135

·      2005, Roederer Cristal, Champagne, France - $200

A Toast of Christmas Cheer!

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house,       
Everyone was smiling, even my spouse.

The kitchen was stirring filled with laughter and glee,

As the lights were sparkling on our Christmas tree.

We had all settled in for a warm winter’s meal,

The table was filled with lots of appeal.

From the decorations and decanters to the feast galore,

The ladies were saying, who could ask for more?

When the men saw the beef, they let out a squeal,

And were more than grateful I wasn’t serving kale.                                   

To add to the merriment, we reached for a glass,

And toasted our good fortune with a Grand Cru Classe!

The fruit from the vine was more than divine,

In fact, two magnums went down in no time.

So I went to my cellar in search for more wine,

And the California Cabs looked simply sublime!

Now Jordan! Now, Cakebread! Now, Plumpjack, and Caymus!

On, Duckhorn! On, Silver Oak! On, Opus and Grgich!

To the table you go!

Everyone cheered as they saw liquid gold,

And gave one last toast to the young and the old!

Merry Christmas to all from the Crystal Palate! 

Bold Reds for Your Christmas Feast

It’s four days before Christmas and it appears that everything on my list is checked off!  With the exception of wrapping a few presents, I can now shift my focus to the Christmas feast.

The menu is officially planned.  I will be serving up a scrumptious Champagne brunch with my famous sticky buns and a succulent dinner of beef tenderloin drizzled with red wine reduction served with lobster mac and bleu cheese. Pure bliss! 

Now to the most pressing question, what wine shall we open for this decadent dinner?

Surely a Napa Cab will suffice just nice, but what about a Bordeaux, Zinfandel or Malbec? Which one will it be? 

Generally speaking, 2007 was an excellent vintage for Napa Cabs and they are drinking quite well right now.  If I opt to do a cocoa rub on the tenderloin, a Zinfandel would be a perfect match. I think I am leaning toward a New World wine.  Decisions… decisions…

Here are a few of my favorite bold reds your guests are sure to love this holiday season.  I’ll save my Old World favorites for another post.

 

Some are definitely a little bit of a splurge, but it’s the holidays after all.   Most of these wines can be purchased at your local wine shop.  You may have a difficult time finding the 2007 Napa Cabs unless you order them online. I included links below for more details.  Carpe Vino!

$100 plus

2008 Cade Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Howell Mountain, Napa Valley $135

2009 Cakebread Dancing Bear Ranch, Howell Mountain, Napa Valley  $110

Under $75

2007 Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma   $68

2007 Stags Leap Artemis Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley  $52

Under $50

2009 Elizabeth Spencer, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley $45  

2010 Robert Biale Black Chicken Zinfandel, Napa Valley  $45

Under $25

2011 Ben Marco, Malbec, Argentina $20

2011 Predator Zinfandel, Lodi  $15

Add Some Sparkle to Your Holiday Party

"Come quickly, I am tasting stars,"
Dom Perignon

I had a fabulous time hosting a sparkling wine tasting for my friend Bre’s birthday last weekend for a group of 25 people.   

Why is it that people seem to reserve bubbly for holidays and special occasions? Don’t get me wrong, nothing says let’s celebrate more than the popping of a cork, but sparkling wines are great for any occasion and with so many styles and price points to choose from, why not pull out a bottle tonight?  Sparkling wines boast great acidity that make them perfect compliments to food.

For the party, I selected five wines from around the world to showcase the different styles of each region.  I started off with a Demi-Sec from Vouvray and wrapped up with a Grant Brut from Champagne. A special thank you to Yianni at Yianni's Wine Shop  in Virginia Beach for the tip on pairing hotwings and Champagne. Unusual but perfect combination! Take a look at the menu for some inspiration for your next party.   

All of the selections are non-vintage sparklings. 

Domaine du Margalleau Vouvray, Demi-Sec, Loire Valley, France

Prosciutto, Maytag & Orange Fig Spread

Retail $15 

Mionetto Prosecco, DOC, Treviso, Italy

Dried Apricots & Candied Walnuts 

 Retail $15

J Brut Rose, Sonoma, CA, USA

Raspberry Phyllo Cups w/ Brie

 Retail $32

Segura Viudas Cava, Brut Reserva Heredad, Spain

Charcuterie & Cheese Plate 

Retail $20

Perrier Jouët, Grand Brut, Champagne, France

Popcorn & Boneless Buffalo Wings w/Bleu Cheese

Retail $38