Sparkling Wine or Champagne? Part 2

With so many different champagnes and sparkling wines on the shelves in Lawrenceville and Woodbridge, our staff wanted to help with some definitions and suggestions. Particularly if you don't often purchase or enjoy sparkling wine, making the right choice can be challenging. Don't miss the first installment, http://www.jcanalsbottleblog.com/2013/12/sparkling-wine-or-champagne-part-1.html, because that's where we lay some groundwork, and introduce a few bottles of sparkling wine.

We'll start with a Champagne. Taittinger Brut La Française, like those we suggested yesterday, is a non-vintage champagne. That simply means that grapes harvested in more than one year are included in the wine. Taittinger Brut La Française is composed of Chardonnay (40%) and Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier (60%) from over 35 different crus and various harvests, and matured to perfection. This high proportion of Chardonnay, unique among the fine non-vintage Champagnes, and a minimum aging of three years in the cellar where it reaches full aromatic maturity, make Taittinger Brut La Française a delicately balanced Champagne known for its consistent quality acclaimed worldwide.

Wine Spectator scored the Taittinger Brut La Française at 91 points, saying, "Hints of marzipan and lightly charred toast add richness without overwhelming the flavors of poached pear, lemon curd and black currant in this lively version, showing a creamy, detailed texture." A beautiful Champagne, and only $39.99 in the Bottle Club®.

Yesterday, we offered a couple of different choices in a Prosecco. We'll add one more today: the Mionetto Prosecco Brut.

It's much fuller and creamier than some other Prosecco's. This sparkler will please the Champagne drinker both during appetizers and while toasting the New Year. This is from the review in Wine Enthusiast: "Here is a Brut Prosecco with an immediate and fresh delivery of citrus, white stone, dried herbs and a subtle touch of white pepper. The aromas are what you should expect from an informal, easy-drinking sparkling wine and the bubbles are tonic and firm." At $11.99 in the Bottle Club®, Mionetto Brut can be enjoyed anytime, not just on special occasions.

Staying in Europe, our next recommended sparkling wine is a Cava, from Spain. Most Cava is produced in the Catalonia region (Northeastern Spain), typically with indigenous grapes like the macabeu, parellada, and xarel-lo. Cava is produced in the traditional method, or "méthode traditionnelle", meaning that they are made like champagne. The wine is fermented, blended, bottled, and then the secondary fermentation occurs in the bottle.

A staff Cava pick is the Juve y Camps Reserva de la Familia Brut 2008.

Pale gold in color, this Cava has aromas of mature white peach, toasted bread and green tea with hints of lemon citrus and apricots. Equally rich and broad on the palate, these flavors continue to unfold on the palate. Its fresh profile makes it a perfect match for paté, seafood, tapas, paellas, grilled poultry or cured meats. 

From the Wine Advocate review: "A blend of classic Cava varieties blended with 10% Chardonnay, the 2008 Reserva de la Familia Brut Nature Gran Reserva has a tight, reticent nose with earthy minerally tones. The palate is nicely balanced on the citric entry that broadens across the palate to a pleasant, controlled, creamy finish with sufficient citric tension to urge another sip. Drink now. 89 points." This is regularly $15.99, but it's currently available in the Bottle Club® for $13.99.

A number of Champagne producers own property, and make sparkling wine, in California. In fact, Taittinger partnered with Kobrand to create the Domaine Carneros estate. They received their organic certification in 2008, and bottle Pinot Noir along with their sparkling wines.  

Vintage dated each year, the Domaine Carneros Brut Cuvée represents the best of Carneros Pinot Noir and Chardonnay made into a classic sparkling wine. The appellation is 100% Carneros. The Brut was aged in the bottle for three years before release.  It will continue to develop further depth and complexity as it ages. This exceptionally fragrant wine shows aromas of crème brulée, honeycomb, melon, citrus zest, and golden hay before flavors of pear and golden apple. The cuvée features an elegant, round structure and a tantalizingly long finish.

This also scored 90 points from Wine Spectator: "A festive bubbly, with pretty floral cherry and lemon notes that lead to round, supple flavors of pear, raspberry and spicy vanilla."

Regularly priced at $27.49, the Domaine Carneros Brut is currently only $21.99 in the Bottle Club®, which represents a 20% savings!  

The vast majority of sparkling wine and champagne in the world is made in the Brut style. Brut refers to the dryness or level of sugar of the wine. The sugar content of a Brut-style sparkling wine is 0-15 grams per liter.

The U.S. failed to sign the 1930's labeling agreement limiting use of the word “champagne” to wines from the Champagne region of France, so some American wineries feel free to call their wines champagne. Generally, however, those that do so call their wines "California Champagne".

From the Domaine Carneros web site: "Although our wines are made in the classic manner, "méthode champenoise", Domaine Carneros exhibits pride of place, choosing to use the name of our own great region rather than replicating someone else's  name." 

Whether you're looking for a sparkler for New Year's Eve, for every day, or for something in-between, we think our suggestions are something you, your friends and your family will enjoy. Please leave us feedback in the Comments section!