Welcome to Sparkling Wine Week

Not as dramatic as Shark Week, but we think that Champagne Sparkling Wine Week is much more delicious. With New Year's Eve just a few days away, we thought we'd offer some thoughts on the bubbly. How about some basic definitions to start?

Champagne is a specific type of sparkling wine, made a certain way, from specific grapes, in the Champagne region of France. There are still a few products that use the name "California Champagne" (like Korbel), to prevent any possible confusion.

Cremant is the name associated with sparkling wines from other regions of France, such as Alsace or the Loire. We have a nice selection of these sparkling wines, which are typically at a very affordable price.

Prosecco is Italian sparkling wine. Principally made from the Glera grape, from northeastern Italy.

Asti/Asti Spumante/Spumante are essentially interchangeable categories of sweet sparkling wines from Italy. Verdi and Martini & Rossi fit here.

Cava is Spanish sparkling wine, from Catalonia. Cava can be rose or white, and is made from indigenous grapes like the macabeu.

Domestic Sparkling Wine. Many of our domestic producers (Gruet, Mumm Napa, Schramsburg and others) do make their sparkling wine in "Methode Traditionelle," which mimics the way Champagne is made (secondary fermentation in bottle, etc.). There are a number of Champagne producers, such as Mumm, Roederer and Tattinger, who product Methode Traditionelle sparkling wines in California, in the $20 range.

With that brief outline, here are some sparkling wines that we think will rule this New Year's Eve. Or any time you want some bubbly.

Vollereaux Brut Champagne. "Rich and refined, with layers of pear pastry, black cherry, hazelnut, lemon cream, honey and floral notes. A spicy thread of minerality winds through this wine, as does the precise and seamlessly integrated acidity." - Wine Spectator, 92 points.

This is a very recent addition, and we have a limited supply. Only $28.99 in the Bottle Club®.

Isabelle Brut Classique. Lawrenceville Senior Wine Manager Brandon Bartfalvi's review: "A deliciously tempting sparkling wine from New Mexico. This full-bodied sparkler offer flavors green apple and pear with a bit of toastiness on the finish. Dry, crisp and refreshing!"

Isabelle is made in the traditional Champagne style. One of our Preferred Selection wines, Isabelle is available for only $16.97 in the  Bottle Club®.

Fioretti Prosecco. A classic prosecco showing a light and refreshing palate filled with apple and pear flavors and a hint of floral notes. The persistent bubbles are refreshing and delicate ending in a clean finish.

Please check our Bottle Club® email this week, as we'll have special offers on other sparkling wines in this lead-up to New Year's Eve.

Let's Review

We thought about a Year-In-Review post, but with vintage changes, seasonal products and products taken out of the NJ market, we decided against that. Today, we'll help you navigate New Year's.  A quick note on our store hours. Tomorrow, December 31, we're open 8am-8pm. On New Year's Day, we're open only from noon-4pm.

With the parades, football games and parties, you're probably going to eat pizza over the next couple of days. We took an informal survey of our staffers, and they offered their pizza pairing recommendations. Click here for their suggestions.

Champagne and other sparkling wines. While many people enjoy these wines at least weekly (Bellini at brunch, anyone?), others reserve the bubbly for celebrations. We have several recommendations for you, in no particular order. Click on the name

to link to an explanation.

Cave De Beblenheim Cremant Brut
Acinum Prosecco and Chassenay D'Arce Brut Rose
Aubry Brut Champagne and Banfi Rosa Regale
The Champagne Lacourte-Godbillon Collection. Brut NV, Demi-Sec, Extra Brut and Vintage 2008.

Table wines. New Year's dinners are often upscale events, and the wines chosen are typically a match for the meals. While we're happy to see you enjoy a Caymus or Silver Oak, we can offer a number of suggestions that are more affordable options.

Robert Storey Cellars, Genevieve's Vineyard Napa Valley Chardonnay and Lazy Creek Vineyards, "Lazy Day" Pinot Noir
Block 478 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir and George Dubœuf Beaujolais Nouveau
Robert Storey Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

Craft beer. As we've noted before, craft beer availability can be challenging. When you see something great, you should grab it. And as an aside, at the time this is being written there is still one bottle of Sam Adams Utopias available at our Lawrenceville store. (Update: Sold)

Flying Dog K-9 Winter Ale
Two Roads Brewing Route of All Evil
River Horse Belgian Freeze and Blue Point Winter Ale

We should have the perfect item for your New Year's events. Our best resource, of course, is our store staff. Don't hesitate to ask for assistance while you're shopping, and our experts will be happy to ensure your satisfaction.

Bubbling Up

At this time of year, most everyone is at least browsing through our sparkling wine section. Champagne remains the top choice, but we have lots of values in alternative sparkling wines. For example, we recently added the Cave De Beblenheim Cremant Brut. It's a sparkler from the Alsace region of France, available for only $16.96 in the Bottle Club®.

The Cave De Beblenheim Cremant Brut is made from Pinot Blanc and Pinot Auxerrois, rather than traditional Champagne grapes. The wine undergoes a second fermentation in the bottle, which gives a lively, delicate sparkle.

It would be difficult to find a more ideal geographical situation for Beblenheim, as the village nestles in the heart of Alsace. The  typical charm and atmosphere of the region, so well portrayed by Hansi, the famous Alsatian artist, can be found everywhere: timber-framed houses, stone gateways with coats-of-arms, a beautiful fifteenth-century old Gothic fountain. But without any doubt, Beblenheim exists first and foremost for wine.

The village’s winery is the focal point for hectares of vines across

five rural districts. In this small, typical Alsatian village, jealously-guarded winegrowers’ secrets have been handed down from father to son for generations.

Cave de Beblenheim has been created in 1952 by several winegrowers who decided to pool their expertise in order to work more efficiently. Two years later, together, they obtained their first gold medal. Today, after five decades of constant progress, has reached the sixth place among the wine-producers in Alsace, and brings together 150 winegrowers, cultivating vines in Beblenheim and its neighboring villages.

The Cave De Beblenheim Cremant Brut has a very crisp and clean style, offering flavors of stone fruits, green apples and pears, with a mineral-tinged finish. It's light, fresh and a nice alternative to Champagne! Also look for the Rose.

We Have Bubbles! Both Kinds!

We're down to single digits in the number of shopping days left before Christmas, so we'll get right to the point.

Both kinds of bubbles? Those found in sparkling wine, of course, as well as in craft beer. Below are some additional staff holiday recommendations for both categories. But first, a brief note about our special holiday store hours:

Sunday, December 20, 9am-9pm
Wednesday, December 23, 8am-10pm
Thursday, December 24, 8am-7pm
Friday, December 25, Closed
Thursday, December 31, 8am-8pm
Friday, January 1, noon-4pm

If you're new to this blog, please know that we are discussing Joe Canal's in Lawrenceville and

Woodbridge exclusively. At the bottom of this post, we'll link to our other relevant posts on this topic.

Acinum Prosecco. A refreshingly crisp prosecco, slightly on the drier side, yet packed with fruit and hints of honeysuckle. It has a beautiful pale straw color. This excellent sparkler makes a great companion to scallops and other seafood. Only $9.96 in the Bottle Club®.

Rogue Yellow Snow IPA.  Pale golden in color with a hoppy fruity aroma. Big hop flavor up front complemented by medium body and hoppyness mid-palate. It finishes with a characteristic, lingering bitterness. Pair with a beef dish or something spicy.

Yellow Snow IPA was originally introduced for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. Yellow Snow is Rogue’s tribute to winter sports everywhere—downhill skiing, snowboarding, cross country, ice hockey, ice fishing, snowmobiling, and even curling. $14.49/ 6-pack.

Chassenay D'Arce Brut Rose NV. Sometimes, only a Champagne will do, and

this is a must-have Rose Champagne bargain. Rich and lively, with flavors of ripe raspberries and strawberries leading to a  clean, crisp finish. This is all about immediate pleasure!!!

89 points from Wine Spectator. "Well-knit, with a creamy bead and firm acidity, this offers hints of slivered almond, black raspberry puree, smoke and licorice. Features a lip-smacking finish of moderate length. Drink now." The release price was $55.00, but it's only $29.96 in the Bottle Club®.

Great Lakes Christmas Ale. Do not open ‘til Christmas? Whoever coined that phrase obviously hasn’t tasted Christmas Ale’s fresh honey, cinnamon, and ginger flavors. Enjoy a Yuletide’s worth of holiday spices and sweet honey to keep you a-wassailing all season long. 7.5% ABV. Pairs with roast duck, spiced desserts, and ugly Christmas sweaters. $11.99/six-pack.

One more craft beer recommendation? OK.

Big Muddy Winter Ale. Brewed only during the cold months of the year, this

medium-bodied winter warmer is balanced with roasted malt complexity and subtle hints of cinnamon, ginger and vanilla creating an inviting and festive ale that is the perfect accompaniment for any holiday occasion. $9.99/6-pack.

Other Links:
Click here for a six-pack of recommendations for local craft beer.
Click here for wine recommendations.
Click here for other wine and sparkling wine recommendations.
Click here for our gift set collection in Lawrenceville. Click here for our gift set collection in Woodbridge.

We Fixed the Prosecco Shortage

Back in May of this year, just a few short months ago, there were dire warnings about a possible Prosecco shortage (See this article, which was one of many). Bad weather and lighter-than-expected harvests were important parts of the equation (lower supply), and the increased popularity of Prosecco (higher demand) was the other part. As Champagne has become more and more expensive, shoppers experimented with other types of sparkling wine, and many people found Prosecco to be an outstanding alternative.

We worked closely with our suppliers to secure the right amount of Prosecco to get us through this possible shortage. In doing so, we've also been able to introduce a new brand, Acinum.

Acinum Prosecco Extra Dry DOP is 100% Glera, the traditional grape used for this wine, and is grown in the Treviso region of northeastern Italy.

The grape bunches are harvested manually and once they reach the wine-cellar, they are gently pressed. Then, a slow fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks with indigenous yeasts in order to best preserve its unique character. The sparkling wine production takes place in autoclaves.

Acinum is a beautiful yellow, with greenish highlights. On the nose, it displays a fruity bouquet, with aromas of green apple and pink grapefruit. On the palate, it's smooth, crisp and extremely elegant, with a long, fresh and tasty finish. Acinum is excellent as an aperitif, and is ideal with fish dishes.

Only $9.96 in the Bottle Club®.

What to Drink for Valentine's Day, Part 1

The most romantic of holidays is coming soon. This will be the first of a several part series that will explore some of what our staff considers the best choices for you to enjoy Valentine's Day with that someone special. We'll start, as so many great celebrations do, with the bubbly.

Banfi Rosa Regale

We start in Italy, where "Amore" is a way of life. Banfi is one of the great Italian wine producers, offering reds, whites, and sparkling wines across every palate and price point. We think Rosa Regale is a perfect way to start your romantic Valentine's evening. Even the color of this sparkling wine is part of the appeal.

Rosa Regale is a soft, red sparkling wine, made from the Brachetto grape, all grown in the single "La Rosa" vineyard. This extremely aromatic, complex and historical grape variety grows only in the area of Acqui Terme, in Southern Piedmont (Northwestern Italy). The cold maceration of the grapes, followed by a soft pressing, allows the extraction of the typical intense aromas from the skins and gives to the wine its characteristic light ruby red color. Very pleasantly sweet and extremely elegant.

It's intense and aromatic on the nose, with hints of Bulgarian rose. On the palate, it's soft and elegant with berry flavors and a touch of almond and nutmeg.

Rosa Regale is an ideal aperitif, but also pairs beautifully with fresh strawberries, fruit salads, pastries and chocolate. It's available in the Bottle Club® for only $17.99.

Aubry Brut Champagne

Of course, the French also are experts in matters of the heart. And Champagne is still the reference point for any sparkling wine, so we recommend the Aubry Brut NV Champagne.

Our staff, Wine Spectator and Wine Advocate all agree about the quality and value of Aubry. Our staff: "A brilliant 'value' among Champagne!  Citrus and mineral notes take the lead with green apple and pear flavors in the background. A slight ginger note takes hold on the finish.  A dry, clean style that has a very attractive green apple juiciness that keeps you coming back for more. This puts some of the big house Champagnes to shame!"

Aubry rated 92 points from Wine Advocate. " This contains just one-quarter each Chardonnay and Pinot; 45% Meunier; and a mixture of Arbanne, Petit Meslier and Fromenteau (a.k.a. Pinot Gris). Nearly half of it is reserve wine, and more than half of that from a solera going back to 1998. If that sounds like a recipe for delivering complexity, you’re right and won’t be disappointed! Bittersweet perfume suggestive of gentian and iris mingles with intimations of fresh lime and sea breeze that in turn manifest themselves on a seductively silken palate in both juicy, vivacious exuberance and mouthwatering saliva-inducement. A scallop-like sweetly saline and mineral amalgam takes hold in a vibrant finish that leaves me caught between the urge to linger and the urge to take the next sip. This exceptional value by appellation standards is almost sure to prove worth following for several years."

And then there was the 90 point review from Wine Spectator: "There's a nice graininess to the texture, making this lively and defining its bread dough, apple and grapefruit flavors. Turns crisp, but stays balanced, with a dry, mouthwatering finish."

Only $35.99 in the Bottle Club®.

Keep returning to this blog, as we will have more posts on this topic in the next week or two.

Last Call for 2014

We're looking forward to closing the books on 2014 and opening up 2015. But before we get all "out with the old," let's focus on sparkling wines one last time. Whether you need some for tonight's celebrations or for tomorrow's brunch, sparkling wine sales peak in late December.

Over on our website, we've posted coupons for a couple of economical (but tasty) sparklers. Kila Cava is fruity and fresh with green apple and lime zest aromas. Fresh clean green apple and citrus flavors up front with a touch of toast/bread in the middle. Ripe and generous palate with a crisp clean finish. Caposaldo Prosecco is pale straw with greenish undertones; fruity aroma with citrus, green apple and acacia flowers. A pleasant acidity, freshness and full-bodied flavor make this a perfect wine to drink as an aperitif or with an antipasto, dinner or brunch.

The coupon saves you $1 off the already-low Bottle Club® price. Click here for the Lawrenceville coupons, and click here for the Woodbridge coupons. You don't need to print the coupons; as long as the cashier can see it on your smart phone, we can go paperless.

Yesterday's Bottle Club® email also featured special sale prices on several sparkling wines, from Aubry Champagne to Zonin Prosecco. Click here to see the Lawrenceville email, and click here to see the Woodbridge email.

Finally, in Monday's blog post, we reviewed the definitions for several types of sparkling wines, and offered eight more recommendations for your New Year's enjoyment. Click here to view that blog post.

One quick note on our store hours. Both our Lawrenceville and Woodbridge stores will be open until 8pm tonight, New Year's Eve, and from noon until 4pm tomorrow, New Year's Day.

From all of us at Joe Canal's, have a Happy, Healthy New Year. Drive safely tonight.

A New Year's Toast

It seems like everyone celebrates with bubbly on New Year's Eve. And maybe it seems that way to us because so many people find their way to our sparkling wine aisles this week. So to help you make the best choice for your needs, we have a quick guide to sparkling wine, and recommendations as well.

Definitions

Champagne is a type of sparkling wine, made in a particular place (the towns in Champagne, France), in a specific way (Methode Champenoise), from certain grapes (usually some combination of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier). Another distinguishing feature of Champagne is that it undergoes secondary fermentation in the bottle. Some domestic producers of sparkling wine call their products "California champagne".

Cremant is sparkling wine from other regions of France.

Prosecco is sparkling wine from the Veneto region of Italy. Made from the Glera grape, it is produced as a still wine, then that wine is moved to a pressurized steel tank with specific amounts of sugar and yeast. The sugar and yeast react to create the carbon dioxide, and the stainless steel tank yields a more fruit-driven sparkling wine.

Cava is typically produced in the Catalonia region of Spain. It has a protected DO status, and any number of local grapes can be used in Cava. A Cava is produced in the Methode Champenoise.

Dry vs. Sweet. There's no right or wrong when choosing a dry (Brut) or sweet (Sec) sparkling wine; let you palate be your guide. From drier to sweeter, the choices typically go from Brut Natural to Brut to Extra Dry to Blanc de Noir to Sec/Sweet. 

Recommendations

We recommend Aubry Brut Champagne. This NV Champagne rated 92 points from Wine Advocate. From the review: "This contains just one-quarter each Chardonnay and Pinot; 45% Meunier; and a mixture of Arbanne, Petit Meslier and Fromenteau (a.k.a. Pinot Gris). Nearly half of it is reserve wine, and more than half of that from a solera going back to 1998. If that sounds like a recipe for delivering complexity, you’re right and won’t be disappointed! Bittersweet perfume suggestive of gentian and iris mingles with intimations of fresh lime and sea breeze that in turn manifest themselves on a seductively silken palate in both juicy, vivacious exuberance and mouthwatering saliva-inducement. A scallop-like sweetly saline and mineral amalgam takes hold in a vibrant finish that leaves me caught between the urge to linger and the urge to take the next sip."

Our staff loved it as well: "A brilliant “value” among Champagne!  Citrus and mineral notes take the lead with green apple and pear flavors in the background.  A slight ginger note takes hold on the finish.  A dry, clean style that has a very attractive green apple juiciness that keeps you coming back for more.  This puts some of the big house Champagnes to shame!" Available at $35.99 in the Bottle Club®.

If you prefer a domestic sparkler, one that is made like Champagne, it's hard to beat Gruet. This is available as a Brut or Blanc de Noir. It's produced in New Mexico by the family of Gilbert Gruet, a Frenchman who produced Champagne in Bethon, France. They began their great American experiment with an experimental vineyard in 1984, and their first bottlings available in 1989.

The Gruet Blanc de Noir rates 90 points from Wine Spectator. The rich and toasty character of the Blanc de Noirs is balanced and superb. Aged for two-year minimum, the palate is developed and shows rich complex flavors. The amazing berry aromas and the creamy texture play a leading role and create a great finesse. Winemaker's Note: A fine salmon color, aggressive mousse and a lovely fruity wine with plenty of immediate charm and toasty aromas. There is also an explosive juicy flavor of raspberry. $13.99 in the Bottle Club®.

The Gruet Brut offers a crisp, and full-bodied sparkling wine, which has developed rich complexity and fine mousse. The allure of toasty finish from twenty-four months on tirage, is a complement to the sophisticated apple and citrus flavor.Winemaker's Note: Brilliant with ultra fine bubbles. A wonderful fine bouquet dominated by green apple and grapefruit flavors. A truly classic house style! A Wine Spectator Best Buy, at only $12.99 in the Bottle Club®.

Scharffenberger Brut is from Mendocino, CA, and rated 90 points from Wine Spectator. Their review: "A delightfully racy sparkler, with tart apple and floral anise aromas leading to zesty lime and lemon flavors, presenting accents of cinnamon and spicy ginger. Drink now." This was also popular with our staff, earning these remarks: "This is good, really good! A vibrant sparkler offering flavors of apple, citrus and spice with a slightly honeyed fruit note. Creamy and full-bodied! Great value!" Only $16.99 in the Bottle Club®.

Juve y Camps Reserva de la Familia is made mainly from the "free-run juice" of Macabeu, Xarel-lo and parellada grapes harvested from our Expiells, Can Massana and La Cuscona estates.

It is an attractive, bright, pale gold cava. Its tiny, abundant bubbles rise up, forming a large number of streams and a stable crown. Deep, intense and elegant, it initially evokes notes of ripe white fruit. Its complexity gradually increases and the aromas typical of long aging then appear. Hints of toast and a certain citrus background complete its distinguished aroma.

Its creamy mousse is perfectly integrated on the palate, making its mouthfeel simultaneously fresh, rounded and evocative. All the aromas found in the glass are displayed in the long finish.

The Reserva de la Familia is a Brut Nature cava. It is a Gran Reserva that has aged for 36 months on average in the bottle. Only $13.99 in the Bottle Club®.

Nicolas Feuillatte Blue Label Brut rated 92 points from Wine Spectator. "Rich and creamy, showing the dried fruit, nut and spice notes of fruitcake, with lemon meringue, quince and honey flavors. Clean citrusy acidity integrates beautifully and provides an elegance to this refined Champagne. Drink now through 2020."

From our staff: "Interesting aromas of lemon and nuts with great visual pearlage. It has a creamy, full and foamy mouthfeel and is classically dry with ginger and orange peel flavors." Only $31.99 in the Bottle Club®.

Zonin Prosecco is produced in Veneto, Italy. Our staff notes: "Fantastic value sparkling wine! This is a clean, easy-going bubbly offering apple and pear flavors with a touch of almond on the soft finish. It's a bright, fun sparkler to enjoy before or during any meal! A great New Year's Eve alternative to Champagne!" Only $9.98 in the Bottle Club®.

Merum Prosecco, also from Italy, is a Vino Spumante, meaning it has a touch of sweetness. This has excellent bubbles that stay around longer than most Proseccos. It has a creamy flavor with soft fruit and nuttiness. Enjoy on its own as an aperitif or in a Bellini or Mimosa. Only $9.96 in the Bottle Club®.

The New Review

It's time for us to take an extended look at some of the new items that either have just arrived, or will be on our shelves within the next couple of days.

Chloe Pinot Grigio

The Chloe Chardonnay has been a big success, so we've added their Pinot Grigio. This wine has alluring aromatics that lead into a fruit-forward palate with crisp, racy acid and a generous mouthfeel.

Chloe Pinot Grigio displays flavors of ripe, juicy white peach, melon and apple with beautiful honeysuckle and subtle Meyer lemon. It is bright, classic, and has a refreshing and pure panache.

This Pinot Grigio comes from the northern Italian region of Valdadige, and is priced at only $15.99 in the Bottle Club®.

Dow's Vintage Port, 2007

A must-have is you're serious about dessert wines, and it's only available in limited quantities. High-quality vintage Ports aren't the norm; Dow’s Vintage Ports are only produced in years of exceptional quality and represent only a very small part of the total company’s production in that year. On average only two or three times every ten years are the weather conditions sufficiently good to allow for the making of Dow’s Vintage Port.

Dow’s Ports avoid an over-rich style and requires a very high degree of skill in wine making and great experience in selecting the finest wines of each year and each vineyard. These wines are aged in seasoned oak casks for some 18 months and are bottled without any filtration or fining whatsoever.

Dow Vintage Ports can be enjoyed when vibrant and young or they can be allowed to age for many years in bottle into a soft and delicate wine of velvet-like elegance.

This wine scored a perfect 100 from Wine Spectator, rating as #14 of the WS Top 100 in 2010. Their review: "Amazing aromas of lilac, violet, crushed blueberry and mineral that turn to black pepper and spices follow through to a full-bodied, medium-sweet palate, with a long, chewy finish. Evolves to tar and asphalt. Really held back, yet powerful grip slaps you—and makes you happy. This is mind-blowing in texture. The greatest Dow ever made. Best after 2022." The other reviewers liked this as well: 96 points from Wine Enthusiast, 95 from Tanzer, and 94 from Wine Advocate.

This collectable wine is priced at $148.99 in the Bottle Club®.

Lunetta Prosecco

Lunetta, (“Little Moon” in Italian) celebrates life’s small pleasures. Lunetta Prosecco is produced by Cavit, internationally recognized as northern Italy’s largest and most reliable source of quality varietal wines, at Cavit’s state-of-the-art sparkling wine facility just outside the regional capital of Trento. It is the largest facility in Italy dedicated exclusively to producing world-class sparkling wines.

It is fragrant, with enticing aromas of apple and peach. On the palate, refreshing, dry and harmonious, with crisp fruit flavors and a clean finish. Like any excellent sparkling wine, it's delightful as an aperitif or enjoyed with antipasti, hors d'oeuvres, sushi, shellfish and seafood.Only $10.49 in the Bottle Club®.

Stone Saison

In spring 2011, Stone bought the farm, literally, taking over 19 acres of fertile Southern California soil where they now grow pristine fruits, vegetables, herbs and more for the Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens restaurants. A taste of Stone's homespun farm-to-tableism is provided in this farmhouse ale stoked with lemon zest, plus lemon thyme and lavender straight from Stone Farms. This spring-to-summer saison is citric and herbal on the palate with a dry, peppery finish. Thanks to the infusion of fresh West Coast ingredients, this isn’t your everyday saison. It’s 100% Stone. Celebrate the sunny season with an authentic taste of our farm and, with it, Stone's commitment to quality.



Please note that we're getting new items almost every weekday, and we also get great discounted items on a regular basis. Please check in with one of our team members for assistance.

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! 

Fresh Drink Recipes

We're still in the party season, so we'd like to help boost your "bar appeal" by offering a few additional drink suggestions from our partners.

The Twisted Ginger
by Kate Bennett, Domaine Carneros

Ingredients:

4 oz. of Domaine Carneros Brut Vintage Sparkling Wine
1 oz. of Ginger Beer 
1 sugar cube (raw sugar preferred)
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
(Lemon Twist for garnish)

• Place a single sugar cube in base of the sparkling wine flute (minimum 6 oz. capacity).
• Pour chilled Domaine Carneros Sparkling Wine into the sparkling wine flute.
• Pour lemon juice into the sparkling wine.
• Float Ginger Beer on top of the Sparkling Wine/lemon mixture.
• Place tightly twisted lemon twist across the top of the flute, as a garnish.

Since we've been seeing recipes for the Moscow Mule everywhere, we checked with Tito's Vodka for their take on this cocktail classic:

Tito’s Kickin’ Mule

• 1 1/2 oz. Tito’s vodka
• 1/2oz. Freshly squeezed lime
• 3oz. Ginger beer
• Lime wedge for garnish
  
  Serve in a mug or Collins glass

These Fireball Whisky recipes allow us to combine two of our favorites!

Hot Cherry

1 part Fireball Whisky
1 part Grey Goose Cherry Noir Vodka
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Shake the ingredients, pour over ice into a rocks glass.
Garnish with a lemon slice

Because, Fireball, here's another:

The Man-Mosa
3 oz Brut Champagne
1.5 oz Fireball Whisky
Orange Juice

Pour the chilled champagne into a flute glass (6 oz capacity), add Fireball, top off with OJ. Because guys just can't order a Mimosa. 

Please drink responsibly!

Sparkling Wine or Champagne? Part 1

When I worked at the Lawrenceville store, the Champagne/Sparkling Wine  question was ever-present. Since so many people will be shopping for the bubbly over the next few days, I thought this would be a good time to offer some guidance and definitions.

Champagne is a sparkling wine that is produced in the Champagne region of northeastern France. Champagne will include any or all of these three grapes: Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir, and will include a secondary fermentation (to create the carbonation). "Méthode champenoise" is the term used to describe the champagne-making process. You'll see that phrase on many domestic sparkling wines (like Gruet, Domaine Ste. Michelle and Schramsberg), which indicates that those are made like champagne, but aren't made in Champagne.

An under-the-radar, highly recommended Champagne is the Duc de Romet. It's properly Brut, and scored 91 points from Wine Spectator. From their review: "A fine, creamy mousse defines this elegant version, underscored by a chalky note of minerality and offering subtle notes of patisserie apple, blanched almond, fresh ginger and a hint of crystallized honey." And at only $25.99 in the Bottle Club®, it's our lowest-priced Champagne.

Any number of other sparkling wines are produced in France, but are not champagnes. Two examples are the Varichon & Clerc Brut Blanc de Blancs and Jean-Charles Boisset's JCB Cremant de Bourgogne. Blanc de Blancs, or "white from white", is a sparkling wine made exclusively from white grapes. A Cremant ("creamy") sparkling wine must be hand-harvested, and aged for at least one year. And since they're both priced under $20, they may be attractive alternatives to champagne.

We offer several types of Italian sparkling wine: Prosecco, Moscato d'Asti, and Asti (also known as Spumante or Asti Spumante).

Prosecco is traditionally made in northeastern Italy, in the Veneto and Friuli-Venezia-Giulia regions. It's typically made from the grape known both as Glera or Prosecco. Most often, Prosecco is produced with the secondary fermentation occurring in stainless steel tanks, making the wine less expensive to produce than champagne.

One staff favorite is the Merum Prosecco. It's a "Vino Spumante", which means that it had the full secondary fermentation, making it more sparkling than many others.

This has excellent bubbles that stay around longer than most Proseccos. It has a creamy flavor with soft fruit and nuttiness. Enjoy on its own as an aperitif or in a Bellini or Mimosa. Merum is priced at only $9.96 in the Bottle Club®, making it an outstanding value.

Another Prosecco that's a staff favorite is Zonin.

Zonin Prosecco is another fantastic value sparkling wine!  It's a clean, easy-going bubbly offering apple and pear flavors with a touch of almond on the soft finish.  This is a bright, fun sparkler to enjoy before or during any meal! And from the review in Wine Enthusiast: "An enjoyable bubbly with good creamy froth, white peach, mineral and hard candy tones that are nicely balanced and spread throughout. It has a thick consistency and a snappy, crisp close". Consider Zonin Prosecco for your midnight toast on New Year's Eve, priced at $9.99 in the Bottle Club®.

If you prefer a domestic sparkling wine, we have a great suggestion for you. I have a couple of bottles of this in my wine 'fridge, because it's at that perfect intersection of price, value and quality: Gruet Brut.

French-born Gilbert Gruet learned to make wine in the Champagne region of France and then moved himself and his family to New Mexico. There, they set up production of one of the best tasting, best value sparkling wines in the country. Vineyards at an elevation of 4300ft. get hot in the day and very cool at night, producing great fruit with crisp acidity. You can see the "Méthode champenoise" designation on the label, and it definitely feels like a champagne.

Gruet Brut is a crisp and full-bodied sparkling wine, which has developed rich complexity and fine mousse. The allure of toasty finish from twenty-four months on tirage, is a complement to the sophisticated apple and citrus flavor. Winemaker's Note: Brilliant with ultra fine bubbles. A wonderful fine bouquet dominated by green apple and grapefruit flavors. A truly classic house style!  

The price? Only $12.99  in the Bottle Club®.
 
With so many Champagnes and other sparkling wines on our shelves, choosing can be difficult, especially if you don't often indulge. We hope these notes, drawn from our staff, the wineries and professional journals, will offer you some guidance. As always, don't hesitate to ask for assistance from our staff. Part 2 will be published tomorrow, with more outstanding selections for your consideration.