Sparkling wines are the perfect choice to celebrate the holidays with friends and family, but do you know the difference between all the bubbles out there?
Wine must do more than sparkle to be called Champagne, here are a few tips on how to select and serve the perfect bubbles for your holiday celebration!
Champagne is what every sparkling wine strives to be, but only wine from the Champagne region in North East France can be called Champagne. Three different grapes are used to make Champagne; Chardonnay is a white grape and when used to blend Champagne provides the elegance and longevity to the wine. Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier are dark skinned grapes used in Champagne production. Pinot Noir creates the structure and richness while Pinot Meunier gives wine youthful fruit. Egly-Ouriet Brut Tradition Grand Cru is a blend of 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay. At $70 a bottle, this stunning Champagne is a wine to share with your family during a meal.
Prosecco is a sparkling wine made by a grape of the same name from the far eastern Veneto, Italy. This sparkling wine can be light and fruity or be produced in a drier style. Anselmi Prosecco at $13 a bottle is an example of the drier style. The wine does show a light peachiness which is often found in these sparkling wines. Slice some fruit or add berries to the glass to dress it up or this is the perfect wine to use for mimosas at brunch, use peach juice rather than Orange Juice for a real treat!
Segura Viudas Reserve Heredad is a sparkling wine from Spain. The traditional grapes used for Cava are Macabeu, Zarel-lo and Parellada. Macabeu and Parellada are the grapes used in this blend. The bottle is a stunning presentation; it is a hand-blown bottle with a slender, tapered neck. The bottle displays a pewter crest of Segura Viudas and sits on a pewter base. This makes a wonderful wine to offer to guests as the arrive or to take as a hostess gift. The bottle itself is always a conversation starter and at $22 an easy choice!
For more helpful suggestions at all price points and for any occasion, stop into your independent, locally owned and operated wine shop.
The Winnetka Wine Shop
Winnetka
Every wine and beer is hand selected, taste tested and ready for you, and your host, to enjoy every sip. We also carry a large selection of wine accessories and gourmet foods.
See you soon at 726 Elm Street, mention this and get 10% off one bottle of wine or beer!
