It's the end of December, and with the waning days of 2013 upon us, wine conversation inevitably turns to one topic: bubbles.
I know you most of you are looking for sparkling wine and you want particular suggestions about what to buy and drink. No problem: I am here to help. The bottles discussed below span a range of styles and price points, and should be available in most large retail markets. If you want the particulars about these wines now, just click here to jump down below; however, before telling you about my picks, I am going to give you a few thoughts about sparkling wine.
I love sparkling wine. I consider it a "desert island wine," meaning sparkling wine is on a short list of beverages I would have if marooned somewhere. Most people don't think of sparkling wine as an everyday beverage, but it should be considered as one. Sparklers have great acidity and structure, and depending on their style can have quite a bit of body, making them versatile with food. One should try to think of sparkling wines as exactly that - wines - which should be enjoyed beyond the confines of New Year's celebrations, graduations, engagements, and the like. As a matter of fact, there are many restaurants which feature fantastic lists of sparkling wines which can be paired easily and wonderfully with food. Take a look at Corkbuzz's Champagne Campaign or the wine list at Pearl and Ash, to name a few. Or, better yet, go in and have a glass or bottle with a food pairing recommendation to get an idea of what is possible.
Speaking of the wines, a bit of background helps frame discussion and may aid in helping choose a bottle that is right for you. Champagne, the sparkling wine from the eponymous region in Northern France, is made by fermenting still wine for a second time when in bottle (called méthode Champenoise or méthode traditionelle). This second fermentation generates carbon dioxide, yielding the bubbles in sparkling wine. Champagne is, in my opinion, one of the most elegant and complex wines in the world. The problem is that with a few exceptions, it is hard to find a good bottle of Champagne for less than $40. Alternatives to Champagne, meaning wines made using the same winemaking techniques, offer excellent product at lower price points. Examples include Crémants from the Jura, Burgundy, Alsace, and the Loire Valley from France, sparkling wines from the United States, Cava from Spain, and Franciacorta from Italy.
Sparkling wines, whether from Champagne or another region, strike a balance between acidity, body, and sweetness. The sweetness in a Champagne is determined by the dosage, which is a sugar solution added to the sparkling wine after disgorgement (i.e. right before the final cork is placed). The amount of dosage determines the category of sparkling wine, for example Extra Brut, Brut, Brut Zero, Demi-Sec. A Brut Champagne has less than 12 grams/liter of residual sugar and is most commonly what one sees for purchase. Extra Brut has between 0 and 6 grams/liter of residual sugar, and Brut Zero (also called Brut Nature) is the driest style of Champagne, containing between 0 and 3 grams/liter of residual sugar. Importantly, the amount of residual sugar in a sparkling wine, regardless of where the wine is from, plays a massive role in how the wine tastes. Most of the sparkling wines you will purchase are Brut; however, there are some very low-dosage (i.e. almost no sugar) sparkling wines available, and a few are discussed here. (If you are interested in a more thorough review of drier-style Champagnes, take a look at Eric Asimov's recent review in the New York Times.) The reason I am highlighting the sweetness aspect of sparkling wine is that low-dosage wines, in general, will be much crisper with more noticeable acidity, and will have a totally different texture than other sparkling wines you may have tasted in the past.
With all of this being said, onto the wines.
I know you most of you are looking for sparkling wine and you want particular suggestions about what to buy and drink. No problem: I am here to help. The bottles discussed below span a range of styles and price points, and should be available in most large retail markets. If you want the particulars about these wines now, just click here to jump down below; however, before telling you about my picks, I am going to give you a few thoughts about sparkling wine.
I love sparkling wine. I consider it a "desert island wine," meaning sparkling wine is on a short list of beverages I would have if marooned somewhere. Most people don't think of sparkling wine as an everyday beverage, but it should be considered as one. Sparklers have great acidity and structure, and depending on their style can have quite a bit of body, making them versatile with food. One should try to think of sparkling wines as exactly that - wines - which should be enjoyed beyond the confines of New Year's celebrations, graduations, engagements, and the like. As a matter of fact, there are many restaurants which feature fantastic lists of sparkling wines which can be paired easily and wonderfully with food. Take a look at Corkbuzz's Champagne Campaign or the wine list at Pearl and Ash, to name a few. Or, better yet, go in and have a glass or bottle with a food pairing recommendation to get an idea of what is possible.
Speaking of the wines, a bit of background helps frame discussion and may aid in helping choose a bottle that is right for you. Champagne, the sparkling wine from the eponymous region in Northern France, is made by fermenting still wine for a second time when in bottle (called méthode Champenoise or méthode traditionelle). This second fermentation generates carbon dioxide, yielding the bubbles in sparkling wine. Champagne is, in my opinion, one of the most elegant and complex wines in the world. The problem is that with a few exceptions, it is hard to find a good bottle of Champagne for less than $40. Alternatives to Champagne, meaning wines made using the same winemaking techniques, offer excellent product at lower price points. Examples include Crémants from the Jura, Burgundy, Alsace, and the Loire Valley from France, sparkling wines from the United States, Cava from Spain, and Franciacorta from Italy.
Sparkling wines, whether from Champagne or another region, strike a balance between acidity, body, and sweetness. The sweetness in a Champagne is determined by the dosage, which is a sugar solution added to the sparkling wine after disgorgement (i.e. right before the final cork is placed). The amount of dosage determines the category of sparkling wine, for example Extra Brut, Brut, Brut Zero, Demi-Sec. A Brut Champagne has less than 12 grams/liter of residual sugar and is most commonly what one sees for purchase. Extra Brut has between 0 and 6 grams/liter of residual sugar, and Brut Zero (also called Brut Nature) is the driest style of Champagne, containing between 0 and 3 grams/liter of residual sugar. Importantly, the amount of residual sugar in a sparkling wine, regardless of where the wine is from, plays a massive role in how the wine tastes. Most of the sparkling wines you will purchase are Brut; however, there are some very low-dosage (i.e. almost no sugar) sparkling wines available, and a few are discussed here. (If you are interested in a more thorough review of drier-style Champagnes, take a look at Eric Asimov's recent review in the New York Times.) The reason I am highlighting the sweetness aspect of sparkling wine is that low-dosage wines, in general, will be much crisper with more noticeable acidity, and will have a totally different texture than other sparkling wines you may have tasted in the past.
With all of this being said, onto the wines.
Moët and Chandon, Imperial Brut, NV $45 This is Moët’s non-vintage Champagne, made of a blend of 30-40% Pinot Noir, 30-40% Pinot Meunier, and 20-30% Chardonnay. The residual sugar is 9 grams/liter. It represents Moet's house style and is a beautiful non-vintage Champagne, showing vibrant green apple and citrus notes, brioche and freshly baked bread, and has a bright, crisp finish. |
Marc Hebrart "Cuvée de Reserve" Brut NV $38 This non-vintage offering from Marc Hebrart is composed of 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay, and with 8 grams/liter of residual sugar is on the drier spectrum of Brut Champagnes. It is an amazing value for the price. I love the citrus and fruit aromas and the crisp mineral elements. This Champagne has a precision and finesse that allows it to deliver well above its price point. |
Jacquesson "Cuvée 736" Brut $65 This Champagne is based on wines from the 2008 vintage and represents the 736th cuvée this producer has made, composed of 53% Chardonnay, 29% Pinot Noir, 18% Pinot Meunier. This is a very dry style of Champgane, with only 1.5 grams/liter of residual sugar. It is a great representation of low-dosage Champagne: bright with citrus zest, nectarine, notes of baked baguette and a ton of mineral-chalky elements. The high acidity and low sugar content makes this a beautifully tense, racy, and vibrant Champagne, with a wonderful texture and elegance. |
Andre & Mireille Tissot, Crémant du Jura NV $25 This biodynamic estate located in the Jura (Eastern France between Burgundy & Switzerland) crafts a superb Crémant from 55% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir, 5% Poulsard, and 5% Trousseau. It is fresh and elegant with crisp notes of apples, fresh bioche, almonds, hazelnuts, and white flowers. It is a beautifully balanced sparkling wine, and is an amazing value for the price. (P.S. The estate also makes a rose that is equally as impressive.) |
Zusslin, Cremant d'Alsace Brut Zero NV $28 If you are looking for a razor sharp, elegant, apertif-style sparkling wine, this Cremant d' Alsace may be the wine for you. It is made from 95% Auxerrois and 5% Chardonnay and has no added sugar (i.e. zero dosage). The body is on the lighter end of the spectrum for sparkling wine, with subtle notes of lemon peel and white flowers. I really enjoy the wine’s mineral notes, dryness and elegance. |
Roederer Estate, Anderson Valley Brut NV $20 This California sparkling wine (made using méthode traditionelle) is a blend of 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir, and is aged for a minimum of 2 years on the yeast. It is very well balanced and elegant with complex notes of apples, pears, hazelnuts, and honey; but, it retains a bright acidity which preserves its structure. |
Scharffenberger, Excellence Brut NV $15 Another California méthode traditionelle offering, this 2/3 Chardonnay, 1/3 Pinot Noir non-vintage blend also is sourced from Anderson Valley. It undergoes malolactic acid fermentation, giving it notes of vanilla and richer creamy, toasty mouthfeel coupled with aromas of apple and honey. |
Gruet, Brut NV $15 Gruet is a New Mexico-based winery that primarily focuses on sparkling wine. The Brut NV is representative of their house style, and is a blend of 75% Chardonnay and 25% Pinot Noir. The climate and soil of the Gruet vineyards are very similar to those found in Champagne, and it shows in the wine, which sports mouth-watering acidity and flavors of honeydew, pear, green apple, and stony minerality. It is a well-balanced sparkler that drinks like a wine twice its price. |
Segura Viudas, Cava Brut Reserva NV $11 From the Penedès region just outside Barcelona, this Cava is one of the best values in sparkling wine. It is a blend of 50% Macabeo (Viuria), 35% Parellada, and 15% Xarel-lo (indigenous grapes to Spain), made in the traditional method with 9 grams/liter of residual sugar. It has aromas of citrus and apple with toasty, bready, and nutty elements. |
I hope this list helps with your search for the perfect sparkling wine. As always, the most important thing is to taste and enjoy what you drink. Also, after the New Year's celebrations, don't forget to consider sparkling wine as something to drink throughout the year!