ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, December 27, 1995 TAG: 9512270047
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 10 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: The Wine List
SOURCE: BETH CRITTENDEN
A new year calls for celebration, and what better way to bring in 1996 than with the traditional pop of a cork? Sparkling wines add a festive feel to any occasion, so take advantage of the bubbles and the celebration. You will be in good company, since almost 50 percent of all champagne and sparkling-wine sales take place during the holiday season, with 90 percent of the beverages consumed within three hours of purchase.
Sparkling wines are made in a variety of styles, from very dry (``natural" or ``brut") to very sweet (``sec" or ``demi-sec"), using different grapes and different production methods. Most sparklers are made from Chardonnay, Pinot noir and Pinot Meunier grapes, but there also are a handful from Riesling, Muscat, Chenin Blanc and other varietals. All Champagnes are sparkling wines, but not all sparkling wines are champagnes, since true champagnes can only come from the Champagne region of France.
Store sparkling wines on their sides in a cool, dark area free from vibration. The wines should be well-chilled to about 45,F for serving.
Dawnine Dyer from California's Domaine Chandon offers these tips for opening sparkling wines:
"Remove the top foil and place a towel or napkin over the cork and wire hood. Tilting the bottle away from you and others, untwist the wire hood and slowly twist the bottle, not the cork, letting the pressure of the bubbles push the cork out as the bottle turns. The cork should come out with a whisper. Pour wine slowly into a tilted champagne flute or tulip-shaped glass to about two-thirds full."
Your party options are many when planning around sparkling wines. You may decide to pop a cork at midnight to ring in the new year. But if you would like to have more of a theme, try a dessert party including some sweeter sparklers to go with the desserts. Another option is serving heavy hors d'oeuvres for an appetizer party; salty foods pair well with Brut and Extra Dry sparklers. Or, offer sparkling wines at a New Year's Day breakfast, brunch or open house.
Many recipes for desserts, sauces, appetizers or main entrees using sparkling wine as an ingredient. The addition of the wine adds a festive touch and often makes an automatic flavor bridge, which helps in matching the foods and wines. Here are a couple of my favorite recipes from sparkling wine companies. Cheers!
MARTINI & ROSSI ASTI TRUFFLES (see microfilm for recipe.)
THE WINE LIST runs once a month in the Extra section. Beth Crittenden is a local wine wholesaler and founder of the Roanoke Valley Wine Society, which meets for wine-tasting programs on the fourth Thursday of each month. Call 992-3285.
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