Unfiltered, Unfined

Bubbles and the anticipation of more bubbles

Are you experiencing post-holiday blues, when late winter nights, although getting shorter, are still too long, and daylight is cold and fleeting? I’m here to tell you that all is not lost, because at least one of the elements of joy can be enjoyed year-round. Sparkling wines add lift and vivacity to every occasion, which is why they’re even more important at the times of year when there seems less to celebrate. Clearly then, a late-February list of reasonably priced, top-notch bubbly is of the highest priority.

Oregon bubble grapes

Let’s start with the New World, where many great fizzy values reside. First, as a general rule, I’d recommend sparkling wine from the Willamette Valley in Oregon. The area’s warm summer days and cool nights promote proper grape development, and the region as a whole focuses on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, two of the three grapes used in French Champagne. Try the Argyle Brut, so elegant and creamy, with white pepper and roasted nut aromas that add to the citrus and pear flavors. Terrific with appetizers and small plates.

I also love great rosés. Heavier in body yet still vivacious, they’re some of the all-time food wines. One I’d recommend is the Schramsberg Brut Rosé Mirabelle, out of the quaint Napa town of Calistoga. Seriously intense, yet exuding a delicate pink hue and aromas of white flowers, berries and cinnamon roll. The flavors are well-focused, starting at the berry end of the spectrum but tending toward yellow apple and fig on the expansive finish.

Moving to the Old World, most of the wine-producing countries of Europe also make copious quantities of bubbles. Prosecco from the Veneto in Italy is fresh and clean and pairs exceptionally well with regional foods. One of my favorites, previously recommended but tasted again recently and still wonderful, is the Bortolomiol Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Bandarossa Extra Dry. This golden juice shows a bright citrus edge on the nose, followed by tropical fruit and honey on the medium-long finish. It would be perfect alongside Prosciutto-wrapped melon.

Sampling the wines so you don't have to!

Spanish Cava, on the other hand, can often be toasty and nutty, just like Champagne. But because it’s made from Spanish grapes it has a different flavor spectrum. A favorite of mine (and another double-recommendee) is the Segura Viudas Brut Aria, a non-vintage (includes grapes from multiple harvests) dry Cava that’s exhilarating and finely tuned. Ripe pineapple, toasted nuts and honey predominate with hints of pear and peach on the crisp, clean finish.

As for the big boys, the high-end Champagnes, at the beginning of this column I said that I’d focus on reasonably-priced sparklers. However, two standouts from a recent top-of-the-bubbles tasting must be mentioned. Run, don’t walk, and pick up some André Clouet 1911 Brut, a non-vintage beauty that oozes leesy truffles and popcorn at first, then transitions to gentle lime peel and lemon zest on the broad finish. In terms of a great rosé, the J. LaSalle Brut Rosé balances acidity and lush rhubarb and strawberry aromas against toasty rose petal on the perfectly fizzy, moderately long palate.

When it’s time to celebrate, why do we always reach for bubbles? Because they’re classy, refined, and stand up well to food. They’re also delicious. In this most depressing of seasons, when the days are close to their shortest and the nights seem to stretch until the morning’s first coffee break, brighten your mood with a few choice sparklers. Why wait ten months to sip something so special?