Perhaps its a common thought that theres a sense of cliché, or ubiquity, with toasting the new year with sparkling wine. I almost wish it was that common, because it can be such a fantastic, versatile and food-friendly style of wine.
When I was running restaurants, we always upped our stock of sparkling towards the end of December, and after conversations with a bunch of colleagues, I know that still to be the case. The thing is, while there are usually plenty of cases on hand, more often than not theres barely a dent in that stock come the wee hours of January 1.
When asking non-wine trade friends why they dont drink sparkling more often, the response usually entails something to the effect of it being more of a special occasion thing. My thought is that, sure, sparklings can absolutely add an extra splash of cheer or whimsy to a special occasion, but last time I checked theres no rule against enjoying a glass or two of the good stuff on an idle Wednesday in January as well.
Lets make a resolution to drink more bubble in 2014. You can begin with it being your beverage of choice as the clock strikes 12 on New Years Eve. Here are three suggestions, all of them done in the traditional method a la Champagne, to get you started down the right path.
Antech Cremant de Limoux | Languedoc, France | $25+ | Private Wine Stores
Carrying on six generations of tradition for stellar sparkling in the south of France, the house of Antech has a solid reputation for consistency, quality and value. This blend of Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and Mauzac has a nice little just-baked yellow sponge cake thing on the nose, then muddled lemon and Seville orange on the palate with a hint of of high-quality olive oil, adding an extra touch of sophistication.
Blue Mountain Gold Label Brut | Okanagan Falls, BC | $25+ | Private Wine Stores/WineryDirect
Long established as the winery making some of the best bubbly in British Columbia, the Mavety familys Gold Label is composed of estate-grown, hand-harvested Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris. After harvest and the second fermentation in the bottle, the wine sits on the spent yeast lees for 24 months, resulting in some charming brioche-y aromas, which then get slathered with orange marmalade and fresh lime. The value here is incredible.
Lanson Black Label Brut | Champagne, France | $64.99 | BC Liquor Stores
This is the real deal from Champagne, offering the toasty nose, crisp minerality and vibrant citrus character one would expect. The classic blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier is super-fragrant and reminiscent of those first few moments peeling a Mandarin orange around the holidays. While the wine is dry, there is a juicy component to it too, making it all the more welcome at your dinner table.
As always, if youre having trouble finding something or just want to say hi, find me via KurtisKolt.com or on Twitter @KurtisKolt.
