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Happy Hour: Bubbly Sparkling Wine

partysugar — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 12:43:32 -0800

The other day a lively lady named Anita visited me and she was bearing gifts: three bottles of Bubbly! No, that capitalized B is not a typo, she didn't bring me Champagne she brought me a new brand of sparkling wine called Bubbly that comes all the way from Slovenia. It's Slovenia's (say it out loud it's totally funtastic) premiere, estate grown, hand bottled sparkling wine. Bubbly comes in three chic varietals: Bubbly Bliss is made with Chardonnay grapes, the pink Bubbly Lovely is made with Pinot Noir grapes, and Bubbly Luck is made mostly with Welschriezling grapes. Bubbly has subtle fruit notes such as citrus, apple, and berries with an unusual and unique structure. It doesn't taste like champagne its much lighter and smoother. Anita not only gave me a bottle of each to sample she also gave me a few recipes to share with you ladies, so read more

Bubbly Cocktail Recipes
From Anita Brey

Blissfully Bubbly Cosmo

Chilled Bubbly Bliss
Splash of Cranberry Juice
Shot of Cointreau or Grand Marnier
Twist of fresh lime
Dash of sugar

Mix juice, Cointreau or Grand Marnier, sugar and lime together.
Pour into champagne flute, top off glass with Bubbly.

The Lucky Pom-Pom

1 part Pomegranate juice
3 parts Bubbly Luck
Dash of Campari
Pomegranate seeds, for garnish

Mix liquids and pour into flute or martini glasses, top with pomegranate seeds.

Brave Velvety Bliss

This drink is traditionally called The Black Velvet. It is nearly 150 years old. It was invented at the Brook's Club, London in 1861. Only for the brave!

Half glass of stout beer
Chilled Bubbly Bliss

Tilt the glass and slowly pour in chilled Bubbly Bliss.

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Bubbly 101

YumSugar — Sat, 30 Dec 2006 00:05:13 -0800

I can't deny it, I love champagne. It's just one of those things, like painted nails, Marc Jacobs handbags, and vanilla cupcakes, that I wholeheartedly love. I find myself inventing reasons to pop open a bottle of bubbly and my desire to know more about champagne extends beyond the usual mmm-this-tastes-yummy interest.

I've decided that champagne, or any sparkling wine really, is a drink of glamorous sophistication and simplistic elegance and should be treated as such. Basically in order for me to truly appreciate champagne, I need to fully understand it. For my lesson on sparklers, read more

All champagne is sparkling wine but not all sparkling wine is champagne. The name champagne refers to the sparkling wines produced in the Champagne region of northeast France.
At the end of World War I, the name champagne was actually protected in the Treaty of Versailles, sort of patenting the drink to classify only those sparkling wines made from Champagne's grapes. However the U.S. never officially signed the treaty, therefore some American producers of sparkling wines have named their product champagne. For example, Korbel produces a sparkling wine on American soil and has named it champagne.

Sparkling wines are produced in many places throughout the world, and like champagne have various names based on the location of their production. The sparkling wines that are produced in Italy are called prosecco or spumante. Spain's sparkling wines are called cava and a German produced sparkling wine is called sekt. Unfortunately the sparkling wine that is produced in California and New York was never coined a fun and fabulous name, and is plainly christened sparkling wine.
Sparkling wines are labeled based on their sweetness. Sparkling wines are either sweet or dry. A dry bubbly has no sweet taste. If you take a look at a bottle of sparkling wine, you will notice that there is no mention of sweetness or dryness. However you may notice the words, brut or sec, both of which refer to the sweetness of the wine. Here's my handy dandy quick translation:

Doux: is the sweetest type of sparkling wine out there thus making it a dessert sparkling wine (over 5% sugar).
Demi-sec: not quite as sweet as doux, still very sweet (3.3 - 5% sugar).
Sec: although in French it literally translates to dry, this sparkling wine is sweet (1.7 - 3.5% sugar).
Extra dry: is in between and has both hints of sweetness and dryness (1.2 - 2% sugar).
Brut: is the most common type of sparkling wine, and is dry (less than 1.5% sugar).
Extra Brut: is the driest of the sparkling wines or the least sweet tasting.

Sparkling wines are best served cold at 45°.
Do not leave sparkling wines in the fridge for an overextended period of time because prolonged exposure to cold could make it taste flat.
Use tall and narrow glasses to make more bubbles.
You can determine the value of a sparkling wine by examining the size of the bubbles. The most expensive sparklers have the smallest bubbles, about 50 million bubbles per bottle!

Read more about the process of making sparkling wine.

All About Bubbly: A Guide to Champagne Jargon

YumSugar — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 10:15:10 -0700

Whether you're celebrating a wedding, honeymoon, graduation, or just the fact that it's Friday, you're probably raising a glass of champagne. Of course, not all sparkling wine is classified as champagne, and that's just the start of the confusing jargon. To help you choose the bubbly that's right for you, I've put together a guide to all of the relevant vocab, so you can sort out the doux from the cru.

Champagne: Sparkling wine produced in the French region of the same name. The "champagne" definition was protected by the Treaty of Versailles, but since the US never officially signed the treaty, some American producers use the champagne name, too.
Prosecco: A sparkling wine produced in Italy, mostly in the Veneto region.
Cava: Spain's contribution to the champagne family, named for the cellars in which it is produced.
Sparkling wine: A catchall term used for any bubbly without a specific regional designation, often applied to American wines.

For a closer look at all the adjectives you'll see on a label, read more.

Brut: A dry variety of sparkling wine, and the most common.
Extra brut: The driest of the dry. Also sometimes called brut sauvage.
Extra dry: Not to be confused with "extra brut," these wines are only slightly dry - a midpoint between sweet and dry champagnes.
Sec: Slightly sweet, even though the name actually translates to "dry" in French.
Doux: The very sweetest sparkler, typically served as a dessert wine.
Demi-sec: A bit sweeter than sec, but not as sweet as doux.
Cuvee: A rather confusing term that basically means that the bottle comes from a blend of wines, often kept secret by the maker.
Grand cru: A wine that comes from the highest quality vineyards.
Vintage: A wine produced from a single year of grapes, versus nonvintage, which combines several years.

Got more champagne decoding tips to add? Share them in the comments below.
Source

Happy Hour: Barefoot Bubbly Chardonnay

partysugar — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:27:33 -0700

Recently I had the chance to taste Barefoot's new Bubbly Chardonnay. Like a classic Chardonnay, it has a fresh fruit aroma, citrus apple flavor, and golden straw color. The body is refreshing and buoyant and the finish is crisp and light. The best thing about this bubbly is the incredible price; I've spotted it at Trader Joe's for only $4.99!

If you plan on hosting a Mother's Day brunch or shower and need to stock up on a good, affordable sparkling wine, I highly recommend you try Barefoot's Bubbly Chardonnay. It also makes a perfect bubbly for cocktails like a mimosa or bellini.

Happy Hour: Codorníu Sparkling Pinot Noir Rosé

partysugar — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:15:23 -0700

My favorite dance scene from the 1963 Ann Margret musical Bye Bye Birdie is entitled "Lot of Livin to Do." In it, she sings of "drinking Champagne as if it were water." But, not just any Champagne - pink Champagne. When I was little, I too, dreamed of drinking pink Champagne as if it were water. Well as luck would have it, sometimes I do!

My current favorite "pink Champagne" is actually a sparkling Cava Pinot Noir Rosé from Spain. It's refreshingly dry with light airy bubbles. It's an elegant, yet playful wine that is both crisp and fruity. The aroma is reminiscent of berries and it has a light body that coats the tongue.

What I love most about this sparking Rosé is its easy drinkability. I've enjoyed it with everything from cheesy rich appetizers to roast chicken to a light green salad. The affordable $15 price is the icing on the cake. Do you sip sparkling Rosé?

Come Party With Me: Anniversary - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 12:50:40 -0700

There is one detail of my parents' 1976 wedding that I have always been fascinated by. No, it wasn't the fact that my mom's dress was too big or that my dad was upset when she smashed carrot cake into his face. It is the Champagne fountain that mesmerizes me. A neverending, flowing waterfall of bubbly, fizzy celebratory golden liquid - how wildly glamorous! While I considered renting a fountain for their upcoming anniversary party, I have decided instead to simply serve a Champagne cocktail. As much as I wanted to recreate the moment, the event is a casual barbecue, and a fountain of glistening Champagne just didn't seem to fit. The cocktail is a mixture of sparkling wine, strawberry liqueur, and lemon juice and was originally created in the '70s.

I'll also offer guests a selection of chilled beers, water, and white wine. To check out the recipe, read more.

Lemon Champagne
From Gourmet

Ingredients

1/2 cup sugar cubes
2 lemons, peeled and juiced
1 cup strawberry flavored brandy or fraises des bois liqueur
2 bottles chilled Champagne

Directions

Rub the sugar cubes against the lemon peels until the cubes are yellow.
In a blender or food processor fitted with the steel blade, blend the yellowed sugar with the lemon juice.
In a large pitcher set in ice, combine the mixture with the strawberry-flavored brandy or fraises des bois liqueur. Pour in the Champagne and divide the mixture among 8 Champagne glasses, chilled. Garnish each drink with a strawberry.

Makes 8 drinks.

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Come Party With Me: Bedazzle Bonanza - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 12:50:11 -0700

There's only one thing to drink at a party that revolves around attaching rhinestones to fabric and that's sparkling wine. Although we haven't decided which sparkling to pour (favorites as of late are Sofia, anything by Ayala, and Pommery Gold) FabSugar and I will have plenty of bubbly chilling on ice. We'll also offer guests a specialty champagne cocktail. While grapefruit is a polarizing ingredient, its elegant jewel-tone color fits in perfectly with our theme. The drink is a combination of fresh-squeezed ruby grapefruit juice and sparkling wine. When making a cocktail that involves sparkling wine, don't be afraid to select a more affordable bottle. For the recipe, read more.

Ruby Champagne Cocktail
From Bon Appétit

Ingredients

2 Ruby Red pink grapefruits
1/4 cup sugar
1 750-ml bottle brut Champagne, well chilled

Directions

Using vegetable peeler, remove peel from 1 grapefruit; place in bowl.
Cut both grapefruits in half; squeeze enough juice to measure 3/4 cup. Mix juice and sugar in bowl with peel. Let stand 5 minutes. Strain into small bowl, pressing on solids.
Pour 2 tablespoons syrup into each of four 6-ounce flutes. Fill each with 2/3 cup Champagne.

Serves 4.

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Happy Hour: Domaine Carneros Brut 2005

partysugar — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 16:00:41 -0800

If you weren't satisfied with an imported sparkler, look to Napa Valley for a lovely, affordable bottle of sparkling wine to sip tonight as the clock strikes midnight. I recently enjoyed Domaine Carneros Brut 2005 ($19.99) with a group of girlfriends. Brut refers to the wine's lack of sweetness - it's the term applied to the driest of sparkling wines - so if you enjoy dry bubbly you'll love this superb sparkler.

A blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes, this wine is produced by the classic champagne method in Napa Valley. It's crisp, light, creamy, and fruity, with delightful bubbles that bounce on the back of your throat.

Sipping a glass of this classic-tasting bubbly is the perfect way to ring in the New Year!

Happy Hour: Tintero Sori Gramella Moscato d'Asti

YumSugar — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 15:00:16 -0800

While perusing the massive wine section at Berkeley Bowl, a bottle of Tintero Sori Gramella Moscato d'Asti ($11.99) caught my attention. I've always been a huge fan of Moscato d'Asti, a wine made in Italy's Piedmont region from the fruity, floral Moscato Bianco grape. It falls under the category of a frizzante wine, which is effervescent but has less fizz than typical sparkling wine, with an accompanying sweetness.

This particular wine possesses all the attributes that I love about Moscato d'Asti: It's reasonably priced, not overly bubbly, and, at 5-7 percent alcohol, won't get you too drunk too fast. It's an exceptionally well-balanced yet delicate wine.

The flavor reminds me of peach skins and Osmanthus flowers, and while it's sweet it's not syrupy at all - only refreshing. I can't wait to hoard Sori Gramella for this weekend's Oscars celebration. Have you tried Moscato d'Asti?

Come Party With Me: Bachelorette - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 14 May 2009 12:50:58 -0700

If you're hosting a party - like Ronda's belly dancing-themed bachelorette - that begins in the early evening and carries on until the wee hours of morning at a second location, skip the shots and hard alcohol. You don't want guests getting too wasted too quickly, and you'll save money by not having to purchase a bunch of liquor.

At a bachelorette, serve a girly, bubbly cocktail like this lavender and peach bellini. Its vibrant color matches the sunny Mediterranean appetizer menu, and the easy recipe makes a large batch. White wine and sparkling water are other good beverage options to have on hand. For the recipe to this fruity and floral concoction, read more.

Lavender and Peach Bellini
From Epicurious

Ingredients

1 part peach puree
2 parts Prosecco or another sparkling wine
1 pinch of edible, nontoxic, dried or fresh lavender

Directions

Place the puree in the bottom of a champagne glass.
Carefully pour in the sparkling wine.
Don't stir, but use a spoon to pull the puree up along the sides of the glass, so that you won't lose the bubbles.
Decorate with the lavender.

Serving size varies.

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