Wine on the Radio - November 12, 2004      Listen

Champagne Anytime                           Recommendations

A few years ago we took a trip to the Champagne district of France.  It was wonderful… Beautiful scenery.  Wonderful people.  Great food.  And of course the magnificent sparkling wine called Champagne. 

That trip opened our eyes to sparkling wines.  Sparklers are a wine style that can fit many more occasions than weddings and celebrations.  In Champagne it’s an art form and the wine of every day and every occasion.  

Champagne and other sparkling wine are actually very versatile with food.  One of our favorite combinations is Champagne and sushi.  But it’s awesome with salads, ideal for lobster and luscious with dessert too. 

It’s also a great mixer… creating nose tingling and fun aperitifs like mimosas and bellinis. 

Sparkling wines now come to us in every conceivable style and at all prices.   From France to Italy; the USA to Spain and all points in between… there are sparklers that can delight us on both those special days and for every day. 

And, Pop the Cork™.       

Champagne Everyday - Our Picks and Recommendations . . . All Prices Approximate

Cristalino NV Cristalino Brut $9
Other Spain, Spain
Winemaker's Notes
Straw color, smooth and fresh aromas; fine and fruity palate with a dry aftertaste

Gloria Ferrer NV Brut $18
Sonoma Valley, California
Winemaker's Notes
85% Pinot Noir, 15% Chardonnay. Produced exclusively with hand-picked grapes

Schramsberg NV Mirabelle Brut $15
North Coast, California

Winemaker’s Notes
Stylistically, Mirabelle Brut resembles some of its French cousins with its elegant, toasty aroma which leads into crisp and complex flavors on the palate

Korbel NV Sparkling Brut $12
Sonoma Valley, California
Winemaker's Notes
Our most popular champagne, Brut is medium-dry with a light, crisp, perfectly balanced cuvee

Roederer Estate NV Brut $20
North Coast, California
wine.com Notes
One of the best Bruts made in America

Argyle 1998 Brut $21
Willamette Valley, Oregon
Winemaker's Notes
This Brut delivers one of the most concentrated and complex aromas yet in our Brut!

Dom. Ste. Michelle NV Sparkling Blanc de Blanc $12
Columbia Valley, Washington
This elegant wine is dry to medium dry

Mumm Cuvee Napa NV Brut Prestige $18
Napa Valley, California
Winemaker's Notes
This hugely popular, award winning wine offers touches of vanilla and melon, with firm acid and crisp structure

Lanson NV Brut Black Label $33
Champagne , France

wine.com Notes

From one of the oldest Grand Marques champagnes, this fresh and fruity champagne is perfect for any occasion

Pommery NV Brut Royal $40
Champagne , France

Winemaker's Notes
This fine champagne is a blend of 40 carefully selected crus from the Champagne region

Veuve Clicquot NV Brut Yellow Label $40
Champagne, France

wine.com Notes
One of the world’s favorite Champagnes . Rich, nutty, and complex non-vintage Brut