With various holidays just around the corner, it never hurts to be prepared. Order that special bottle, or case, of bubbly for when it comes time to celebrate all the family and friends getting together. It’s very easy however, especially with sparkling wine, to purchase something sub par in terms of quality seeing as it’s typically something that’s brought out during an occasion, and not sipped as often. When purchasing a bottle for sharing, keep a couple of things in mind.
First, Prosecco from Italy and Cava from Spain are typically inexpensive while remaining pleasant on the palate. Choose a bottle priced between $16 and $20, these will almost often have the best consistency of bubbles; drinkers will also find these selections have smaller bubbles which is a sign that they’ve aged well. High quality bottles of sparkling can be found for an excellent price at Wine Online, and can even be delivered to your door, or to the door of your hosts before the event. Because of the huge selection at this online wine cellar you’ll always have the right bottle to bring to any occasion, and the site can even recommend you the best bottle to bring based on the food or snacks being served.
The Prosecco Extra Dry Millesimato from Principa di Porcia from Friuli Venezia Italy is one delightful option to choose from. It is elegant and complex with a wide range of aromas, including intense scents of peaches and apricots, accompanied by hints of acacia flowers. On the palate it is full, sapid, and persistent with a dry, crisp finish. Drink it solo or pair it with pasta dishes and vegetable sauces, white meat dishes and various types of seafood.
For a Canadian touch, you can always try the Limestone Ridge Spark Riesling by Tawse Winery, vintage 2014. It is crafted from hand-harvested grapes from Limestone Ridge, the winery’s newest estate vineyard. This aromatic sparkling selection offers lemon zest on the nose with just the right hint of minerality. In the mouth, drinkers will enjoy refreshing notes of green apple and lime zest paired with vivacious acidity. It furthermore compliments a wide array of appetizers from the sea like tuna, oysters and ceviche. It even pairs well with dessert so you can pop it out at any point during the evening.
Finally, the Biutiful Cava Brut Rose by Isaac Fernandez from Spain is an exquisite selection available through this retailer, coming in at 90 points. This bottle has been aged at least 15 months offering fine, persistent bubbles. On the nose, it displays intense berry and tangerine notes along with more complex aging aromas of toast and brioche. On the palate, it is creamy, wide and long-lasting. This is a Rose Cava and very popular in Spain – made from 100% Grenache grapes. This is potentially your best candidate when looking to fuse quality with value.
Those who are unfamiliar with sparkling wines will do well to avoid cheaper options, and search for something that is classy and bottle fermented without breaking the bank. A very expensive bottle of champagne (if you’re set on it) is not necessarily better than other 90+ point bottles readily available for as little as $50, and guests at the event will still remark upon its liveliness.
