Bubbly to Ring in the New Year… Or Every Day

Everyone gets so worked up about sparkling wine for New Year’s Eve.  Which one to have, how much to spend, whether it needs to be the real stuff or not.  Not that I think anything other than Champagne isn’t the real stuff. I adore sparkling wine. Hell, I’ve written it a sonnet. So I don’t need New Year’s Eve as an excuse or any other special occasion.  Sparkling is my anytime, anywhere, morning or night, dry or sweet, with appetizers, salads, dinner, dessert kinda wine.

My job is cool for many reasons, but one of my favorite things was the discovery on my first day at Rosenblum.  I saw flutes hanging among the other wine glasses and asked “But I thought we didn’t make a sparkling?” to which the answer was something to the effect of “No, but we do like to drink it.”

And nothing could be closer to the truth.  There’s only once in a rare while that we don’t finish up the day with a glass of bubbly, even if it doesn’t all get drunk. One co-worker, Kenny G, also works at Domaine Carneros, so we got a lot of their stuff to try, including the decadently delicious Le Reve.  Which, if you’re looking for recommendations among my rambling, is the first one.  Pricey ($75 or so) but well worth it. Though I also enjoy their more affordable brut and the brut rose’, which I think is only available at the winery.  I even joined their club–my first– because there’s always a need for bubbly around the house.

Other bubbly we drink often includes the Gloria Ferrer rose’, Roederer brut, and Scharffenberger (known as Pacific Echo for a while)… I highly recommend them all. Some other interesting finds have been Gruet Blanc de Noirs from New Mexico, Argyle Brut from Oregon’s Willamette Valley, and the single serving rose’ Pommery Pop Champagne that Aura turned me onto on the ferry ride to our holiday party.

Whatever the occasion, no matter the reason or season, keep those flutes in good use.  And while you’re at it, pull out the beer glasses to help celebrate as well.