By Rick Riozza
Last time, we entered the sparkler zone where we recommended some really desirable French Champagne plagued with undesirable prices. Whaddya gonna do! It’s stellar stuff and we’ve been saving up—the time is here!
On the other hand, whether you know or not, global is trending. And if you wish to gift an interesting bubbly that won’t break the bank, below are some international sparkling recommendations to lighten up and liven up your festivities
Every winery in town now produces a sparkling wine. In Italy—for centuries, most wineries always made a vino spumante to complement their red and white table wine. Now around the globe, there are particular regions that make world class sparklers at very agreeable prices. Check them out:
As this column is wont to do—and since we’ve already brought up Italy, lets talk about wonderful Italian sparkling wine. We could do some coverage on the very popular Prosecco, but you guys already know a lot about that one. The Italian name that should begin rolling off your tongues is Franciacorta.
Franciacorta is a small wine-producing area in Lombardy, northern Italy, in the Brescia province, in the hills at the foot of Lake Iseo. You travelers may have visited that area just south of the Alps.
The Italians began growing that region with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc, grapes that worked wonder in Champagne. It’s no big leap to comprehend that Franciacorta shares many tasting notes with its French mentor, with frequent references to biscuit, brioche, lemon and lees. But the big deal here is that most delicious Franciacorta, that easily compares to costly Champagne, is in the $40 to $140 range! Indeed! It is the deal of the season for ultra-premium sparkling wine.
And as with Champagne, the bottles come in both non-vintage and vintage forms; the standard white is complemented by a rosé version. There is also a “blanc de blancs” equivalent called “Franciacorta Satèn”.
If you’re not familiar with this wine, you’ll always find delicious stuff from producers such as Barone Pizzini, Ca’ del Bosco, Ferghettina, Corte Fusia, and Collina della Stella. The 2019 Ca’ del Bosco Brut Franciacorta is always great buy for the quality. At around $75, you’ll be tasting a panoply of—well we’ll say it, traditional Champagne tasting notes: white and red fruits, brioche, citrus, cream with an amazing finish.
Now it’s time for Spain to shine. Many of you folks know about Cava, have tried it, have loved it (especially for the price), but have forgotten about it!
Again we reference France: Cava is like the “Champagne of Spain.” It’s produced the same way as Champagne but with different grapes. If you thought Franciacorta was a deal, you’ll now think Cava to be phenomenal! Prices for this delicious stuff generaslly range from $15 to $60.
Cava has a wide range of styles. Young Cava features citrus and orchard fruit aromas such as quince, yellow apple, lime, and Meyer lemon. Extra Brut and Brut Nature, both drier than Brut, are growing in popularity because of being lower in calories. Vintage and Cava aged on the lees have incredible body as well as nutty and toasty qualities, with baked notes of apple and almond. It all depends on how long producers choose to age their Cava.
Right now we are enjoying the 2019 Juvé y Camps Brut Nature Reserva de la Familia Gran Reserva priced at only $25! Bright yellow color with golden reflections and golden highlights, this bubbly is fruity with fresh apple character, with notes of fresh apple, white flowers, white cherries, apricot and Mediterranean aromatic plants, such as rosemary and garrigue. There is a rich hint of grilled nuts and dried fruits. Lively acidity with a finish of creamy tangerine, ginger, and honey. This may well be the real deal of the season!!
With all of the seltzers on the market these days, we’re surprised that sparkling sake isn’t quite in the mix. Sake is an alcoholic beverage of Japanese origin made by fermenting rice that has been polished to remove the bran. Sparkling sake is known for its elegant effervescence, which varies in intensity depending on the production method. It typically has a lower alcohol content than regular sake, around 13%-14%. Often sweet and fruity, sparkling sake is accessible to those not accustomed to drinking sake.
My friend Arthur Gallegos of Gallegos & Co., who is a beverage marketing guru, recently turned us on to Summerfall Sparkling Sake. It was very refreshing and a lot more enjoyable than the sake some restaurants serve warm. If you like sake already, you’ll love this refreshing one right out of the can.
Another sparkling wine that generally flies under the radar is Australian Sparkling Shiraz. Back in the day it was known as Sparkling Burgundy, but all of that has change due to the fact that Shiraz is not the number one red wine from Australia, and there is a huge fan base for Shiraz around the world.
Jacobs Creek Sparkling Shiraz Red Wine at only $15 is one of the more popular brands one can find at our local markets. It has a deep crimson ruby color. The bouquet has peppered notes with rich berries and on the palate, with flavors of raspberry and a hint of blackberry.
One of the best Shiraz sparklers around is the non-vintage Rockford Black Shiraz. Unfortunately, the price is up there, at around $150! Plums, cedar, licorice, earth; outstanding intensity on the nose. Full bodied on the palate, creamy, soft texture, a slight sweetness here, peppery on the long finish. Super harmonious and with real character.
Finally, a delicious sparkler produced in our own backyard of New Mexico: the non-vintage Gruet Brut at around $17. It’s delicious and tastes just like a—well, here we go again, a French Champagne! Cheers!
