Now that the holidays are over, everyone is taking down the tree and decorations and putting away the “good china.” But one thing that I do not put away after the holidays are my champagne glasses.
A lot of people equate drinking champagne and sparkling wine to celebrating special occasions such as New Year’s Eve. I think champagne makes every occasion special and enjoy it year-round.
Champagne know-how
Champagne and sparkling wine are very versatile in what foods they pair with — anything from smoked salmon to popcorn and everything in between.
True champagne can only come from the Champagne region of France; sparkling wine comes from everywhere else. There are many different names: Cava in Spain, Asti or Prosecco in Italy and typically sparkling everywhere else.
There is one producer in California who still has Champagne on the label, though.
The way most people open sparkling wine on TV and in the movies — with the big shake and pop, followed by half of the bottle exiting — can be both dangerous and not very economical. Who wants half of the bottle spraying all over? What a waste!
The proper way to open a bottle of sparkling is to remove the foil and loosen the wire cage while always keeping your thumb over the cork.
I have opened many bottles of sparkling wine in my day, and while removing the cage one time, the cork popped out. It barely missed poking me in the eye as it flew across the room. Since then, I do not completely remove the cage; I just loosen it enough so that I can get to the cork.
On the average, there are 250 eye injuries worldwide every year from flying corks, so it is always a good idea to have a cloth over the bottle as well.
Tip the bottle to a 45-degree angle, and turn the bottle, not the cork. There should be a little sigh, not a big pop.
Recommendations
Many champagnes and sparkling wines come in half-bottles, as well as 187 ml, which is the equivalent to one large glass.
One recommendation for Champagne include Nicolas Feuillatte. It retails for less than $30 and is pleasant and well-balanced. It comes in the smaller size, so you can enjoy it on a weeknight.
Another larger producer that makes well-priced and delicious champagne is Henriot. The oldest bottle of champagne I ever had was a 1964 Henriot back in 2005 — it was amazing! Their current releases are also very nice.
Of the domestic and well-priced sparklings that I recommend, there’s Capitello out of Oregon, as well as Argyle.
In Washington state, Domaine Ste. Michelle does a great job for the price point. I especially like its Luxe, which is made from Chardonnay grapes. Its current vintage is 2005.
Another domestic producer I really enjoy is Gruet out of New Mexico. It owns a Champagne House (the term they use for “winery” in Champagne) in France and has some of the highest-elevation vineyards in the country.
I especially like its Blanc de Noir, which is made primarily from Pinot Noir grapes.
You can find a full bottle of Gruet for around $15 and half-bottles in the $10 range.
As always, it is good to try different champagnes and sparkling wines to develop your palate and to figure out what you like best. Get out there and sip away, and may all of your pains be Champagne.
JEFFREY DORGAN, the Washington Wine Commission’s 2009 Sommelier of the Year, is the wine director at Sullivan’s in Downtown Seattle. He previously worked at Willow’s Lodge/Barking Frog in Woodinville and at the Space Needle. He also co-owned Smash Wine Bar & Bistro in Wallingford.
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