Pairing Sparkling Wine

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Pairing Sparkling Wine I never gave sparkling wine a fair shake (no pun intended). Like most people, my first exposures to sparkling wines were New Year’s Eve parties as a kid. Sooner or later, someone would put a glass of Champagne in my hand. I’d take a sip and think about it for a moment, only to decide that I didn’t understand. Usually it was too bubbly, acidic and smelled more like a loaf of bread than a glass of wine. Fast forward to adolescence and the first time I decided to indulge a little more with the bubbly, along with the hangover that I experienced the following day. I didn’t understand this sparkling wine “thing.”

The fact was, I was probably drinking swill. To make matters worse, I didn’t understand the art of moderation. However, these experiences marked me and my opinion of sparkling wine for over two decades, until someone finally put a good glass of Champagne in my hand. It was a Non-Vintage (NV) Ulysse Collin Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs and I loved it. With my inhibitions tossed to the wind, I had finally decided to start exploring sparkling wine.

But where to start was the question. The fact is, there’s a lot more to sparkling wine than just Champagne. Most are dry (Extra Brut), but you can also find sparklers in many degrees of sweetness. Some are made from red grapes (Blanc de Noirs), some from white (Blanc de Blancs) and many are Rosé. The good news is that once you start to explore, you immediately realize that all of these wines are amazing when paired with food, and popping open any kind of bubbly seems to put people in the mood for a good time.

With limited space, I could not possibly cover every category of sparkling wine, so I’ve decided to discuss some of favorite styles with my favorite pairings. Think of it as an introduction with a world of new experiences waiting down the road.

Champagne and Food image via Shutterstock

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Comments

Gundersen

440480 35

Lovely range of bubblies and delicious food for thought. I would have enjoyed some comments on the behaviour of the mousse since some great tasting bubblies foam excessively in the mouth rather than tickle the tongue. Happy New Year! Richard

Dec 29, 2012 at 12:51 AM
zinfandel1

Hand of Snooth

154660 716

It is only until very recently that I discovered Champagne and/or sparkling wine is the perfect match for Asian cuisine. I guess I had my head stuck in the sand all these years. I now keep several bottles on hand for when we order take out Asian food.

Jan 05, 2013 at 12:26 PM
Blues-
Sister

1270573 20

I'm looking for the recipe to a Mac & Cheese that we recently enjoyed at your winery last month. It was made with a round pasta, had a spicy Tomato olive oil taste and a crunch. Please send recipe!

Apr 02, 2013 at 6:35 PM
WineIsYumm-
y

Hand of Snooth

615722 242

have you tried the Emeri sparkling range of wines from australian winery De Bortoli? They are affordable, delicious and easy to pair with food.

Apr 03, 2013 at 11:17 AM