Wine Adviser / Paul Gregutt
Sparkling wine sales climb with holidays

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I love bubbly. And so, apparently, do most of you, especially at this time of year, when sales of Champagne (from the Champagne region of France) and every other type of sparkling wine go through the roof. Despite dogged attempts to market these wines as year-round, everyday pleasures, which indeed they can be, it is the festivity of the holiday season that brings them to the table.

So what the heck, let's join the crowd and celebrate.

Sparkling wines are made worldwide. In Spain they are labeled cava, in Germany sekt, in Italy spumante and in Australia they are widely referred to as fizz. The process is among the most complicated in all of winedom, very time- and labor-intensive. Despite the sky-high production costs, sparkling wines remain, in many instances, exceptionally good values.

Two things to look for when buying a sparkling wine from outside of Champagne. It should be made by the "Champagne method" — the same time and labor-intensive process as Champagne itself.

The bottle will indicate this with a phrase such as "méthode traditionnelle" or "méthode classique" or "fermented in this bottle."

Secondly, if you like your bubbly dry, you will want to find the word "Brut" on the label, an indication that the wine has been made in a dry style. "Extra Dry" it should be noted, actually indicates a sweeter style of wine.

Good bubbly can be found almost anywhere, at prices from $8 on up. But nowhere has anyone been able to replicate, let alone exceed, the finesse, elegance, depth and polish of good Champagne. So if you are planning to spend upwards of $25 — $30 a bottle, you might want to go straight to the French stuff.

A word of caution. Whenever you are opening a bottle of sparkling wine, it is extremely important to focus on the task at hand and take the following preventive measures.

Remove the foil, revealing the wire cage. Guess why that cage is there?

a) The winery loves to spend money on fancy packaging.

b) It gives you something to do with your hands since you never open bubbly with a corkscrew.

c) It holds the cork securely in place.

The answer is that the cage is needed because the wine is under tremendous pressure. That's why the glass is heavier than most ordinary wine bottles. There is really no way to tell if that cork is going to come flying out once you have loosened the wire cage. So, before you loosen it, drape a clean dish towel loosely over the bottle top and hold on to it. Then carefully untwist the wire. If that cork decides to launch itself, the towel will keep it contained.

Most of the time, the wire cage can be removed without incident. Keeping the towel in place, grip the cork with your left hand and twist the bottle with your right hand. Ease the cork gently out, with the bottle tilted at a 45-degree angle. If you do this correctly, a slow hiss will indicate that the pressure is gently escaping and the wine will not come frothing out.

One final note: If the bottle has been pulled from an ice bucket, it is likely to be very slippery. So keep a good grip on it.

This all sounds like a lot of work, but it takes just a few seconds and can avert a real mess.

Serve your bubbly in tall, narrow glasses. This shows off the bubbles. If you still have the old, wide, shallow style of stemware (inherited from your grandmother no doubt), I suggest you serve pudding in them and get yourself a set of flutes. Flat bubbly is an oxymoron.

Sparkling wines are easy to like but difficult to taste critically. The cold serving temperature, naturally high acids, and effervescent qualities all conspire to mask any flaws; while their flavors are subtle riffs on fruits and soil, with hints of herb, roasted nuts and spice. What you should not find are soapy, dirty or chemical flavors.

There are many, many perfectly sound bubblies priced under $10. Freixenet (of Spain) makes several different versions; new this year is a distinctive, off-dry, nonvintage Spumante ($8) with interesting flavors of vanilla cream, coconut, peach and apricot.

From Australia, popular brands such as Seaview ($9), Banrock Station ($9) and Jacob's Creek ($9) offer pleasant, neutral flavors. These are fine party wines, or mixers, but not special occasion bottles.

Here in Washington, Domaine Ste. Michelle makes attractive bubblies in three styles that list for $11 but are discounted as low as $7. I particularly like the Blanc de Blanc, a dry, elegant and fresh wine with a hint of nutty toast.

From California, the best of the value-priced wines come from Korbel. Try the sparkling chardonnay ($11) or the Blanc de Noirs ($11). Korbel stubbornly insists on labeling their wines "California Champagne" which makes them look cheesy, which they are not. Time to step up to the plate and call a sparkler a sparkler.

When you ramp up the dollars the quality follows right behind. In Sonoma, Gloria Ferrer is making a wonderful line of sparkling wines priced at $16: the fresh, creamy NV Sonoma Brut; the dense, salty, 2000 Carneros Blanc de Blancs; and a cinnamon-spiced NV Sonoma Blanc de Noirs. Best of all is the tangy, green apple/mango-influenced '95 Royal Cuvée Reserve ($20).

Other top drops in California are the wines of Chandon, whose lineup includes a new, grapefruity, off-dry wine called "Riche" which sells for $18. Mumm Napa and Roederer Estate (in Mendocino) are two other California producers with connections to French Champagne houses, and they offer consistent quality.

In Oregon, the standard-bearer continues to be Argyle. I love the '98 Argyle Brut ($21), a yeasty, rich, ripe and creamy wine with plenty of style and substance. The winery's pricier selections include a '96 Knudsen Vineyard Brut, all barrel-fermented juice; and a '93 "Extended Tirage" with an oily, nutty richness that lingers lusciously in the throat. Both $35.

I have quoted suggested retail prices on all wines, but many discounts are offered during the holidays, so it pays to shop around. And by all means do try a bottle or two of bubbly with your Thanksgiving feast; it will match almost anything on the table, and also keeps the palate fresh for the heavier red and dessert wines that may follow.

Paul Gregutt is the author of "Northwest Wines." His column appears weekly in the Wine section. He can be reached by e-mail at wine@seattletimes.com.

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