As you lift your glass to toast in the New Year, remember that not all that sparkles is champagne. Ted Allen, author of “The Food You Want to Eat,” shares his picks and pairings to help ring in the New Year.
Sparkling wine #1: Segura Viudas Brut Reserva ($10)
This “non-champagne” sparkler from Spain is affordable, created from a blend of reserve and non-vintage wines. It is clean and delicate, yet rich in flavor. The grapes are grown in the renowned Penedès region of Spain. The wine is vinified according to méthode champenoise technique and is aged in the bottle for up to two years. This fine cuvée is fairly crisp with an interesting floral note and mouth-pleasing sensation of creaminess. It is a complex bubbly with dry apple flavors, wrapped in smoke, spice and minerals. “Brut” means very dry, less than 1.5% sugar (less than 15 grams of sugar per liter).
Sparkling wine #2: Piper-Sonoma Blanc de Noirs ($13)
This is a more value-priced champagne-style wine that is not made in Champagne, France. It's a nice rose sparkler, bubbly and great if you're serving it for a crowd of people. It is a classic expression of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. The major grapes of this blend are hand picked from the cool vineyards of northern Sonoma county. Aromas of lemon curd, raspberry and toast lead to clean, fruity flavors and a refreshing finish. This is a “blanc de noirs” champagne, which means “white from reds.” So it has an ever-so-slightly pink-tinged golden color and is made entirely from red grapes. Blanc de noirs champagnes are extremely rare in Champagne itself.
Champagne #3: Taittinger, Moet-Chandon, Perrier-Jout, Veuve Cliquot ($35)
In the mid-range, there are so many options it's very hard to go wrong. For $35, you can do Perrier-Jouet, Piper-Heidsick, Taittinger, Moet-Chandon White Star or the powerhouse bestseller Veuve Cliquot. These champagnes have a shimmering elegance on the palate and a richness that is irresistible.
Champagne #4: Feuillate Blanc de Blancs Brute 1998 ($50)
This is a blanc de blancs champagne, which literally means “white from whites.” It is made entirely from Chardonnay grapes. The Nicolas Feuillatte 1998 Blanc de Blanc is a unique expression of champagne, a 100% Chardonnay cuvée. This champagne is pale gold in color, with sumptuous aromas and flavors of green apple, dried figs, honeysuckle and a fresh, bright finish.
