In the good ol’ days, luxury Champagne was the purchase of choice at Harrods, but the London department store recently opened a Prosecco Bar. Interesting how Prosecco seems to be able to combine low price with a sophisticated image. Here are my two LCBO picks. Airfare to Harrods not included.
BOTTEGA Prosecco, ‘Il Vino dei Poeti’, Italy 897702 $12.40
VAL D’OCA Prosecco, Italy 340570 $13.95
December Drinking Tip #4: DOING BUBBLY WITHOUT GOING BROKESparkling is the most important wine purchase of the Holidays for reasons that I hope need no explaining. Get lots – it won’t go bad, I promise. Nothing spreads good cheer like glasses of bubbly. And it doesn’t cost a fortune.
Buy of the year is Jacob’s Creek Brut. Champagne alternative never tasted better. Zesty, toasty and sure to please. Get a case.
Bottega, one of my favourite Prosecco producers, has sent the pink version in a gold covered bottle. Check this picture out. How festive! How can you resist?
Go local with Chateau des Charmes who have been making great sparkling for longer than I care to remember.
It’s hard to distinguish between a good Loire region sparkling and a Champagne. Except in price. Start the evening with Chateau des Montgueret and the rest will be easy sailing.
Mumm Napa is the perfect choice if you need an up-scale name. The wine is damn good too.
B
UBBLY SHOPPING LIST
JACOB’S CREEK BRUT, Australia 562991 $13.95
BOTTEGA Sparkling Rosé Prosecco (gold covered bottles), Italy 621458 $21.95
CHATEAU DES CHARMES SPARKLING BRUT, VQA Niagara-on-the-Lake 145409 $20.95
CHATEAU DE MONTGUERET BRUT, Cremant de Loire, France 621896 $18.95
MUMM NAPA BRUT ‘Prestige’, California 256678 $27.75
DOUBLE the FUN with EVERYDAY BUBBLY
This is the season to pop open the bubbly. Too many people avoid sparkling wine the rest of the year because they think that the occasion doesn’t warrant it. Which is a lot like waiting till your friends are dead to say how much you love ‘em. Do it now. Not the entire bottle – just a glass a day – to celebrate the day. Buy a champagne stopper – refrigerated, open sparkling wine keeps well for 4 to 5 days. The two great everyday sparkling wines are Prosecco from Italy and Cava from Spain.
Val d’Oca Prosecco delivers wonderful mineral zest and refreshment – dancing between purity and drinkability. An everyday bubbly that’s sure to liven up your after work mood. A consistent best-in-class for over a decade.
Val d’Oca 08 Prosecco Brut, Valdobbiadene, Italy 340570 $16.30
Cava is the official term for sparkling wine from the Catalan region of Spain. They use the traditional Champagne method of second fermentation in the bottle so there’s a yeasty tang which adds to the refreshing experience. Cava is very everyday and affordable. And Segura Viudas is one of the best value wines in the world. Period. It should be the first thing in your shopping cart.
Segura Viudas Brut, Spain 158493 $14.95
Wolf Blass is a master at creating wines with great drinkability and his bubbly has the just-right feeling for parties and celebrations. Refreshingly crisp with lovely delicate flavours. French styling with the Aussie sense of fun. Good stuff.
Wolf Blass Brut ‘Yellow Label’, Australia 649996 $17.95
Also recommended:
Colio Estate CEV 08 Sparkling ‘Lily’, VQA Ontario 509083 $14.85
(Also check out ‘Lily’ Pinot Noir red sparkling $16.45)
Barefoot Bubbly Pinot Grigio, California 106088 $12.95 (not quite so dry as the others recommended here)
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