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2nd Annual champagne and sparkling wine tasting

 

“Come quickly, I am tasting stars,” Dom Perignon’s famous quote after his first taste of Champagne, and a fairly apt description
of what a good Champagne experience should be.

 

Castelblanch Extra Cava
Cava, a Spanish "sparkling wine", is a centuries-old tradition created in the same manner as French Champagne.  
Ninety-nine percent of Cava in Spain is made in the northwest region - in the Penedès area of Catalonia. 
The grapes traditionally used for Cava - macabeo, xarello, and parellada - make Cava a light, white, fruity, perfumed wine. 
 
Nyetimber English Sparkling Wine

A sparkler fit for the queen, this estate was planted up in the 1980's, solely for the production of sparkling wine. 
The plantings consist of 70% Chardonnay, with 30% Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. It is situated on chalky bedrock, and the soil type is greensand.
 Both chalk and greensand are to be found beneath the vineyards of Champagne. The vinification involves cultured French yeasts, and at least 
three years bottle maturation before release. The Queen enjoys this sparkling wine so much she used this to toast the Millennium and to celebrate 
the Queen Mother’s 100th birthday and her own Golden Wedding.
 
Brundlmayer Austrian Sekt

This lovely Austrian sparkler offers aromas of yeast and crisp apples. Great acidity classes it among the most refreshing sparklers, yet the wine 
maintains great balance with a creamy mouthfeel and medium body. In fine Austrian tradition, it finishes with a flourish of sweetness.  
Sekt is the Austrian term for sparkling wine.

Eric Rodez NV
The Champagne region has always passioned people through the Champagne wine.  Dreams, pictures conveyed by this famous drink are the
stimulus that prevents Champagne makers from being content with our success, at the risk of producing one day a simply common beverage.  
A total cultivated area of 77.800 acres affectively called "terroir", spreading over 320 towns and villages provides a highly quantitative and qualitative
 potential. Eric Rodez vineyard is the most northern in France, it fears climatic changes, but it nonetheless remains a temptation for men.....
A beautiful blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes, this classic Champagne conveys delicacy through a floral nose with hints of citrus.

Rene Geoffroy Rose
The origins of Rene Geoffroy House goes back to the 17th century. Indeed ancestors of the GEOFFROY family arrived on the soil of Cumières, 
a small village of the Champagne appellation classified "Premier Cru" situated close to Épernay, at the beginning of the 1600s.  
100% Pinot Noir, this creamy mousse like champagne has distinct aromas of roses.
 

 

Pairings
Believe it or not, Champagne pairs beautifully with anything you would drink beer with.  Try a glass with your next pizza, Mexican food or Tai food; you’ll be surprised what a beautiful match it is.  Remember - these are only guidelines!! You will figure out quite quickly that your own tongue has its own idea of what goes well with what. Trust your own judgment, and eat and drink what you enjoy!

Typically, you want to drink light-to-dark, just as when you plan a meal you start with delicate tastes and work towards heavier tastes. For this reason, Champagne tends to go very well with appetizers or opening courses in a meal. It also goes well with sushi and very light meals, and of course as an after-dinner celebration!

 

Extra Dry

Brut

Blanc de Blanc

Blanc de Noir

Mild Cheese

-

Strong Cheese

Appetizers

Shrimp, crab, lobster

-

Shellfish

-

Seafood

-

Asian food

-

Poultry

Fruit/Dessert

Champagne and Cheese;
Champagne and Cheese is a classic combination. You don't normally want to eat a whole meal with Champagne - you want to savor the fine wine and enjoy its texture and flavor. Cheese is a good thing to nibble at while you do so - to complement the flavor.

Brie
Brie is a soft, creamy French cheese that is best served very fresh. This goes wonderfully with a gentle Champagne, something light and fruity.

Chevre
How appropriate! Chevre is the French word for "goat cheese". Make sure it's fresh, and it will have a mild but tangy flavor to it. Use this with the stronger Champagnes that have a bit of kick to them.

Edam
Edam is a semi-hard, creamy cheese from Holland. It's slightly nutty, so it's a great pairing with the many Champagnes that have that nutty undertone to them.

Gouda
Gouda is another Dutch cheese, this one hard and smooth. As it also has a nutty flavor to it, it also pairs wonderfully with the nutty Champagnes.

Champagne and Appetizers:


Fois Gras
Yes, liver. Champagne is traditionally paired with duck or goose liver. The soft, smooth texture of the fois gras pairs nicely with the gentle bubbles and delicate flavor of Champagne.

Raw Shrimp
A raw shrimp appetizer is a perfect pairing with Champagne. Just avoid that heavy red sauce.

Stuffed Mushrooms
Mushrooms & Champagne are a great pairing; any sort of appetizer you can create using mushrooms will go quite nicely.

Sushi
Sushi and Champagne are a perfect match. At your next party, put out some sushi appetizers with the Champagne and watch the smiles begin!

Champagne and Desserts:

Strawberries
This is a classic for romantic occasions, but it only works with very sweet sparklers! Try this with Asti Spumanti from Italy, or Pommery Pop. All you need are a pair of flutes to clink, and a serving of strawberries to savor by hand. You might even feed each other one or two.

Tarts & Crumbles
Fruit dishes that are fresh and light work perfectly well - an apple tart, a pear crumble.

Fruit Puddings
Another great dish with Champagne is plum pudding or rice pudding. This is perfect for holiday celebrations! Again, if you use a sweeter pudding, be sure to pair it with a sweeter Champagne.

Shortbread and Almond Cookies
Choose light, delicate cookies to match well with Champagne's bubbles and freshness. Kugelhopf is a classic almond cake that does quite nicely.

 

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Updated June 29, 2008