When it comes to food and beverage, there aren’t many things that I love more than Sparkling wine. To me, “bubbles” as I affectionately call it, can make any day feel special. Someone asked me the other day when it was that I caught the “sparkling wine bug” – and you know, I couldn’t really answer that question. I do recall drinking Brut Champagne in my early 20’s but perhaps it was that half-a-glass on New Year’s Eve that my parents poured me that made me fall in love. I ended up answering the question with “I don’t know…I guess I’ve always loved it”. And that answer just feels right to me.
Understanding that not all of you drink bubbles every day; I thought this might be a good time to brush up on the sparkling wine terminology. You know, just in time for when you’ll need it.
- Extra Brut – This means bone dry. No residual sugar.
- Brut – Slightly off dry. Very little residual sugar. Great go-to.
- Extra Dry – this is where it gets tricky. Extra Dry actually means sweeter. Not more (or extra) dry. Blame the French if you’re confused.
- Demi-Sec – sweet. Drink this with dessert or with spicy food. Also makes a great intro for beginner wine drinkers.
Sparkling wine pairs with just about any food so it’s my number one recommendation for holiday parties that tend to have many different flavor profiles such as appetizers or pot luck buffet. No matter what’s being served, Sparkling wine will never let you down. Oh, and best of all, the leftovers will pair perfectly with breakfast.
Cheers,
Cindy
Founder Barrel Wine Tours