sparkling wine – In Good Taste

Things I Love (v 12)

Maris Callahan — Fri, 08 Jul 2016 05:06:26 +0000

With summer in full swing, there are plenty of reasons to celebrate and plenty of ways to make those celebrations special and festive. Whether it’s rosé on a patio, a beach picnic or even your morning commute there are plenty of fun ways to take your summer routine to new heights. Champagne Ice Cubes There’s nothing worse than a glass of warm champagne, right? Well, the only thing that might come close is a glass of watered down champagne, tasting distinctly of melted ice. Make these champagne ice cubes and all of your (first world, of course) problems will suddenly seem a lot smaller. If you entertain for brunch (or bachelorette parties, bridal showers, baby showers and the like) these fizzy treats are the perfect way to up the ante on your morning mimosas, too. Sparkling Wine in Tiny Cans The thing with Whole Foods is that you go in to get a salad and you leave $200 poorer, and sometimes the fallout includes a sale in the wine aisle. These compact cans of Italian sparkling wine are perfect for a picnic in the park or a fun day of poolside sipping. Magic Juice Recipe Everyone needs a signature cocktail, […]

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What’s the Difference Between Champagne, Prosecco and Cava?

Maris Callahan — Tue, 05 Jul 2016 18:14:35 +0000

Once upon a time, champagne, Prosecco and other sparkling wines were solely for special occasions: weddings, anniversaries, birthdays. Now, sparkling wines are everywhere — not only are they offered more than ever, but more wine regions are producing bubblies around the world. In my expert opinion, I like to think that bubbles should be enjoyed on special and everyday occasions alike. Wednesday night? Sure, why not. Fried chicken on Friday night? Pair it with your favorite vintage. As sparkling wines become more ubiquitous, we should know the difference between the most common varietals offered. The main difference between sparkling wines is the country where they were harvested and produced. Each country has a different name for the sparkling wines they produce: Spain makes Cava, Italy makes Prosecco, Asti and Spumante. Germany makes a varietal called Sekt. Bubblies from the Americas, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa are simply called sparkling wines. Bottom line? They all have bubbles. They’re all pretty delicious. Let’s talk about three of the main varieties. Champagne Let’s talk champagne, first. Known as the gold standard, Champagne is often dubbed the most popular sparkling wine. Only wines produced in the Champagne region of France are are designated as Champagne. Champagne is generally made from […]

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#WineWednesday: All About (Champagne) Bubbles

Maris Callahan — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 20:06:38 +0000

The average wine list has at least three sections: reds, whites and sparkling. We sometimes associate sparkling wine with Champagne when in fact, Champagnes are only produced from the Champagne region in France. That leaves a whole lot of un-categorized bubbles out there. Although they have heightened in popularity in recent years, champagnes and other sparkling wines are not new or rare. It is produced around the globe; however the United States, California, Oregon and New Mexico are leading producers of sparkling wine. While some sparkling wines are made from a combination of grapes, some are made from just one: Blanc de Blanc: is made only from Chardonnay. This type of bubbly is typically lighter in style, and perfect on its own or paired with with shellfish and seafood. If you want to go lowbrow, Barefoot Wines has a Brut Cuvee, made from Chardonnay grapes with hints of green apples and jasmine. A true wine lover might even pick up on hints of kiwi and peach. Trader Joe’s has a lovely version of this for a whopping $4.49 per bottle, if you want to class it up, Mumm Napa Blanc De Blanc is a Wine Spectator pic, known for being rich […]

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#WineWednesday: Wines to Drink on a Snow Day

Maris Callahan — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 04:44:16 +0000

THIS JUST IN: it snowed in Chicago. When I moved here everyone warned me about the brutally cold winters, the biting wind and the endlessly dreary gray skies that would usurp the horizon from November – May. I prepared for that with a down coat and boots that aren’t quite waterproof but warm enough. My friends warned me that the city slows down in the winter and people hibernate, only to emerge around Memorial Day for alfresco dining and drinking on rooftop bars. What they didn’t tell me was that when it snows, the city turns all “Apocalypse Now” and highways close, businesses shutter and people raid grocery shelves like food is going out of style. I get it – severe weather is serious business. But when I moved to Chicago I expected snow to be the norm – not breaking news – and I expected snow days to be very few and far between, if at all. Today, however, was a snow day. Since I work from home I couldn’t very well justify taking the day off for snowy shenanigans but from what I could gather from my friends’ Facebook and Twitter updates, there were quite a few corks […]

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