SPARKLING WINES
From California, Spain, Italy, Germany, Australia and France

Does that mean the only good sparkling wine comes from the Champagne region? Not at all. Many good sparkling wines come from Italy, Spain, Germany, the United States, and other areas of France.

California

Several French Champagne houses have California sparkling wine operations. And they’re no weak sisters, either. In fact, many think the non-vintage California wines may be as good as or better than non-vintage French Champagnes, and certainly they are better values at $12 to $18.

As with their French counterparts, the California sparkling wine wineries are in cooler climates (Sonoma and Mendocino counties) and use the same grapes, primarily pinot noir and chardonnay with some pinot meunier. This produces a richer taste than sparkling wines made from grapes in other countries. The richest wines have the highest percentage of red pinot noir. All chardonnay sparklers, called blanc de blanc are the lightest. The 1992 Domaine Carneros Le Reve is an elegant California blanc de blanc from the house of Taittinger. Domaine Chandon’s Blanc de Noir, made from pinot noir, is a consistently good full-flavored sparkling wine from Moet & Chandon. Maybe the best California sparkling wine of all is Roederer Estate Brut Anderson Valley NV.

But you don’t have to have French parentage to make good value sparkling wine in California. Also look for Korbel, S. Anderson, Gloria Ferrer, Iron Horse, Jepson, and Scharffenberger (now owned by Moet). And beyond California, there is Washington state, particularly Domaine St. Michelle Brut from the wine juggernaut Chateau St. Michelle and Gruet Brut New Mexico NV (yes, New Mexico).

Spain

Spain is the largest consumer of sparkling wine in the world and it’s hard to beat producers such as Freixenet, Codorniu, and Paul Cheneau on price, which is rarely more than $10. Spanish sparkling wine, called "cava" after the word for cellar, is made in Penedes in northeast Spain. Cavas are made in the French style, called "metodo classico," a reformation of "methode champenoise," a French term now illegal under European Community rules unless the wine comes from Champagne. "Metodo classico" means that the second fermentation—which produces the bubbles—takes place in the bottle. Traditionally, cavas were made from native grapes such as macabeo, parellada, and xarello, but more wineries are switching over to chardonnay to achieve a more universal—and thus less distinctive—taste. Spanish cavas are generally light, crisp and very refreshing, but not terribly interesting, though there are some exceptions such as Fleur de Nuit and SeguraViudas.

Italy

In Italy the name of the game is prosecco, a sparkling wine made from the grape of the same name in the Veneto region of northeastern Italy. The best proseccos such as Rustico by Nino Franco and Venegazzù Prosecco Brut di Valdobbiadene nv from count piero loredan gasparini don’t cost much more than $12 and are bone dry with light citrus flavors and a faint nip of bitter almond on the finish, which is typical of Italian white wines.

The key to prosecco is freshness. If you see dust on the bottles, head elsewhere. Freshness is also the key to moscato d’Asti, a sweet sparkler made in Piedmont in northeastern Italy that’s about the same price as prosecco. Thorough chilling will mitigate some of that sweetness, but even without it, the best moscato d’Astis are never cloying. They’re great with brunch, perhaps on Christmas or New Year’s morning since they are quite low in alcohol. But don’t overlook them as an aperitif. Producers to look for are Vietti and Rivetti.

Germany

German sparkling wines, called Sekt, are engaging alternatives to traditional Champagnes. They can be made of pinot blanc but more often are made with riesling and generally range in price from $12 to $18. Most have bracing acidity. Deinhard Lila Brut NV is a widely available example. More obscure, but worth seeking out is Schumann-Nagler Cuvee Rheingau Riesling, a Sekt trocken, meaning very dry.

Australia

One would think Australia too hot for sparkling wines. Yet Aussie winemakers do some amazing things, particularly in the case of Seaview Brut Sparkling Wine (about $10). You won’t confuse this with Champagne. But this blend of pinot noir, muscadelle, chenin blanc, and semillon is a fine quaff.

France

Now we come full circle back to France for sparkling wines that aren’t Champagne, meaning they come from everywhere but that specific place. In the Loire Valley, sparkling Vouvray is made from chenin blanc grapes, typically when the grapes are not ripe enough to make still (non sparkling) wine. Because only riesling has more acidity than chenin blanc, these wines are refreshing but with more creamy mouthfeel than the German sparklers. Foreau Brut is about $18.

The Jura and Savoie in eastern France produce a lot of lesser known sparkling wines. One of the better ones is Brut Dargent. Cremant d’Alsace is a sparkling wine from Alsace usually made of combinations of pinot noir, pinot blanc, and pinot gris. Because they are very high in acidity, they are crisp and very refreshing. Lucien Albrecht (about $15) is a good name to remember.

Regardless of where your sparkling wine comes from, it should have a clean aroma, though not a varietal character since most are blends. Citrus notes are almost always positive and the tinier the bubbles the better. They give the mouth a creamy feel rather than a foamy one created by larger bubbles. Most of all, good sparkling wines should leave the mouth refreshed and ready for another bite of food—or another sip of wine.