Did you end up with a few extra bottles of sparkling wine after New Year’s this year? It seems to be the normal course of things – and many people hesitate to do the obvious thing with these wines, what with official “celebrations” behind us. But corks are meant to come out! Here’s how I’ve gone about tackling this delicious, festive, “problem”:

This New Year the Prosecco of choice for my friends and I was Santome. This is one I’m sure I’ve blogged about in the past, because it delivers lifted, just tart green apple fruit and lemon zest flavors; it’s more crisp, dry nature makes it a good one to make cocktails with if that’s your bag, but it is also delicious all on its own. For $12.99 you have no guilt opening bottle after bottle – and if you stick with it all night, you’re likely in a hangover free zone. But on December 31st we didn’t quite make it through the full case, so I anted up for game night last weekend. Santome was the perfect accompaniment to the deviled egg appetizers I whipped up.

Next, I pulled out the bigger guns in my repertoire…

In my bubbly archives, I discovered I somehow still had one bottle of the 1999 Pierre Morlet Brut. With good friends who enjoy good wine, why not pop a cork? They are meant to come out after all, so what more of an occasion do you need? And this wine had already been in bottle for more than a decade. So as the pork tenderloin rested and the cinnamon scented butternut squash mashed potatoes cooled a little, we popped the cork on this bad boy, too. It had a lovely mousse, with just the right amount of toastiness, red and yellow apple fruits, and a lithe lemon cream texture. A wild accent of hazelnuts mid-palate made this wine a favorite among the group.

After savoring Pierre, we finished our bubbly spree with the very dry, mineral-laced Egly-Ouriet Grand Cru Brut. Another winner, we enjoyed the texture of this wine also, with fine bubbles bringing pear and red apple fruit flavors quickly to bear. This wine was particularly memorable for the previously mentioned minerality – a clean, wet pebble/chalky essence. Delicious vin!

Remember, you don’t need an official celebration or Real Occasion to enjoy sparkling wine. It is the most food friendly option available, pairing with every possible food, and delicious all on it’s own. As you begin to dig your heals into 2011, I beg you to take sparkling wine with you on your travels more frequently! Why not make an easy night in with friends that much more enjoyable?

How often do you drink sparkling wine?

…..aaaannnnnddddd we’re back! With the official first day of fall under our belts this week, it’s time to begin chatting about wine again after some needed R & R. Of course, just because I haven’t been blogging about wine doesn’t mean I haven’t been tasting it – or drinking it while on vacation or hanging out with friends.  Curious to hear about a few highlights?

Today we’ll whet your whistle with the “Best in Show” evening – a pairing of Champagne and Lobster!

For my birthday I received a bottle of Guy Larmandier Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs champagne. What better pairing is there than lobster? Quite possibly… none. (And when you are vacating on an island in New England, fresh lobster isn’t so hard to find.) The wine was delicately, optimally frothed, with a lovely leesy texture. Some toast and a hint of almond and truffles on the nose led way to a giant helping of red apples, pears and lemon zest (all buoyed by it’s very dry nature) on the palate.  All of these well integrated elements came to bear even more marvelously as we dug in.

Why?

Well, lobster is a meaty, succulent and almost sweet, not too fishy, creature of the sea. The acidity in well-made champagne cuts through the fleshiness of the meat and the richness of the butter you may be predisposed to dress it in. What about the ever-present wedge of lemon you are also inclined to squeeze atop the lobster? Think of champagne as the other part of the whole, as layers of innate citrus flavors marry with the lobster you’ve just tasted. And then there is the texture. Richness lifted by citrus/acidity create a delectable, mouthwatering result.

A tough one to beat, indeed!

What was your summer’s wine or paring “Best in Show”?

I always say “self awareness is half the battle”. In this case I am aware that there can be a distinct disadvantage to reporting all the wine news that’s fit to print on a Friday. By that point it’s likely you’ve seen the really good fodder – which is why I try to throw in wine events or nerdier stuff you may be less inclined to come across in your own wine reading. But this week there were two articles I came across that were just too good not to pass on to my readers; and there is always the chance you haven’t stumbled on these yet anyway. So here goes!

The Wine Rack. Seeing is believing! No doubt if this new item takes off there truly IS something for everyone - as gag gifts or otherwise! Check it out.

On a more serious note – and wicked cool – it turns out the oldest wine on the planet can actually be found on the bottom of the ocean. Who knew? Check out this old school Champagne – and then report back:

Do the descriptive terms they use to talk about what this wine tastes like really inspire your confidence in the “excellence” of the appraisal?

Easter is a holiday that not everyone celebrates – nor in the same ways. Traditions are a bit more fluid somehow here in the United States. Maybe your family prefers a delicious Easter brunch after a morning visit to church and an Easter Egg Hunt for the kiddies. Maybe you do your own thing with your family in the morning, then visit with friends in the afternoon over a mid-afternoon dinner of baked ham or a leg of lamb. But one thing is certain: such a lack of specific tradition can cause some level of Easter week “panic.” Of course, there’s no need to stress when a little advice is at the ready. Pop over to Wicked Local today to get some ideas for your celebration!

Will wine have a place at your Easter table this year? What will you uncork?

I have a healthier than normal appetite, I’m told. But it seems South African baboons do, too! Check out this hilarious (but costly) piece on these “Thieving Baboons“.

The age-old question “does stemware really matter?” has a simple answer: yes. It’s because a good glass can really help display aromas and flavors by channeling them in a precise way to your senses. Riedel is the company that has set the bar on this technology. And so they took their a competitor to the mattresses recently when Eisch advertised a breathable glass. Read all about the outcome here.

Speaking of glass, looks like the Champagne Bureau is getting greener! Each bottle of Champagne will now weigh 2oz less than before. Discover the full implications of this move here.

Last but not least, I had the pleasure of meeting the famed Randall Graham of Bonny Doon vineyards a couple of weeks ago at a local trade event. Looks like I had the opportunity right before his celebrity really took off! Graham was just inducted into the Vintners Hall of Fame. Cool stuff.

Which wine headline caught your attention this week?