Your Bubbly Personality – by Jane A. Nickles
Oh my god…Valentine’s Day is approaching, and you’d better show up with a bottle of bubbly! When stalking bubbles, most people immediately say “Champagne”! It just sounds festive…even speaking the word can put a smile on your face. However, all sparkling wine is not Champagne, of course. So before you automatically reach for the Champagne this February 14th, consider that virtually every major wine producing region in the world has its own variation on the bubbly theme…a bubbly stunt double, if you will. With dozens of sparkling wines out there, you’ll find one for every mood, every occasion, and even every price range. So consider these alternatives, and see which type fits your bubbly personality.
French Champagne – The Grande Dame of sparkling wines, true French Champagne, comes only from the Champagne region of France and is made under exacting, labor-intensive conditions. If you are in the mood for a splurge, buying diamonds of any size, or are about to ask someone to marry you, go for the French Champagne! Always a classic, Champagne is elegant and smooth and will be sure to match the most special of occasions.
Spanish Cava – You may not know it, but you are probably familiar with Cava, Spain’s version of high quality, traditionally produced sparkling wine. You have probably noticed those coal-black bottles with gold script on the grocery store shelves. That’s Freixenet Cordon Negro Cava, which like all Cava, delivers flavor and finesse at about a quarter of the price of Champagne. Cava is new on the world sparkling wine scene, so if you are on the lookout for the “next big thing”, yearning to be unconventional, or a wanna-be trendsetter, Cava is for you!
Italian Prosecco – From the grape of the same name, Prosecco is a popular bubbly form the Veneto region of Northwestern Italy. Prosecco has a delightful, light freshness and apple-citrus flavor that is easy to love. As a matter of fact, Prosecco lovers tend to be so enthusiastic I have often thought about starting a Prosecco cult. If you are the type of person who throws parties where everyone is invited, truly believe “the more, the merrier”, or don’t even bother screening your calls, you are the Prosecco type: friendly, open, fun-loving and spontaneous. Luckily, this lively bubbly is inexpensive, so Prosecco lovers can afford to make every gathering a celebration!
California Sparkling Wine – California sparkling wines are capable of crossing over to star status, and can hold their own with the best wines in the world when it comes to flavor, intensity, and finesse. Admittedly the beneficiary of French technology and tradition, California has been making amazing sparkling wine since about the 1960’s, to the delight of foodies everywhere. If you make your own bread, buy locally-grown organic produce at the Farmer’s Market, or tend to wander around Central Market in a Foodie haze, California sparkling wine is for you!
Rosa Regale Brachetto d’Acqui – If you are a true romantic and can’t keep your hands off your sweetie even in public, this is the wine for you! This wine has all the ingredients you need in a romantic wine...it is pink and bubbly, lightly sweet and low alcohol, which comes in hand in case the the date lasts all night! The slight sweetness in this wine and the raspberry-strawberry flavors make it a perfect match for milk-chocolate dipped strawberries (another integral part of any romantic night). The aromas of this wine are easily recognizable and always consistent: the first aromas to hit are raspberry and strawberry, followed by the haunting memory of roses, which can be described as "dried roses" or “wedding bouquet”. I tell my male students that this wine can be the center of a picture-perfect seduction if they will just do this: First, make some hand-dipped milk-chocolate strawberries. Put them in a pretty box and show up for your date with the strawberries and a bottle of Rosa Regale. After your gal opens the door, say, "Hey Baby, I've got the bubbly and the chocolate strawberries...everything you wanted for Valentine's Day." If your gal is anything like me, she'll put her hands on her hips and say, "Where are my roses???", to which you reply, "In the bottle, baby...in the bottle". After she lets you proceed to demonstrate the roses in the wine aromas and....the rest is up to you!!
Whether you are a Champagne-loving Romantic, a cutting-edge Cava Craver, the fun-loving member of my Prosecco cult, a hopeless “PDA” in need of Brachetto or a serious foodie in search of California’s finest, there’s a bubbly for you. Pick one that fits your personality and have a great Valentine’s Day…at least the wine will be good!
