You can celebrate New Year’s Eve well without dipping into next year’s budget with these reasonably priced sparkling wines.
Champagne comes from the Champagne region, 90 miles northeast of Paris, and with a price tag that often exceeds the budget. But you can let the Champagne region come to you.
Mumm Napa was founded in 1983 by the champagne house G.H.Mumm. Since 2002, its winemaker has been Ludovic Dervin, who was born in the Champagne region and worked at highly regarded Charles Heidsieck Champagne and G.H. Mumm.
At Mumm Napa, Dervin makes two nonvintage wines: Cuvee M and Brut Prestige. Cuvee M has a pinkish tint and retains a small percentage of residual sugar; which makes it attractive for those who find the brut style too dry. It’s ideal to pour as an aperitif or with desserts like crème brulee.
Mumm Napa Brut Prestige is almost exclusively a blend of chardonnay and pinot noir, Champagne’s two principal grapes. It’s dry and flavorful, an ideal partner to an avocado and cucumber sushi roll, steamed dumplings, or a mildly spicy curry dish.
Mumm Napa Cuvee M and Brut Prestige sparkling wines retail for approximately $23.
Segura Viudas Reserva HeredadCava is the word for Spanish sparkling wine made in the Champagne method (the second fermentation, which creates the bubbles, takes place in each bottle) and almost exclusively in the Penedes area of the Catalan region. One of my favorite cavas is the hand-crafted Segura Viudas Reserva Heredad. A blend of two-thirds Macabeo and one-third Parellada (the two primary grapes of the region for Cava), the wine is aged for at least 30 months (brut Champagne is usually aged 15 to 18 months). This cava coats the mouth with apple and almond flavors and mild citrus acidity. Add the bottle presentation of a silver base and neckline silver emblem, and you have a sparkling wine that appeals to the eye, palate and purse.
Segura Viudas Reserva Heredad retails for approximately $23.
Prosecco is fashionable. But what part of the Italian lifestyle isn’t? A glass of Prosecco in hand, a “ciao, bella!” and a kiss on both cheeks is as routine in an Italian bar as a hand shake and a cold beer in America.
Prosecco is from the Veneto region, in Italy’s northeastern corner.
Prosecco makers typically employ the Charmat method, meaning the second fermentation occurs in large tanks, although wine regulations permit the Champagne method, too. It is not a sparkling wine for aging. It is meant to be purchased and consumed within a few years of production.
Enza ProseccoEnza is a new prosecco in our market. With its classic fruity and floral scents and slightly off-dry taste, it is easy to enjoy as an aperitif. Or you can add a little peach, strawberry, raspberry, or mango puree for a house cocktail.
Enza Prosecco retails for approximately $15.
Mionetto Prosecco SuperioreMionetto is well-known and one of the first producers to market a drier version of Prosecco. Mionetto Prosecco Superiore comes from Valdobbiadene, the heart of the prosecco zone, and the grapes from hillside vineyards bordering the prestigious Cartizze section. Its alluring fruit flavors and creamy texture will welcome your guests and complement seafood dishes and fruit desserts.
The Mionetto Prosecco Superiore retails for about $18.
Happy New Year!
Leave A Comment