Perfect Pairings
December is a festive and magical time of year again when family and friends and celebrate the year milestones. In view of this festive mood, it is not surprising that 80% is consumed in Champagne and sparkling wine during the holidays.
In December last year, my column reviewed French Champagne. This year we want to discuss some alternatives and a fun way to serve them.
Due to its elegant retro feel, "Champagne" cocktails back in fashion. A "Champagne"Cocktail is usually a mixture of a sparkler with fruit juice (and possibly) a drink.
French Champagne is appreciated for its delicate flavor, complexity and balance. Unfortunately this is lost when mixed with other ingredients, enjoy French champagne on his own. How have Italian Prosecco and Spanish cava is not from the cache of French Champagne, they are affordable and perfect for cocktail drink. Quality options are available in the $ 10.00 - $ 16.00Range.
Italian sparklers are known as spumante) (ie foaming. The most famous comes from the Asti region and are known as Asti Spumante. Another growing area is on the rise, the Veneto, the home of Prosecco. Prosecco is used after the primary grape to produce them are sparklers name (also used small quantities of Pinot Grigio and Pinot Blanco). The best quality comes from the di Valdobbiadene (for this look on the label as an indication) for high quality. This dry, fruitySparklers well with pasta and prosciutto dishes pair.
There are two basic types, the full sparklers and the slightly fizzy Prosecco Frizzante. They are easy to use as the full sparkler style identified, the traditional foil cap and wine basket, while Frizzante have a string on the cork and have no foil cap. As Frizzante have less fizz, it's more like the wine that are the citrus fruits, pear and apple fruit flavors through.
The traditional full sparkler Prosecco are usuallyfor "Champagne" Cocktails preferred. The classic example is a Bellini, a mixture of champagne and white peach juice.
Spanish sparklers are known cava, and the full sparkling style. They tend to be more rustic than French Champagne, with a lively effervescence and simple flavors. This dry, earthy sparklers pair well with garlic, fish. Spain's most famous sparkler is the Penedes region. While Chardonnay grapes are growing in popularity (in the production of the Cavasonly white grape in the Champagne region in France are allowed), cavas unique flavors of their use of native whites, such as Macabeo and Parellada. Cavas are using a system similar to the description of French for your thoughts sweetness levels, from Brut (dry) to chemical or seco (slightly sweet) to sweet (very sweet). Cavas "Champagne is full of character ideal for champagne cocktails.
Below is a recipe for a festive, sparkling wine is "Champagne" cocktail, you will brighten your holiday gatherings. Made withhealthy pomegranate juice with antioxidants has this cocktail all the flair of an upscale pomegranate martini without penetration. This colorful, sparkling wine is a drink for a merry holiday toast perfect.
Pomegranate - Ginger "Champagne Cocktail
Serves Six
1 cup pomegranate juice
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 ¼ "thick slice of fresh ginger
6 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1-1/2 tablespoons Cointreau or Triple Sec
1 bottle of Brut Sparkler (or ProseccoCava), Chilled
Mix first three ingredients in a saucepan. Gently cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is reduced to a syrup, about 1 / 3 cup. Cool.
Remove the disc from the chilled pomegranate ginger syrup. They mix well Pour the syrup, orange juice and Cointreau in a jug and carefully. Add the well chilled brut sparkler and stir to distribute the pomegranate mixture. Serve immediately in champagne-style flutes.
Picks
ItalianSparklers
Zardetto Prosecco $ 12.00
Nino Franco Rustico Prosecco $ 12.00
Mionetto Prosecco di Valdobbiadene $ 16.00
Riondo Prosecco - Vino Frizzante $ 12.00
Spanish sparklers - Cavas
Cristalino $ 7.00
Marques de gelida $ 13.00
Juve & Camps $ 12.00
13. December 2007 - as published in the Beacon News and Naperville SO
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