Extravagant Frugality: Celebrating during a recession

My wife and I love Champagne.  We used to drink it frequently, often more than once a week.  Champagne transforms a Tuesday night into a special celebration.  It is complex, refreshing, food friendly, stylish, sexy, and perhaps most importantly, FUN!  We would often have a glass of Champagne before dinner instead of a cocktail, and it was a frequent part of our Sunday brunches. But that was a few years ago… before our twins arrived, before we took an equity line on our house for a remodel, and before the price of a decent, entry level bottle skyrocketed as it has in the past year.  3 years ago, it was not hard to find a bottle of Montaudon, Piper Heidseck, or other quality nonvintage Brut  Champagne for $25 or less – sometimes it would even be on sale for $19.99!  However, times have changed.  Champagne has really demonstrated the reality of how supply and demand for a product control its pricing.  Virtually all the plantable land in Champagne is already planted with grapes, so the supply of Champagne produced in a given year is basically unchanging.  You might have heard that the authorities recently expanded the boundaries of the region, which will certainly increase production, but we will not see the increase for a few years. Meanwhile, newly booming economies Asia and the Middle East are contributing to a surging demand for fine wine in general – demand that was not there a few years ago.  And you can see where I’m going with this – combine a fixed supply with an increase in demand, and there is virtually no limit to where prices can go.  Today, if you can find a quality non vintage true Champagne for less than $40, grab it, because that is an increasingly rare item.

So, while I still will splurge on true Champagne for special occasions, it is no longer my go-to sparkler any time I’m  feeling like some bubbles.  However, I’m happy to report that there are a lot of great choices out there, retailing below $20 per bottle.   Here are a few suggestions to get you started:

Cava:  Cava is Spain’s answer to Champagne.  Cava’s are fermented in bottle in the exact manner of Champagne (“Methode Champenoise”), but unlike Champagne, which is usually made from a combination of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier, Cava can be made from any of those three, as well as Mourvedre, Tempranillo, Grenache, and some grapes you  might not ever have heard of, such as Macabeo,  Xarello, and Parellada.   Expect to pay $12-$20/ bottle for good Cava.  I sell Marquis de Gelida, which Robert Parker called “Perhaps the best sparkling wine value in the marketplace”.

Prosecco:  Prosecco is the most common type of sparkling wine from Italy (along with Moscato d’Asti).  Unlike Cava and Champagne, Prosecco is not bottle- fermented, and in my opinion, it is not quite as serious a wine as Cava or Champagne.  However, it is delicious, fruity, occasionally slightly sweet, and it makes a great afternoon pick-me-up or aperitif wine.  It is still possible to get high quality Prosecco for less than $15 per bottle.  I represent La Marca Prosecco, which was in the Wine Spectator’s Top 100 wines of 2007.

Non Champagne, French Bubbles:  There are sparkling wines made all around France, not just from Champagne.  The quality of these wines is as variable as it is for American sparklers. You really have to experiment to find out which ones you like, but plan to spend $10 - $20 per bottle for something that’s actually enjoyable, not just a base for a mimosa.  I sell the surprisingly delicious Francois Montand Blanc de Blancs, which retails around $12.  Also look for Cremant De Loire, a method Champenoise sparkler from the Loire Valley.  Marcel Martin is a new one in a great looking package – fresh, dry, clean and fruity, it is great stuff.

Domestic sparklers:  Some are great, many are not worth the price.  A few of my favorites:  Schramsberg (particularly the blanc de noirs, although it is sort of expensive), Roederer Anderson Valley, and for good value, the bubblies from Gruet, in believe it or not, New Mexico.  Their Extra Dry is not too sweet and is quite good.

If you have some favorite non-Champagne sparklers, please share your secrets!  Cheers and happy holidays!

“My new favorite wine varietal . . . What’s yours?”

Curious about your curiosity…

Greetings from the subterranean wine world of Orlando!  My name is Carter and I have the enviable job of working for Stacole Fine Wines, one of the best wine distributors in the state.  And what a fun job it is: meeting with interesting clients, presenting and tasting wines, helping customers with wine list development and food/ wine pairings, and doing staff trainings to help retail and restaurant staff members learn more about the wines they are offering. 

But today, I’m taking a break from my normal grueling work, to write a few thoughts for Harmoni’s Blog page.  I hope my blog entries will not be just something you read once in a while, but instead will be a spring board for a discussion among wine lovers and friends of Harmoni Market.  I think I will frame these blog entries in the form of questions, and hopefully we can have some interesting conversations as we share our different viewpoints.  I encourage anyone who has an interest in wine to participate, regardless of your level of knowledge – don’t be shy! 

            I think the first question I’d like to ask is… how do you decide what wine to buy?  Are you more influenced by publications like the Wine Spectator, sales staff at wine shops, or recommendations from friends?  Perhaps you buy wines simply by their labels, or specifically because you don’t know anything about them and you enjoy the mystery… Maybe you’re the type who finds what you like and sticks with it; or are you always searching for something new?   Finally, if you do like to try new and different wines and wineries, by all means, let’s hear about some of your recent discoveries! 

I’ll start with my current obsession:  Grenache.  This grape, which is most commonly found in wines from Spain and the South of France, is really becoming popular, and now we are seeing it in Aussie blends and more recently, from California – especially from the area around Paso Robles.  Grenache can range in style from big “fruit bomb” to spicy, peppery and earthy, depending on where it is grown.  If you have ever drunk Chateauneuf du Pape or even Cotes du Rhone, you’ve had Grenache.  One great thing about this grape is that you can find some truly great examples at very reasonable prices.  Perfect example:  Borsao, from Spain.  This wine is 80% Grenache and 20% Tempranillo, and sells for under $10/ bottle.   This wine packs so much flavor into such an inexpensive bottle, it’s just incredible.  Featuring  black pepper, cherry, strawberry, and raspberry fruit, medium body, smooth tannins, and good ripeness, it’s a perfect wine for the price.  Now it’s your turn: let’s hear about your latest discoveries!

Carter Nixon

Coming Soon….

We know, we know!  The anticipation is killing us, too!  You can expect tips, facts and advice on food and wine EARLY next week from yours truly, Carter Nixon.  We look forward to your thoughts!