Mark
Kernaghan's

Sparkling
Wine
Review

Quality in Quantity

         The holidays are upon us. From Mother’s Day to the Fourth of July, it seems as though life is as busy as the month of December. Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, engagement and wedding parties, graduations and anniversaries, not to mention birthdays and christenings, all call for sparking wine. All these events seem to draw big crowds and even bigger budgets. There is always the temptation to look at the wine budget for a large invitation list and flee in terror.

         At the risk of offending, how many of us have arrived at a lovely large celebration only to shudder when we realize our host or hostess has retreated in terror to the well known, and frightening, label that comes with a plastic cork and retails for about $3.99 a bottle. Its ability to be sour and aggressive is legendary and the effects of this wine are lethal. A dear friend of mine has been known to comment, “Oh my God! Here comes another brain tumor……” First, let me say that the laws of hospitality do not require us to overindulge in any libation, second, that as good guests we have an obligation to celebrate with our hosts, overlooking any shortcomings, in the name of entering into the spirit of the event. That said, sometimes we fall short of our lofty goals and wish our host or hostess had chosen to forgo sparkling wine all together!

         With a budget in mind, I went to my trusty wine store looking for three bottles – each under $15.00. First, it was surprising to see how many could be found. From my own part of the county there were three bottles at less than $10.00 that I had been served on several occasions. There were a couple of sparklers from Italy that had escaped my memory. Spain could have supplied a couple of others beyond the ubiquitous black bottle. There were several varietals that looked tempting, including a sparking Vouvray. (I looked the other way when my eyes lighted on the sparkling Shiraz!) So, armed with all of the choices, I took the safe route – as all of us are tempted to do on these occasions - and chose three sparkling wines from California each at $14.99 per bottle. With case lot discounts, these wines could be considered affordable for large gatherings. I suspected that my imaginary party guests would recognize two of the wine makers and there would be some mystery about the third.

         The first wine sampled was Mirabelle NV Brut by Schramsberg, a well-known and respected California vintner. This is, to my knowledge, their least expensive label. I do not ever remember it being offered at the tastings on their property. It is a bottle with a discreet and elegant label and foil. (Believe it or not, when you are looking at several cases of the stuff exposed at a party, it seems to make a difference!) When poured in the glass, the wine is pale gold in color. It is an almost butter yellow. The bubbles are small even and medium in speed. The wine is a classic blend of course, but the vintner did not choose to reveal the ratio of pinot to chardonnay grapes. It did not seem as aromatic to the nose as some other Schramsberg wines. It was quite citric at first – that sort of classic lemony taste that is the hallmark of California sparkling wines - almost a little too acidic to the middle of the tongue, but quickly became creamy with a little caramel flavor. It would go well with most party menus. Equally important, we found it was quite nice with cake and sweets. One friend commented that this was not a particularly sophisticated wine, but then I wasn’t paying vintage French prices either! (I may have to consider striking his name off my Bastille party list, hum…..) On the whole, we liked this wine and thought it would we a lovely choice for any wedding party or any other large celebration for that matter.

         The second wine we tried was unknown to any of us. S. Anderson is a label located on the Silverado Trail near Younteville Road. Produced by the Cliff Lede vineyards it retains its name from an earlier incarnation. We tried the 1997 Blanc de Noirs. This may sound silly to most, but first impression was a good one. This is the easiest bottle to de-foil I ever saw, and when you are serving to a large crowd, this can make a difference. This was a rather complex wine. It was very pale yellow in color. My wine purveyor led me to believe that it would be pale salmon. Later vintages, it turns out, are reported to be just that. The bubbles were mixed in size and rose at differing speeds. The nose has an almost musty smell, which worried me at first but became more earthy the longer the wine sat in the glass. One friend noted the smell was rather like a barnyard. It was a little citric at first on the tongue and then became creamier in time. It had an almost earthy quality that became more fungal but with a hint of nut – perhaps almond. A friend commented that it had a “lilting aftertaste” that really grew on him as the wine sat. I thought, after some consideration, I could taste malt, which could account for the after taste. We all agreed that it was after the first taste a pleasant wine but, perhaps, not to everyone’s liking. It was definitely not the wine to serve with your wedding, graduation or birthday cake. Maybe this is the wine to save for that Father’s Day salmon dinner.

         The final wine we sampled came from a winery we all knew. One friend pointed out the advantage of this. Guests have a sense of occasion and celebration and luxury connected to certain names. The last wine we tasted was the Mumm Napa Valley NV Blanc de Noirs. If you are not serving French, one friend pointed out, there is nothing wrong with serving a French name from California. It is a pretty bottle and a pretty wine. It has a lovely intense salmon color – I presume from a heavy presence of pinot grapes. It has very small even quick bubbles. It has a chalky, berry nose that was present in the glass. It has a strawberry, raspberry who knows what berry familiar taste. Slightly sweet and still crisp, it is an uncomplicated crowd pleaser. One of my companions commented, “it has a taste beyond its price” for what that is worth. We universally liked it and thought it would give a sense of occasion and, equally importantly, goes well with cake.

         Are any of these wines the last word in affordable wines for a large celebration? The answer is a resounding, “NO!” Do not rely on your caterer, party planner or merchant to tell you what wine to serve for these memorable occasions. They are once in a lifetime and form the fabric of our memories and our identities. Invest a little up front. Try every bottle you can find in your price range. Be willing to go off the beaten track. Choose a flavor that is as personal as the occasion. Do you want that toast to be a sweet memory or a sour one best avoided? Make your sparkling wine a viable part of your celebration – not a budget afterthought.

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About the author:   A Seattle native, Mark Kernaghan has been a life long traveler.   He delights in pursuing culinary adventure. He is a fan of the performing arts, especially opera, and loves a good Sunday afternoon at the museum.   On a good evening he is found at home either entertaining friends to supper or lost in a good novel.