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More champagne corks pop on New Year’s Eve than on any other holiday. Whether it’s in celebration of the New Year or just in celebration of another glass of fizz, people guzzle the bubbly like it’s going out of style. And while it’s easy to tell what you like when you’re drinking it, picking out a bottle is a very different story, especially when you’re late for the party and are caught between a cheap bottle that nobody wants and a nice one that’s out of your price range.
To make everything a bit simpler, GO Brooklyn enlisted the help of Adam Goldstein and Darrin Siegfried, owners of Park Slope’s Red, White and Bubbly [211 Fifth Ave. at Union Street, (718) 636-WINE], to explain what you’re getting when you buy a bottle of sparkling wine.
Prosecco is a wine made from the white grapes of the Veneto region of Italy.
The experts say: This isn’t classic French champagne, but it’s a great, bubbly, fruity alternative.
Cava is a sparkling wine, usually white or pink, from Spain.
The experts say: A dry, sparkling Spanish wine made from a three-grape blend. A great value, according to Siegfried.
This is a true French champagne.
The experts say: One of the great names of champagne, the company is under new ownership, but still makes traditional champagne. Lush, ripe and creamy, rich with a very long finish.
Blanc de Blancs is a sparkling wine made exclusively from Chardonnay grapes.
The experts say: A New World sparkling wine inspired by classic champagne. Clean, crisp and focused with excellent acidity.
A vintage champagne made from grapes that were all harvested in one particularly good year.
The experts say: A textbook example of why vintage champagne is appreciated by connoisseurs. Bigger, richer and fuller flavors than the non-vintage. Made only in the best years.
This is a California sparkling white.
The experts say: More champagne-like than most American sparklers — this is one of our country’s best sparkling wines.
Rose is a sweet, pink wine made from pinot noir grapes.
The experts say: More Paul Goerg is poured at French embassies than any other champagne. It’s crisp and bone dry and has a beautiful nose lightly scented with strawberries.
Taittinger is a famous French champagne-making family.
The experts say: A collector’s item and a real find. An outstanding champagne from an outstanding year. You’ll find bottles at auctions for $400 — this is a steal.
All photos The Brooklyn Paper / Robin Lester
©2007 The Brooklyn Paper
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