Posts Tagged ‘cava’
In a more perfect world I would have made some pointed and in-depth piece about what bottles of bubbles I was opening for the friends I was having over to my house on New Years Eve. We do not live in such a world. While I did come across tweets and pieces about people opening $100 bottles of sparkling wine and champagne, I just couldn’t justify that, in no small part because I knew exactly how the evening was going to descend (into a raucous good time).
I do, however, feel as though I owe it to the new year, and to the bottles that I opened, to show the bottles that I provided for the evening. Friends brought over others, but here’s a picture of the bottles that I provided for the festivities.
Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir
Region: Spain
Cost: $13
Winemaker’s Notes: Pale, bright raspberry pink, with an abundant, uninhibited mousse. Intense raspberry aromas, backed by strawberry and aniseed, and a hint of cherry caramel. Red berry flavours dominate the palate, complemented by strawberry, touches of peach, watermelon, and lemon. There is a lovely minerality which adds to the complexity, and just a hint of sweetness which will increase its versatility in both food pairings and when it will be drunk.
My Review: My wife and I picked up this bottle at a local store after having dinner last week as the bottle looked interesting and we didn’t have any bubbles in the house, something we’re trying to do a better job of remedying. While neither of us was familiar with the maker, a Cava made with 100% Pinot Noir was intriguing so we bought and this past week, opened.
Varietal: 50% Macabeo; 35% Parellada; 15% Xarel-lo
Region: Spain
Cost: $10 (SRP)
Fresh, toasty nose with flavors of citrus, green apple, and mineral with a clean, crisp finish. Pairs well with caviar, sushi, seafood, fried foods, and Asian dishes.
Recommendations: This bottle showed up quite unexpectedly at my office one day, but once I opened the packaging, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t looking forward to checking it out. This past Friday, after a long week, my wife and I decided it was time to toast the weekend and popped open the bottle.
The nose was very subtle, without the typical yeasty aroma I associate with sparkling wines, but I did get a hint of the toast and it was certainly a fresh, clean aroma. Mineral flavors were the most dominant on the palate, with citrus and green apple showing, but not dominating. The wine was crisp and the bubbles were small enough to make it easy to drink without feeling like you were drinking a soda. Read the rest of this entry »
By: Sara Kahn, Founder of The Cheese Ambassador.
Whether you are hosting a soiree or a casual get-together this holiday, your mission is to provide your guests with warm hospitality, lively conversation and a delectable spread of food and drink. Whether the menu is complicated or simple it better be delicious. Serving a sumptuous gourmet cheese course is perfect as a starter or centerpiece of the meal. Not only is the preparation simple (no cooking!) but more importantly, your guests will enjoy discovering and savoring new favorites. As a wine lover, you want to impress with the right pairings but the overwhelming selections of wine and cheese can make your head spin. Relax. There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to choosing the right combinations of cheese and wine. Just keep in mind a few simple considerations.
A cheese course is about observing and enjoying contrasting and complementary flavors. For a foolproof gourmet cheese course, select 3 – 5 cheeses that vary in texture and flavor. Add some crusty bread, fresh or dried fruit, olives and nuts and voila!
Remember, wines are meant to cleanse the palate, wash away the tongue-coating richness of the cheese and prepare your mouth for the next delicious bite. It’s important that your selections don’t overwhelm the cheese and vice versa. Essentially, you’ll want to match wine and cheese of the same intensity level. Just remember “like for like”.
Take a look at the gourmet cheese categories and wine recommendations below for guidance. You’ll see how easy it is to serve an elegant wine and cheese course. For best results, just add friends and family.
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