As we near senior year (or graduation!) it’s important to know a few adult-like things to ease into the 21+ world of office parties, golf outings, fundraisers, and pitches of your non-profit to financial backers. One of these things is a vague understanding of the wine list. Let’s start with everybody’s favorite celebratory drink, champagne. Take note and impress your boss with this unpretentious guide to the sophisticated drink:
• First things first: not all carbonated alcoholic beverages are champagne! For something to be true champagne the grapes come from—you guessed it—the Champagne province of northeastern France. The grapes struggle to ripen here because of the climate and the white, chalky, limestone soil, making them suitable for sparkling wines only.
• Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier are the only types of grapes that can be used to make champagne. It’s strictly regulated throughout the entire process. These people mean business!
• Most champagne is non-vintage. Vintage champagnes tend to be made “in the best years” and taste a bit richer. However, vintage doesn’t necessarily mean better or more exclusive. Most good champagnes are produced consistently.
• Rosé, everyone’s favorite fruity pink drink, is made a bit differently. The skins of the grapes are left on a little bit longer so the liquid takes on color. Some rosé simply has a little red wine blended in to give it a pink hue.
• How do you tell if it’s going to be sweet or not? Look at the label. Brut, dry, and extra dry actually refer to the dosage of sugar added after the second fermentation. It goes in a scale: Brut means that very little sugar has been added and extra-dry indicates that more sugar has been added. Sec and demi-sec are of the sweeter variety. Doux wines are the absolute sweetest.
[pagebreak]• Good bubbly does exist at 1/3 of the price—it’s just not called champagne. Prosecco is an Italian sparkling wine made with grapes from Veneto. It tends to be on the sweeter side, and it’s not as acidic as champagne. It’s mass produced, tank-fermented, and un-aged, making it a cheaper alternative. It’s light and refreshing, too.
• Cava is another sparkling wine that won’t break the bank. It’s made in the hills of Catalonia, Spain from high-altitude grapes. Many grape varieties can be used to make cava in the same way as champagne, but with less of an aging requirement.
• …and because it’s a staple on our campus, André is definitely worth talking about! André legally labels their wine as champagne because the label was grandfathered in before the restrictions in 2006. Gallo mass produces and tank-ferments it from California grapes, making it affordable for Special D festivities!
• While champagne has a bit of a reputation, you like what you like—it’s all about taste. There are dozens of cava varieties that are indistinguishable from French champagne, and prosecco has a huge worldwide following. Explore, see what you like, and enjoy responsibly!
For more information, visit these sites:
http://edwarddillon.com/wine-and-champagne-guide/introduction-to-champag…
http://www.honest2goodness.ie/Wine/Wines-coming-soon-to-H2G.aspx