Bubbles
Champagne, Cava, sparkling wine: Call it what you will and enjoy the bubbles
By Janet Eastman
THE sensual experience starts with a sound. Pop! It's quickly followed by the sight of white froth spilling over a wine bottle. When poured into a flute, bubbles appear. Then, there's the taste. Effervescence. And within minutes, giddiness because the bubbles transport the alcohol into the bloodstream faster than flat wine can. A win-win, from the start.
Sparkling wine is always a good idea, but this time of year bellows for a taste of real French Champagne or Crémant and its foreign cousins: Cava (Spain), Espumante (Portugal), Spumante (Italy), Sekt (Germany and Austria), Pezsgo (Hungary), Sovetskoye Shampanskoye (Russia) or Cap Classique (South Africa).
So many choices.
So we turn to wine expert Cheryl Garvey, who is the wine department manager for the Ashland Shop'n Kart (or as locals-in-the-know snappily call it, the Kart). Don't let the warehouse aesthetic throw you off. The Kart is fast becoming the place to find the right wine for the perfect meal at home. Garvey’s to thank for much of this. She is unstumpable. Her workdays are filled with people – from wine aficionados to those who are desperate to impress – asking her advice on what to buy.
The always-smiling Garvey came up with these two can't-miss sparklers from her Kart:
“My pick for ‘Treat Yourself, You Deserve It!’ Champagne’ is non vintage Gaston Chiquet Brut,” she says.
The family-own operation has been around since 1746 and its vineyards are in the coveted Champagne region, spreading across the villages of Dizy, Aÿ and Maureil in the Vallee de la Marne area.
A bottle of Gaston Chiquet Brut at the Kart is priced at $38.96. Inside each bottle is a blend of 45% Pinot Meunier, 35% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir, creating a swirling storm of flavors: McIntosh apple skin, almond and “a pretty, chalky terroir character,” says Garvey. But wait for more and you’ll be rewarded – says Garvey – with subtle floral and dried red berry notes that sneak in later. Bottom line: It’s “full of finesse,” she says, with “fine structure and a delicate mousse.”
For Garvey’s second pick, which she places in the “Champagne Taste on a Beer Budget" category, she selects a non vintage sparkler from Chablis, Simonnet Febvre Crémant de Bourgogne Brut ($15.44).
Simonnet-Febvre has specialized in sparkling wines since 1840. This 100% Chardonnay Crémant is "crisp, elegant, captivating," says Garvey. It’s made in the traditional Méthode Champagnoise.
“Great Chablis with bubbles – need I say more?” asks Garvey. Then she seems compelled to contradict her self-imposed silence by adding: “I'm thinking oysters or caviar or just a chilled flute.”
Then another thought comes to her mind: “One bottle is not enough.” (FYI: There’s a double-digit case discount at the Kart.)
Thanks, Cheryl.
For other sparkler ideas, visit Champagne, the Examiner's Drink of the Month page
For more info: Ashland Shop'n Kart, 2268 Ashland Street, Ashland, (541) 488-1579,