Ringing Out a Hell of a Year

Like the rest of America, we couldn’t say goodbye to 2008 fast enough. Personally and professionally, VinoDuo had a tough year. So for New Year’s Eve, we decided to hunker down and welcome 2009 with classic comfort food—take-out Chinese, ice cream, and a whole lot of bubbly. Like many wine-lovers on a budget, we skipped Champagne and chose value-priced sparkling wines from Spain (Cava) and Italy (Prosecco.) From the spicy Hunan Shrimp and heavenly mango-laden Ma La Chicken to the swoon-inducing Giovanna mint chip gelato, we sipped and slurped our way through a pleasantly ‘buzzy’ New Year’s Eve.

The Cava: Familia Oliveda Brut Joven  $15     Great with Food!
The name Cava has Greek and Latin origins (and means “cave” in English,) but this charming sparkler is produced only in Spain, largely in the Catalonia region. By law Cava must be made with specific grape varietals in the "methode champenoise" style—the traditional French method of producing a sparkling wine by fermentation in the bottle. The Familia Oliveda Cava is made from primarily estate grown Macabeo, Xarel-o, and Parellada grapes—varietals previously unknown to VinoDuo.

So how did this stuff stand up to spicy Chinese? Fantastic!  We were truly thrilled by this inexpensive sparkling wine. The color is a bright, light shade of hay. Gary said that it was “crystalline with spectacular effervescence.”  The nose (as if this is at all important with sparkling wines) reminded us of clean, fresh wet limestone and grass. The palate was delicious with hints of Granny Smith apples, Anjou pears, and ripe nectarines.  There was a slight hint of residual sugar, minimal yeast, and just the right amount of dryness.

We couldn’t finish the bottle (yeah, we’re wimps,) so we once again toasted the new year on January 1. Lisa thought the Cava was even better the next day, with a subtle nutty flavor. For $15 this is a bargain!

The Prosecco: Loredan Gasparini Montello E Colli Asolani, NV    $18    Great for Sipping, Toasting, Sweets
Prosecco is Italy’s best-known answer to Champagne, though it is produced using the less expensive Charmat method and not the "methode champenoise" style.  By law, any wine marked “Prosecco” must be made from the grape that bears its name and is usually produced in the Veneto region.

We’ve enjoyed Prosecco over the years as an aperitif and great “toasting” wine for birthdays and other special occasions.  It pairs well with certain cheeses and sweets. Sadly, it is not a great match for Chinese food. The nose on this beautiful pale, straw-colored wine is minerally and clean, with hints of strawberries and lychee fruit.  But the semi-sweet flavor clashed badly with our spicy feast so we returned to the Cava and contentedly finished our meal.

Plates cleared and gelato in hand, however, we switched back to the Prosecco and closed out the celebration with an all-Italy dessert. There’s good reason why Prosecco has stolen our hearts as the base for Bellinis and Poinsettias. We’ll stick with those traditional pairings and turn to Spain for a sparkling wine that can stand up to Asian fare.