Welcome to the sixth installment of WINE CRUSH,
a bi-monthly-ish newsletter.

This space is for the viticulture geeks, cellar rats and glass swirlers.

Read on as Jason Bise and Kelly McGrath share their thoughts on seasonal wine trends, ancient grapes, and mystical producers.

by Kelly McGrath

a silver spoon will keep your bubbles fresh

French folk wisdom claims that you can hang a silver spoon in the neck of the bottle to preserve bubbles for enjoyment days later. A team at Stanford put this theory to the test “ all in a thirst for knowledge, and digging into their own pockets for research funds - they found that the spoon theory falls flat”. The secret to keeping bubbles fresh is simple- keep it cold from the start. In many liquids, including water, carbon dioxide is more soluble at low temperatures so cold liquids retain their dissolved gas. This means your bottle of sparkling could remain full of life in the fridge for days, even without a stopper. We recommend using a stopper with a silicone seal and stainless steel safety clip to lock those bubbles in the bottle. This will not only prevent éventage (loss of bubbles), but you will successfully avoid refrigerator tragedies as well.

Popping that bottle
with a bang

We are all familiar with that beautiful pop that sounds like an explosion of joy. It is the bang that gets the attention of the entire room and is often followed by cheering from all guests.

Opening with a bang can have some negative effects on the wine and the people around you. First, it triggers a sudden drop in pressure and reduces those precious bubbles that you have spent your hard earned money on. Second, it causes a loss of wine that can be considerable if the bottle has been shaken or insufficiently chilled. Third, the wayward sparkling wine cork can actually be quite dangerous. With the cage off of the bottle, please aim away from people and anything that might be damaged from a cork shot out of a bottle. In order to save as many bubbles and wine as possible, open a bottle of any sparkling wine, including Champagne, as quietly and unobtrusively as possible.

There is typically around 70-90 pounds per square inch of pressure inside a sparkling wine bottle (imagine about three times as much pressure as your car tire) so the most important thing to remember when learning how to open sparkling wine: handle with care. The uncorking of a bottle is part of the ritual and may feel awkward at first but becomes much easier the more you do it. Practice these steps to preserve the bubbles for the most enjoyment and avoid waste.

Before you even think about opening your sparkling wine you need to ensure the bottle is properly chilled, this is between 42-48 degrees. A lower temperature slows down the molecular activity in the bottle, making it safer to open.

Remove the foil cover over the cork.
With a thumb over the top of the cork and muselet (the wire cage), twist the small wire key at the bottom. It should take about six half-turns. Don't remove the cage, it can help your grip.
If desired, place a towel over the cork.
Hold the bottle at about a 45° angle with one hand at the base of the bottle and one hand over the cork. (Check to ensure you're not pointing the cork at anyone).
Slowly turn the base of the bottle toward you—again, this should take about six half-turns. As the cork is about to push out completely, apply more pressure with the hand on top. The goal is to allow the cork to release quietly.

If you are missing that ceremonial pop you can learn the art of sabering a bottle, a practice still used by the military and especially popular in cavalry regiments. There is nothing difficult about sabering a bottle of sparkling and will kick off celebrations on a high note. Hold the bottle by the base in one hand and with the other hand touch the sabre to the shoulder of the bottle, turning the blunt edge towards the cork. Then slide up the neck, following the bottle seam to the lip of the bottle sharply, aiming for the glass ring just below the cork (the weakest point in a bottle of sparkling). Done properly, sabering severs the neck with a single blow. It ensures a clean break with no fragments, and poses no threat to your wine. But watch where that flying cork and glass go so you can retrieve them after opening. We recommend Alton Brown's entertaining and helpful video for a step-by-step.

You should only
drink sparkling wine
out of a flute

Just like standard wine, sparkling wine is impacted by the size and shape of the glass you serve it in. Champagne flutes are the most common options for serving sparkling wine, but not the best according to most sommeliers. The reason is the wine isn’t able to breathe and release its beautiful aromas in a flute. Instead opt for a white wine glass to fully experience everything that your sparkling wine has to offer.

Frequently high in tannin, acidity and natural sugar, these wines can be powerful and have been known to age for decades or longer. 1978 was a monumental vintage and many of the old Barolo wines are still showing many decades ahead of them. Even called the King of Wines in Barolo, this wine has charm in spades and grabs your attention from an early age. Full of fine and gripping tannins and acidity for days, this is a grape that has always called for long cellaring and recently growers have had great success in taming these elements for earlier drinking without sacrificing all that is to come in the future.

ALL SPArkling wine
is “Champagne”

Americans have a habit of attributing brand names to generic products. Using everyday vernacular to refer to any sparkling wine as “Champagne” is confusing for both the Champagne region and the consumer. It’s important to understand that Champagne is a specific region in France that is tied to specific quality regulations under the French law. American law is a different matter, and some producers slap the name Champagne on beverages that would be illegal if sold anywhere outside of the US. There are many other sparkling wines in France and they are typically labelled as Cremant or of the region they are from. Méthode Champenoise is the primary way sparkling wine is made, with the second fermentation in the bottle. This term can only be used for Champagne also, elsewhere in the world it is Méthode Traditionnelle or Methode Classique.

If you haven’t read our newsletter on Champagne, click here to learn more about why it’s important to protect the name of this terroir driven region.

SPARKLING WINE IS ONLY FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS

Sparkling wines are one of the most versatile and food friendly wines because of their innately high acidity levels, and their palate cleansing bubbles. They can be served throughout the day, as an aperitif and throughout a meal too. Pair sparkling wines with a range of dishes including seafood, salads, richer fried foods and cream based dishes. Keeping a couple bottles of bubbly chilled at home is great for unexpected celebrations and quick go-to pairings. Sparkling wine makes an everyday occurrence seem amazing and a magnificent event seem even more awe-inspiring.

Bottle Spotlight

by Country

France

Fleuraison Rose de Rosee NV
$12.95

Domaine de la Bergerie Cremant de Loire NV
$21.95

Melanie Pfister Blanc de Blancs 'Breit' Extra Brut
$32.95

Salasar Cremant de Limoux NV
$14.95

Charles Bove Rose NV
$19.95

Saint-Hilaire Brut Blanc de Blanc Orange 2019
$19.95

Bugey-Cerdon 'La Cueille' NV
$27.95

SPAIN

Azimut Cava NV
$19.95

Summarocca Cava 2018
$14.95

ITALY

Rebuli Prosecco NV
$16.95

Masot Prosecco 2019
$17.95

Montelliana Prosecco NV
$12.95

Poggiosecco 'Etrah' Vermentino Pet Nat 2018
$19.95

Cleto-Chiarli 'Vecchia-Modena' NV
$18.95

Cleto-Chiarli 'Vecchia-Modena' NV Magnum
$44.95

Vignetto Saetti 'Il Cadetto' NV
$24.95

Podere Sottoilnoce 'Confine' 2019
$39.95

Vigneto Saetti Lambrusco Frizzante 2019
$24.95

Cantina della Volta Rose 2015
$37.95

Cantina della Volta Christian Bellei 2015
$38.95

Cantina della VoltaBrut Rosso 2017
$22.95

ENGLAND

(really!)

Gusborne Blanc de Blancs 2016
$44.95

PORTUGAL

Filipa Pato 3B Blanc de Blancs Brut Nature 2016
$19.95

UNITED STATES

Gruet Blanc de Noirs NV
$19.95

Schramsberg Brut Rose 2018
$45.95

Thibaut-Janisson Blanc de Chardonnay NV
$29.95

Thibaut-Janisson Xtra Brut NV
$28.95

Birichino Malvasia Bianca Petillant Naturel 2020
$27.95