Some years ago, style-setting ladies carried mini-whisks when they attended Champagne receptions after weddings and other celebratory events. With not a hint of embarrassment, they used this tool to stir the bubbles out of their Champagne. Whether the cause was fear that a few bubbles tickling nose and palate might bring smiles and tempt them into having fun is not recorded. But neutering Champagne in that way was a crime against nature.
Those bubbles are created as wine goes through a second fermentation in a closed bottle. Unable to escape, the carbon dioxide dissolves into the liquid, then rushes upward in the form of bubbles when the bottle is opened. These bubbles continue to sparkle when poured into a glass and, when sipped, perform an energizing dance on the tongue.
They enhance conversation and quench thirst in a most delightful way. They turn strangers into friends, friends into intimates and sow the seeds of romance. They bring with them the gift of exhilaration.
All of which helps explain why Champagne and sparkling wine are invited to weddings so frequently. (Champagne is produced exclusively in the region of France called Champagne. Sparkling wine is produced elsewhere in France and in countries around the world. It may or may not be produced by the long and costly methode champenoise, which was developed in Champagne.)
“Sparkling wine is poured at virtually every wedding we do, even if it’s just a single glass for a toast,” says Jon Wool, director of special events for Wolfgang Puck Chicago. “Whether the wedding is traditional or trendy, Champagne seems to bridge the gap between generations.”
These days a caterer such as Wolfgang Puck is likely to have a wine specialist on staff who will customize a menu to include appropriate wines.
“Our wedding clients tend not to be specific when it comes to selecting Champagne or sparkling wine,” Wool says. “But they do pay attention to the price. The cost can vary dramatically.”
There are two overriding factors in determining that cost: the brand you select and how much of it you intend to pour.
“Most people specify French Champagne when they come here to select wines for a wedding,” says Charles Edward Stanfield, the sparkling wine specialist at Sam’s. “The very fact it is Champagne seems to reassure a nervous couple that the reception will be a celebration and the wine will be classy.”
Of course, you pay for this liquid therapy. Champagne retail prices start in the mid-$20s and soar past $100 for special bottlings with names such as Dom Perignon and Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame.
“Sometimes ignorance is bliss,” Stanfield says. “Some customers think that every wine that sparkles is Champagne, and that opens the door to a very good selection priced from $6 to $12.”
He points to such American sparklers as Korbel Brut at $6 (“good name recognition, safe”) and Chateau Ste. Michelle (brut, extra-dry and blanc de noirs for about $10). Favorite imports include Aria (“crisp, light cava from Spain for about $10”), Cremant de Alsace from Lucien Albrecht (“friendly, a real beauty for $10”), Wolf Blass sparkling (“a nutty, toasty Australian wine for $8”) and Taltarni Brut Tache (“one of the best roses” at $14). A recent tasting in the Tribune’s Test Kitchen confirmed that good sparkling wine is coming from many parts of the world. Wines from Australia, Argentina and Champagne were favored, in that order. Stanfield believes the next level of American sparkling wines, priced from the low $20s into the $40s per bottle, are “on par” with French sparklers in the same price category. He points to Roederer Estate and Schramsberg bottlings as examples.
There’s more to these wines than their price. As noted above, the grapes or mixture of grapes can affect color and taste. A tasting of several candidates will be informative. (It will be even more informative if appetizers and a cake similar to the wedding cake are tasted with the wines.)
More important may be how dry or sweet the wine tastes. With appetizers and first-course dishes a crisp, dry sparkler is appropriate. Look for the term “brut” on the bottle. With wedding cake and dessert, brut is likely to taste sharp and bitter. A better choice would be demi-sec or extra-dry, both of which are somewhat sweet.
Considering all the care that will go into visual aspects of the wedding, it should be suggested that the appearance of the wine bottle be considered as well. It is possible to obtain sparkling wine in outsized containers that hold the equivalent of two to 20 bottles.
Once you have found the right magical wine, you have to decide when and how much of it you will serve.
The extremes are, as Wool puts it, a “free-flowing” reception where guests are greeted with glasses of sparkling wine and sparkling water that are available throughout the event and a toast-only plan where a glass or glass and a half is allocated for each guest at the time the cake is cut.
Another sparkling wine opportunity: Pour it for a toast when guests are seated before the meal begins. In addition, the servers might continue pouring the same sparkler during the first course.
BUBBLES FOR THE BRIDE (AND GROOM)
A recent tasting of sparkling wines in the Tribune’s test kitchen showed that good-value wines are being made in distant corners of the world.
After a dozen sparklers were tasted blind by a panel of eight people, Taltarni Brut Tache, a rose wine from Australia, emerged as the consensus favorite. Chandon Brut Fresco, produced in Argentina, was second and Moet & Chandon White Star, the largest-selling Champagne in this country, was third. All three wines are non-vintage and qualify as highly recommended.
The other wines fell into two additional categories: recommended and disappointing. The prices cited are Binny’s, where the wines were purchased.
In addition to the Moet & Chandon, another real Champagne, Deutz Brut Classic, was included. Other sparklers came from other regions of France plus Spain, Australia, California and Washington State. All except the Australian Seaview were non-vintage.
Highly recommended
Tasters admired the ($14) Taltarni Tache’s blush pink color, fresh fruit aroma and a taste that was very well balanced between tart and sweet. It would be an ideal reception wine.
The rich, round Chandon Brut Fresco ($10) offered admirable small bubbles, a yeasty aroma and fruit flavors that included pear and peach. This would be a fine toasting wine and could be served with savory food as well.
The French Moet & Chandon White Star ($27), which does not claim to be brut (a classification that means very dry), had a light straw color and was slightly sweet though fresh tasting with a long, clean finish. Consider it an all-purpose Champagne that will stand up to the typical cake.
Recommended
Blanc de Blancs, Cuvee Traditional, demi-sec ($6). From the Burgundy region of France, this wine is available only at Binny’s. Round and soft with a peach aroma and ripe grape flavor; sweet but smooth. Just right for the toast and cake.
Korbel Natural ($14). Aroma of apples and lemon, hint of almond; light texture and color; dry yet fruity; short aftertaste. A good choice for the reception.
Champagne Deutz Brut Classic ($33). Pretty gold color; toasty aroma; lean and crisp; elegant wine with a tart aftertaste. At this price, save it for close friends.
Roederer Estate, Anderson Valley ($20). Very fine bubbles, attractive; lemony aroma; tart, long finish. Pour this during the reception.
1998 Seaview Brut ($7). Pale gold with small bubbles and medium body; a lemon-honey aroma and hint of pineapple in the taste; dry finish. This import from Australia is an all-purpose wine at a bargain price.
Domaine Ste. Michelle Blanc de Blanc ($7). Pale with a light texture; foamy; scent of herbs and yeast; tart but smooth and well balanced. Another all-purpose bargain.
Disappointing
Bouvet Brut ($10). Large, weak bubbles; medium body; tart, acidic finish.
Nino Franco Rustico ($10). Very pale with a distinctive floral aroma; lean and thin; fruity, somewhat sweet taste fades quickly.
Segura Vindas Brut Reserva ($7). Crisp, medium body; faint aroma of apple and grass; tastes thin, flat and bland.
