Psychowine: Bubbles -- Naughty, Nice, or both?

This is the first post in my new Psychowine series, wherein I'll be looking at the psychological aspects of what and where we drink. I encourage feedback, either below in the comments or through Twitter at @RandomOenophile.


No, this isn't one we tried recently. I just love this picture.

Remember when we were kids, and we'd tell jokes that we knew were supposed to be dirty, but we didn't know why? There was a series of such jokes about a survey taker who would go door-to-door and ask people in the neighborhood questions. In one, he found that the men of the neighborhood liked to "take baths with bubbles." The punchline was that the last door was opened by a beautiful blonde who introduced herself, "Hi, I'm Bubbles!"

I love bubbles, but not the slutty neighbor kind. A glass of sparkling wine has become my favorite pre-dinner drink when we go out to eat because it's tasty on its own but also pairs beautifully with any food. It's superior to a Cosmo because it's not going to raise my blood-alcohol content to the point that anything I drink after it will finish me. No, I don't have the "champagne goes to my head" syndrome.

Just like the Bubbles joke, there's something naughty about sparkling wine. That it's usually saved for celebrations lends it a decadent quality and sense of, "how dare you drink this without cause?" Its association with sexual symbolism, perhaps because bubbles do go to some women's heads (and some men's as well…and we'll leave it at that) also lends it an air of mystery. This impression is reinforced by a popular myth that the saucer-like glasses called coupes were modeled after a famous French queen's or royal mistress' breasts. Sadly, Snopes.com ruins the fun and says the tales aren't true.

So, with that in mind, here are some bubblies that we tried recently at a JavaMonkey wine tasting as well as one we sampled. Perhaps you can find something to get you warmed up for your New Year's Eve celebration.

Lois de Grenelle Platine Brut, NV (Loire Valley, France): 85% Chenin Blanc, 10% Chardonnay, 5% Cabernet Franc
I was apparently feeling quite literal with this one. My first comment: "It's bubbly." Beyond that, it's tart and tropical.
Rating: Good

François Montand Brut Rosé, NV (Côtes du Jura, France): 100% Grenache
Smoother and with more stone fruit. This one had nice little bubbles.
Rating: Good to Very Good

2008 Gramona Cran Cuvee Cava (Penedès, Spain): Xarelo, Macabeo, & Chardonnay
The longest age Cava in the world, this one had a nice bready, yeasty quality that makes it smooth and yummy.
Rating: VG to Excellent

Zèfiro Prosecco, NV (Veneto, Italy):
A beautifully light and fruity Prosecco.
Rating: Very Good

2009 Kila Cava (Penedès, Spain): 35% Macabejo, 40% Xarelo, and 25% Parellada
A little heavier and with less fruit, but not quite as well-balanced as the previous Cava. Yes, my notes on this one are minimal.
Rating: Good



2010 Cleto Chiarli e Figli "Premium" Lambrusco (Emilia Romagna, Italy):
Yep, it's a dark red sparkling Lambrusco. I found the fruit itself to be a bit harsh, and it was incredibly buttery. Good as a novelty wine, but if I want a sparkling red, I'm probably going for a Shiraz.
Rating: OK

I accepted a sample of Yellow Tail Bubbles White Sparkling Wine because I was curious to see how the Australian mega-winery would do bubbles. They claim their closure, the "Zork" would keep it bubbly even after opening. The wine itself is lightly sweet and fruity but lacking the acidity that would make it great with food. It finishes up with a hint of vanilla. We drank half on Sunday and "zorked" it with the intention of finishing it on Monday. We forgot until last night (Wednesday) and were pleasantly surprised to find that it was still as bubbly as it was on Sunday afternoon. This would be a good wine for anyone who wants a decent sparkling under $10, those who are trying to transition to less sweet wines from the Asti Spumante world, or someone who wants something that would go well in mimosas or other sparkling wine-based cocktails.

So there you have it! I hope this has given y'all some ideas for what to uncork, or un-zork, on New Year's Eve or any time you want to feel just a little decadent. To feel really naughty, consider putting on some soft music, lighting a few candles, and taking a bath with bubbles…in a glass.

Disclaimer: We received the Yellow Tail Bubbles as a sample. This did not affect my review.

Tasting Notes: Bubbles! Also, a taste of Asheville adventures

With New Year's Eve coming up, many people wonder about what would be a good, reasonable sparkling wine to open at or prior to midnight of the newish decade. Yes, time geeks have informed me that the new decade doesn’t technically start until 2011, but if I have to remember to change two numbers when I write the date, it counts as a decade change for me. We did have the opportunity to taste several sparkling wines at the most recent JavaMonkey tasting, and then we stumbled upon a champagne bar/used bookstore in Asheville. But I’ll get to that later. Here are the notes from the tasting:

NV François Montand Brut Blanc de Blancs (France): Ugni Blanc and Airen grapes
Citrus nose, but bitter on the end. One taster commented that the bitter almond taste would be a great vehicle for arsenic. With that in mind, don’t bring this wine to one of those murder mystery parties – someone might get carried away! It did play nicely with food.
Rating: Good

NV Zèfiro Prosecco (Veneto, Italy): 100% Prosecco
This one isn’t made like a traditional champagne, but that doesn’t matter because it’s good. A nice representative of the varietal, it has a green apple nose and lots of citrus on the palate.
Rating: Very Good

2005 Marques de Gelida Organic Brut Reserva Cava (Penedès, Spain): Xarello, Paralledo, Macabello, and Chardonnay grapes
Subtle citrus nose with some vanilla and toast. Has a little more flavor to it than the previous wines with minerality balanced by a little toast and some lemon meringue (yes, the bubbles go to my head quickly).
Rating: Good

François Montand Brut Rosé (Southern France): 100% Grenache
Raspberry nose with raspberry and strawberry on the palate. Dry but still fruity. Someone commented that this would be a good one to give to your date because it goes down easily.
Rating: Very Good

2005 Marques de Gelida Brut Rosé Cava Spain): Pinot Noir
Hot pink color, but not much of a nose. Some cherry and anise on the palate.
Rating: Good

The Chook Sparkling Shiraz (McLaren Vale, Australia):
This one is pretty much, as advertised, a shiraz with bubbles with its dark fruit nose, some oak and serious fruit. This one pretty much stumped the table because it was so unlike any sparkling we’d had before, even other sparkling shirazes. This would be a great conversation and/or debate starter at any party.
Rating: Good to Very Good

Okay, now for a brief taste of our Asheville adventures. We spent Sunday afternoon wandering around the downtown area, and were disappointed to find that the wine bar at the Grove Arcade didn’t open until four. We walked outside and saw a lit “Champagne Bar” sign in the window of a used bookstore across the street.

Books and champagne? Brilliant! Of course we had to check out the Battery Park Book Exchange and Champagne Bar, where oenophile Tom Calabrese held court behind the marble-topped bar in the back right of the bookstore. Yes, a champagne bar, as in more than one sparkling wine available by the glass. Try several, and that day they were also pouring a blood orange mimosa, which one patron described as “liquid velvet.” Keep in mind that the velvet in question would be a hot peachy-pink, but hey, whatever works for you. For a moment it felt like we were in one of the many novels that line the shelves of the store: the loquacious wine guy, a professional ballet dancer, his girlfriend the artist, and us, two visitors from out of town who wandered in on a cold day.

It quickly became evident that Tom knows his sparkling, so I asked him what his top three picks for reasonable New Year’s party wine would be. We agreed on two: Saint-Hilaire Blanquette de Limoux, which is French and has been around longer than champagne, and Gruet, a champagne maker in New Mexico that puts out fantastic stuff. He also suggested the Luna Argento Prosecco from Italy. I tried it and had to have a second glass to make sure my original impressions were accurate. They were: light citrus nose, mild melon/vanilla finish, and overall elegant balance and bubbles. If I can find it here in Georgia, I’m definitely going to get it.

Oh, and the bookstore was really neat, too, with comfortable seating and a great variety of books in both the upstairs and the downstairs sections. Yes, Asheville is definitely my kind of town. I’ll post more about it later as I gather my notes. And maybe after I find some Prosecco.

Famous Drunk Guys: Vivaldi

I had lunch today with one of my friends and faithful readers, and she mentioned that she can't wait to hear all about the wine and chocolate festival in Lodi. However, I wanted to be sure to acknowledge a very important person in the classical music world.

Today is the three hundred and thirty-first birthday of Antonio Vivaldi. While he may not have technically been drunk, he was Italian in the seventeenth and eighteenth century, so it's highly likely that he drank wine. Caricatures show that he had a big nose, all the better to get that important first sensory smell impression, so -- this is pure speculation -- he could have even been an oenophile, or wine lover.

Vivaldi's best known work is, of course, The Four Seasons, four violin concertos that have been used as background music for everything from commercials to movies to the Italy Pavilion at EPCOT when I was there in 2002. He composed many many other pieces of music including operas and sacred works.

What should you drink while listening to Vivaldi? It depends on your mood. Some describe his work as playful, so perhaps a fun red like the 2007 Quattro Mani Montepulciano, which is smooth and fruity, like a blackberry pie in a glass, would be appropriate. Also, I believe that "Quattro Mani" means "four hands," and The Four Seasons has been transcribed for piano in a four-hands arrangement. I wouldn't recommend it after having drunk a lot of wine, but it may be fun to try after a glass or two as long as your playing partner is someone you know fairly well.

If you're in a more effervescent mood, try a Prosecco. These can be a little rough, but I do like the Zefiro Prosecco (Veneto), which has a lovely cream soda nose and is mellow on the palate.

Okay, now that I've given a nod to culture, I have to admit that I don't really have any Vivaldi playing in the background. The CD that is currently living in my stereo system is U2's new album, No Line on the Horizon. However, Vivaldi influenced everyone after him including the great J.S. Bach.

So, happy birthday, Vivaldi! Your music will always make me think about cute Italian guys, gelato, and, of course, wine.