If it pleases and sparkles, sunshine

Sparkling wine is always a fun time, and tonight was not an exception. It made some of us slap the bass and others eat the pizza. All in all, my wine came in last, but no tears have been shed yet. Check out the reviews below:

1st place: 2007 Chateau Guadrelle Vouvray Brut
Descriptors included: dustbuster, mandarin orange, and lychee. Eric is elated that the top two wines came from the Loire Valley tonight, and he says this has a finish of, “granny smith apple”. I think Jolly Ranchers. Tasty.

2nd place: A. Simoneau Touraine Brut 100% Chenin Blanc
Yet another Chenin Blanc from the Loire showing strongly. Marshmellows, bacon, beach, and gummy bears. Despite the outlandish and moderately snobbish tasting notes, this wine is solid and could hold its own against… well… other wines. A finish of flowers lingers flowingly through Floridian flamingos.

3rd place: Graham Beck Brut 53% Chardonnay 47% Pinot Noir
South African goodness. Stinky shoes, graham crackers (coincidence? I think not), and more green apple Jolly Ranchers. We eat that shit up. Solid.

4th place: Mountain Dome Brut
This wine sparked some debate. The only Washington entry of the night, this was tasted last week in Wines of the World class which three of the night’s tasters are in. They claim large variation, with aromas ranging from meatballs to soccer balls. Any sort of ball, and it’s probably spot on. Oh, and it’s yeasty.

5th place: 2007 Vida Organica Chardonnay Mendoza
Argentina comes through, finishing the night how they started the 20th century: in last. I like this wine, and I feel horrible that it was not loved by my peeps tonight. Actually all of the wines were solid, but this may have been the shakiest of them all. Yeast, French toast, and Heather’s vegan grandmother hit the nose. Woot.

The next Cork Dorks United is on March 7 and will feature the infamous wine and chocolate pairings.

Pet Peeve: Sparkling Wine Lacks Respect

It’s funny how certain objects obtain such strong connotations in a culture, and this is no more strongly exemplified than that of Champagne’s reputation as a drink reserved for celebrations. There are many great sparkling wines in the world which are just as (if not more) affordable than still wines of comparable quality. They also have the advantage of not requiring a cork screw to open, and therefore they are great for taking on hikes, to the movies, or on a road trip (not recommended).

Sparkling wine is perfect – it performs fabulously on its own and it also pairs with a huge variety of foods. If unsure what to pair with a chicken and pasta dish, a Cava will likely be a hit, but it doesn’t stop there – they also pair very well with desserts. In the future I hope to see sparkling wines considered for every day meals rather than only consumed after some sort of personal victory or on New Year’s Eve.

A couple sparkling wines that deliver great value outside of Champagne include:

Domaine St Michelle Brut: Easily available in the Northwest, this is a solid bubbly that should not be overlooked. The price point (~$10) can’t be beat, and neither can this article. Snap.

Segura Viudas Cava Brut: I can buy this in Walla Walla for little more than $7. When thinking of the top under $10 wines this one always comes to mind. Buy a couple bottles and saber one of them just for kicks – it’s a good hangover cure.

In case one is curious as to how these wines obtain their bubbling goodness, check out my Ask a Terroirist post.