Tag: sparkling wine

Is there any party that can’t be instantly improved by the sound of a cork popping for sparkling wine? But not all bubbles are created equally: you might want the best champagne or a rowdy midnight toast with Solo cups. To help you plan, we sat down with sommelier Steven Grubbs, wine director at Empire State South, for a blind tasting of four sparkling wines.

Champagnes and other sparkling wines are fragile! Swirl them and they’ll go flat, which means you lose the aromatics that the bubbles are meant to deliver.

The celebratory yet stressful nature of the holiday season calls for one quencher: bubbly. The good thing is that there are options; these days, you can find world-class sparkling wines from all across the globe. The bad news: Finding the right bottle can be pretty intimidating. I’m here to help.

The country’s signature grape varietal, often accused of being too sweet, has yet to sync with the American palate, despite relentless nationwide campaigns and marketing pushes. But there is a way to dive into German wines—great German wines—without having to buy a copy of Rosetta Stone, memorize a map, or fork over a ton of cash: go sparkling.

The grin stretching across Juan Cortes' face was unmistakable. The sommelier at Restaurant Eugene was smitten. "Just holding these bottles makes me very happy," he beamed. Such is the alluring power of Champagne and sparkling wines.