48 The NaTioNal CuliNary review • July/augusT 2014

o celebration is complete without Champagne. For centuries, this bubbly elixir has been revered as the go-to drink for royalty. It makes a statement at weddings,

bar mitzvahs and Sunday brunch. Champagne bottles are even smashed against ocean liners for luck. From the pop of the cork to the clinking of flutes to the giddy buzz after that first glass, the effervescent French wine and its sparkling copycats continue to make a splash. Yet, the first Champagne was an accident that elicited jeers, not cheers. In the 17th century, people viewed fermentation as an act of God, so when the pressure from an unexpected second fermentation caused bottles to explode, vintners dubbed the libation “the devil’s wine.” “No one understood what was going on physically and chemically in the bottle,” says Bertil Jean-Chronberg, co-owner/wine director, Beat Hôtel in Cambridge, Mass., and The Beehive in Boston. “People discovered that unlike other wines, which became unstable during transport, Champagne was good no matter where you drank it.” Once it established those roots, Champagne quickly became the official wine for kings, queens and nobility. Every czar, king and noble wanted his own exclusive label. Despite this royal prestige, Champagne houses began billing it as an affordable luxury. By the 20th century, the majority of Champagne drinkers were middle class. When they wanted to feel like royalty, they served Champagne. Champagne is made from grapes grown in the Champagne region of France according to specific appellation rules; however, creative producers around the world have tried to mimic the meth-od—in some cases with great success. The end result: Whether you’re sipping the real deal or knocking back an imposter, it’s clear that bubbly is no longer reserved for celebratory occasions.

Cham pag n e 101 Champagne is still an extravagance, and it’s priced accordingly. Even the least expensive Champagne costs upward of $30 a bottle. For most Americans, that’s not an everyday drink. The reason behind these steep prices is that crafting Champagne isn’t easy. It’s a long, arduous process that requires skill, talent and luck. After fermenting slightly underripe grapes, the winemaker induces a second fermentation by adding yeast and rock sugar

PH

OTO

CR

EDITS O

pposite, clockwise from

left: Paul B

ody; The Beehive/B

eat Hôtel; P

aul Body

aT The bar wines that go pop

N

WINESthat goPoP

“If you’re 21 years old, and the only thing you can afford is a $15 cava, you

feel like a million dollars.” B e rt i l J e a n -C h r o n B e r g

What’s all the buzz about Champagne and other sparkling Wines?

B y a m y p a t u r e l

aCfChefs.org 49

The lava laMPMaria Hunt, Author, The Bubbly Bar: Champagne and Sparkling Wine Cocktails for Every Occasion (Random House, 2009)

2 T. pomegranate juice5-6 pomegranate seedsBrut sparkling wineLemon twist

Method: Add pomegranate juice and seeds to extra-tall chilled champagne flute. Top off with sparkling wine. Garnish with lemon twist.

AperOL FLipMaria Hunt, Author, The Bubbly Bar: Champagne and Sparkling Wine Cocktails for Every Occasion (Random House, 2009)

1 oz. AperolJuice of ½ lemon½ oz. agave nectar½ oz. pasteurized egg white2 oz. brut champagneWide-cut orange peel, for garnish

Method: In cocktail shaker filled with ice, add Aperol, lemon juice, agave nectar and egg white. Shake until well-chilled. Pour champagne into martini glass. Using strainer, pour Aperol mixture into martini glass. Pinch orange peel to release oil into glass; lay it atop foam.

Bertil Jean-Chronberg, Co-owner/Wine DirectorBeat Hôtel, Cambridge, Mass. The Beehive, Boston

½ oz. Calvados or apple brandy¼ oz. St~Germain Elderflower LiqueurBrut sparkling wine

Put Calvados and elderflower liqueur in champagne flute or champagne cup. Fill with brut sparkling wine.

sure ThiNg

//

Method:

50 The NaTioNal CuliNary review • July/augusT 2014

to the base wine. The second fermentation occurs in the bottle, which traps the bubbles. The wine sits in the bottle for a minimum of 1½ years as the flavors mature. The residue from the fermentation is disgorged, and the winemaker adds a small amount of wine or syrup to top off the bottle. Voila! Champagne. But Champagne is more than a method. The limestone-laden land where Champagne grapes grow is limited and expensive. The region’s cool, often troublesome climate and its chalky soils create a complexity of flavor not available elsewhere. Then there’s a lengthy set of requirements for things such as pruning, vineyard yield, the degree of pressing and the amount of time wine must remain on its lees before bottling. Fall short on any one of these requirements, and the bottle cannot be labeled Champagne. “Most Champagnes, including rosés, are a blend of three grapes: pinot noir, pinot meunier and chardonnay,” says Maria Hunt, author of The Bubbly Bar: Champagne and Sparkling Wine Cocktails for Every Occasion (Random House, 2009). You can’t always detect which grapes are dominant in a particular Champagne, but flavors such as raspberry, strawberry and even red currant may point toward pinot noir-heavy and pinot meunier-heavy blends, while chardonnay tends to show as citrus, green apple or pear.

an explosi o n o f Bu BBles Fortunately, good “champagne” doesn’t have to be the real thing. Today’s bubbly aficionados are increasingly recognizing that sophisticated sparkling wines can come from any region that produces high-quality wine grapes. Sparkling wines such as Italian prosecco, Spanish cava and even California bubbly add a touch of class to any occasion. “When you start exploring other regions, you still get this great story about how the wine came to be, but you also get great price diversity,” says Hunt, who cites the huge influx of prosecco and cava coming into the market. “They’re so easily drinkable and affordable people realize they can drink it anytime.” And once they take a sip, they’re hooked. Even the cheap stuff (in cost, not flavor) is posh. People sip sparkling wines for the same reason they buy knockoff Rolex watches, Prada bags and Jimmy Choo shoes: It makes them feel rich and important. Says Beat Hôtel’s Jean-Chronberg, “If you’re 21 years old, and the only thing you can afford is a $15 cava, you feel like a million dollars, even if the older couple next to you is sipping a $300 bottle of Dom Pérignon.” This sense of status may be one reason why sparkling wines have found their way into cocktails for more than 150 years. Perhaps the most popular are the Champagne Cocktail (sparkling wine with an angostura bitters-soaked sugar cube in the bottom, garnished with a lemon peel) and the French 75 (a blend of gin, lemon juice and sugar topped off with a splash of Champagne). A trendier sip is the Elderflower Cocktail (gin, elderflower liqueur and dry Champagne). Also showing up on menus are favorite cocktails topped with sparkling wine, such as the sparkling Mojito and the effervescent margarita. The caveat: You have to select your sparkling wine carefully. “If you’re mixing a cocktail, use a basic cava or other sparkling wine, not a bottle of Dom Pérignon. Otherwise, you’ll compromise the quality of the wine,” says Jean-Chronberg. The goal is to create a drink with bubbles, not additional flavors. Some sparkling producers are even adding flavor in the bottle. Wilson Creek Winery in Temecula, Calif., for example, offers a full suite of flavored bubblies, from the signature Oh My Gosh! Almond Champagne to Peach Bellini, Orange Mimosa, Sangria and Rosé. Mionetto, which helped establish the prosecco category in the U.S., has also launched a few sparklers. Hunt’s favorite is a bottled spin on the Spritz, an Italian apéritif that’s made with Aperol, prosecco and a twist of lemon. Want to think outside the bottle? Add a drop of your favorite liqueur. Black currant, raspberry and violet are popular picks.

aT The bar wines that go pop

ChaMPagNe: a breakDowN of sugar

Historically, there was only one style of Champagne—sweet. Today’s bubbly aficionados have a whole range of options, from super-dry to super-sweet. Here’s how it breaks down by grams of residual sugar:

Doux—more than 50 grams of sugar per liter

DeMi-seC—32-50 grams of sugar per liter

seC—17-32 grams of sugar per liter

exTra Dry—12-17 grams of sugar per liter

bruT—fewer than 12 grams of sugar per liter

exTra bruT—0-6 grams of sugar per liter

sParkliNg serviNg sTraTegies

Beyond the giddy buzz, champagne imparts style, class and romance to even the most casual dinner—as long as you don’t blow the cork. Here’s a step-by-step guide to champagne popping.

1) Chill Corks from warmer bottles are more likely to pop unexpectedly. As temperature increases, the liquid (and gas) is pushed out more quickly. Colder temperatures help keep the pressure in the bottle.

2) sTill Don’t shake bottles of sparkling wine and Champagne, because it increases the risk of the cork shooting out of the bottle on opening. There’s three times greater pressure in a bottle of sparkling wine than in an automobile tire, so keep the bottle pointed away from people.

3) TwisT Place a towel over the top of the bottle, grasp the cork, and slowly and firmly twist to break the seal. Then, hold the top of the bottle and cork and slowly turn the bottle in the opposite direction. This allows you to control how fast or slow the cork will be extracted.

DiD you kNow? Are you missing the celebratory pop? Unfortunately, that’s a sign of pressure being released rapidly from the bottle, which means fewer bubbles.

aCfChefs.org 51

AMy PATUrEL, A FrEELANCE joUrNALiST BASED iN TEMECULA, CALiF., wriTES ABoUT FooD, wiNE, TrAvEL, HEALTH AND FiTNESS.

“Vanilla syrup and mixed berries is exceptional,” says Brice Mastroluca, head bartender at Bagatelle in New York. Just keep it simple. One or two flavors is enough to make your glass pop while still respecting the original product. For a more masculine approach, a drop of cognac and a couple of sugar cubes should do the trick. No matter what your flavor, when they’re done right, champagne cocktails not only whet the appetite, but also settle the stomach.

pai r i n g i n a Bu BBle Champagnes come in different styles, ranging from light-bodied, almost ethereal-tasting to full-flavored and even earthy. Some work best as an apéritif while others exhibit so much depth and character that they make excellent partners for the main event. “Champagne is often a really great pairing wine, because it has a natural acidity. So rather than silencing flavors or covering them up, like an oaky chardonnay or a bold cab, it opens them up,” says Hunt. “Plus, the bubbles help cleanse the palate and get you ready for the next bite.” In general, younger sparkling wines pair well with briny, acidic flavors such as shellfish and citrus, while older vintages pair well with heartier foods and rich sauces. If you have a pinot noir-heavy Champagne, you can pair it with barbecue or maybe even duck, while a bigger Champagne or aged cava is a nice complement for a prime cut of beef, such as a New York or rib-eye steak. One cautionary note: Unless the wine is labeled “demi-sec” or “extra dry” (a confusing misnomer), it does not pair well with sweet desserts. These other varieties are just too dry. “The idea of that combination makes my teeth hurt. The sweetness in the chocolate is going to make the wine taste sour in comparison,” says Hunt. Still want to serve champagne with dessert? Make sure the elixir in the glass is as sweet or sweeter than what’s on the plate. Better yet, finish the meal with a charcuterie. Whether it’s the perfect ending to a meal or the beginning of wedded bliss, there’s no doubt that Champagne and its sparkly cousins make every occasion special. Perhaps economist John Maynard Keynes was onto something when he uttered on his deathbed, “I should have drunk more champagne.”

PH

OTO

CR

EDITS Top, B

agatelle; bottom, The B

eehive/Beat H

ôtel

viOLetteBertil Jean-Chronberg, Co-owner/Wine Director // Beat Hôtel, Cambridge, Mass. // The Beehive, Boston

¼ oz. The Bitter Truth Violet LiqueurBrut sparkling wine

Method: Put violet liqueur in champagne flute or champagne cup. Fill with brut sparkling wine.

oraNge DreaMBertil Jean-Chronberg, Co-owner/Wine Director // Beat Hôtel, Cambridge, Mass. // The Beehive, Boston

½ oz. Cointreau or Grand Marnier 1 dash cocktail sourBrut sparkling wine

Method: Put Cointreau and cocktail sour in champagne flute or champagne cup. Fill with brut sparkling wine.

rose boNboNBrice Mastroluca, Head BartenderBagatelle // New York

2 cans lychees with syrup1 raspberry½ oz. St~Germain Moët Impérial

Method: In blender, combine lychees and syrup, raspberry and St~Germain; puree until smooth. Strain through fine-mesh strainer. Top with Moët Impérial.