LOVED this, so seriously just go buy it! This is our third crémant in Fizzmas – so many good ones from all over France. Crémant from the Loire requires hand-picked grapes, light pressing, and long maturation. This Langlois sparkling rosé is all Cabernet Franc (the predominant red grape in the Loire) and packed with just-picked strawberry … Continue reading
Author Archives: grapefriend
the 12 days of fizzmas: pinot meunier champs on day 9
This is actually our first Champagne during Fizzmas! I held off to make a point – there are so many good sparkling wines from all around the world. That said, you gotta still love the Champs. And one of my favorite kinds lately is Champagne made with all Pinot Meunier. Champagne is allowed to be … Continue reading
the 12 days of fizzmas: portuguese espumante on day 8
On the 8th day of Fizzmas, I give you the 2010 Esporão Espumante (sparkling wine is called espumante in Portuguese, if you hadn’t figured that out). I haven’t had much sparkling Portuguese wine, but I liked this. It’s from Herdade do Esporão in the Alentejo region. Alentejo’s pretty warm and mostly known for red table … Continue reading
the 12 days of fizzmas: sparkling malbec from mendoza on day 7
This is another interesting one. Malbec usually makes a gritty, medium-to-full bodied red wine. So when you turn it into a sparkling wine, you’d think it might be heavy but this was refreshing and even lighter than the sparkling Shiraz I spoke about the other day. Ernest Catena’s Misterio is a coppery rosé, whereas the … Continue reading
festive fizzy cocktails
Who doesn’t love a fizzy cocktail? So refreshing, and a fully acceptable way to celebrate Fizzmas. During the holidays I love getting in the spirit (pun intended) with something festively red! (One below isn’t red because I love gingery Domaine de Canton – but that one can be festively golden like a Christmas tree star.) … Continue reading
the 12 days of fizzmas: prosecco from the veneto on day 6
My friend Sarah was just telling me that she recently went out with her mom and had Prosecco. Her mom called later asking what kind of Champagne they had, and she told her it was Prosecco. “No, it was Champagne, it had bubbles,” her mom said. I love hearing stories like this because it reminds … Continue reading
the 12 days of fizzmas: crémant from bordeaux on day 5
Bordeaux’s main white grapes are Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, so obv that’s what most of their sparkling is made from. Jaillance Crémant is made in the same method as champagne, and their “Cuvée de l’Abbaye” is made with Semillon and Cab Franc grapes. It’s dry, delicious, and awesome with savory foods (like gougères, aka cheese puffs). The … Continue reading
fizz quiz: best bubbly lyrics
We’re popping bubbly every day til Christmas, so I figured it was time for some Fizzmas fun of a different variety. See how many of these 10 Champagne lyrics you can match to their singer! The 10 singers are listed after the lyrics if you need options to match to the lyrics – but you … Continue reading
the 12 days of fizzmas: penedès on day 4
On the fourth day of Fizzmas, we’re rocking bubbles from the Penedès region in Spain. And not just any Spanish sparkling, but one from the producer who makes the bub of choice of Spain’s royal family. Lorde should totally substitute Juvé y Camps for Grey Goose in “Royals.” The Penedès region is in Spain, and … Continue reading
bubbles, bubbles all year round
We’re in the middle of Fizzmas, so obviously I know people like to pop a lot of bubbly around the holidays. But really, you gotta get more in the treat yourself mindset because there’s at least one thing you can find every day that’s awesome to celebrate. In? Enter 365 Days of Bubbles, which is about … Continue reading