We’re nearing the end of Fizzmas! Today brings a really good one for the season. Lambrusco is like the Rudolph’s nose of sparkling wine: red and under-appreciated. It’s both the name of the grape and therefore the wine made from it, made in four areas in Emilia-Romagna and one in Lombardy. The wines are mostly frizzante – lightly fizzy as opposed to … Continue reading
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
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
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
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
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
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
Kickin’ it domestic on the third day of Fizzmas, with this awwwwesome sparkling by Sea Smoke. You might remember Sea Smoke Pinot Noir from Sideways. They’re a killer Pinot Noir producer in Santa Barbara, in the Santa Rita Hills AVA to be exact. Well, they just came out with their 2011 bubbly called Sea Spray, made … Continue reading
FIZZMAS. IS. HERE!!! . I love Champagne, but there’s so much bubbly being made all over the world that I decided to explore around. And what better time to do it than the holidays? So I’m bringing you one good sparkling wine I’ve never had before, from lots of different countries, every day until Christmas. … Continue reading
There is SO MUCH wine happening in front of Christmas trees! Trust me, this is but a small sampling of what’s going down every night on the socials. I love the holidays! I love grapefriends! Tag me @grapefriend in yours! Continue reading
