Got Wine? Bubbles for Valentine’s Day

If you are planning a special meal for your sweetheart or looking for the perfect wine at an exclusive restaurant, the choices can be daunting  Here’s an easy tip to ensure success: Choose a sparkler.

Sparkling wine pairs with any meal. It’s celebratory. We associate the pop of a bottle with a special occasion. You really can’t go wrong with bubbles, and there are more than enough styles to work with any setting and budget.

 If looking to impress without regard to the wallet, Champagne is the answer. The Champenoise have been making and marketing the fizzy stuff for 400 years. In Champagne we find the most sublime and outrageously overpriced sparkling wine. Big brands like Veuve and Moet carry the cache from great marketing, and for casual drinkers, that recognition might be the way to go. Marketing isn’t free, however, so for more discerning palates, there are plenty of other options, usually at less cost. Grower Champagnes are crafted by owners of vineyards, at much smaller production levels than the better-known labels. The vast majority also cost $40 – $60. Look at the back label for the importer information. Some importers with excellent producers include Neal Rosenthal, Wine Traditions, and Terry Theise, with growers including Triolet ($40), Pierre Peters ($60) and Dumont ($40).

Beyond Champagne, there are sparklers in all different styles and from all over the world. Happily, most are much more affordable. For the last couple of decades, the hottest sparkling wines hailed from Spain (Cava) and Italy (Prosecco). The booming sales led to many producers cashing in as quickly as possible, leaving these styles hit or miss. If you take this route, ask for a recommendation if you are not familiar with the producers available. Gramona is a top estate. Their La Cuvee ($22) offers complex bready/toast notes along with white stoney fruit. Also look for Pere Mata ($17), which produces a barely pink rose sparkler that is pretty and elegant. Prosecco tends to be slightly less bubbly than other sparkling wines, and can range from dry to sweet. A couple of dry versions to look for are the clean and crisp Adami ($15) and the surprisingly complex and delicious Vignale Cecilia ($19).

On the domestic side, there are plenty of states to choose from. Westport River in Massachusetts made their name with complex sparkling wines. There are also plenty of options in California, Oregon, Washington and even New Mexico.

For the adventurous, there are fascinating styles of bubbles to explore. Most producers offer a rose version. The Alexandre Monmousseau ($19) is a delightful Cremant from the Loire Valley. You can go even darker and sweeter with sparkling wines from the Bugey region of France. These wines have a lovely sweet and sour profile, making them a great pair with spicy food or dessert. One of the hottest styles of late are Petillant Naturel, known as Pet Nats.  These are usually unfiltered and slightly less bubbly, and often on the natural side. A great choice is the Morphos ($18), a wine made in Maine from New York grapes by Oyster River Winegrowers. Lastly, one of the best values might be from where sparkling wine was invented, the region of Limoux in Southern France. Le Berceau ($15) makes a terrific version.

Whatever you choice, or choices, know that it will go well before, during and after dinner, and will bring a little bit of celebration to each.