Photography assistance by Taylor Wilcox at Loot Vintage Rentals
I love sparkling wine, who doesn’t!? But who knew sparkling wine isn’t just champagne. Sparkling wine includes sparkling rosé, prosecco, cava, and champagne.
SEE ALSO: COCKTAIL RECIPES
When Whole Foods Market reached out to me for a partnership on their sparkling wines, I had to say to yes and took the opportunity to chat with Forrest Allen, one of their in-house wine experts to learn everything on sparkling wines. Whole Foods Market is offering 20% OFF ALL SPARKLING WINES FROM 9/29 – 10/1. Cheers to that!
It only took 15 minutes to put together this beautiful vintage bar cart that’s ready for any last minute guest that comes over.
HOW TO STYLE A SPARKLING WINE BAR CART
You’ll need:
- Sparkling rosé
- Champagne
- Prosecco
- Cava
- Can sparkling wine
- Champagne glasses
- Wine glasses
- Fruit for garnish like strawberries, raspberries, etc
Bar cart from Loot Finer Goods, shot at Loot Vintage Rentals, letter lights from Target
SPARKLING WINE
Let’s talk about the different kinds of sparkling wine.
DO CAVA – Cava is the Spanish term for sparkling wine and refers to the wide variety of sparkling wines made only in Spain. It is produced in the traditional method like Champagne, where the wine ferments in the bottle until it is ready to be corked. Cava is usually a blend of three grapes: Viura (aka Macabeo), Parellada, and Xarel.lo. It may be a bit more rustic than Champagne perhaps, but it can be a compelling sparkling quaffer. DO Cava is not restricted to just one area in Spain, multiple regions produce Cava. As long as the wine producers adhere to the Regulating Body for Cava’s recommendations, they can call Cava from multiple regions “Cava”. The name Cava derived from the “caves” where the sparkling wine was laboriously created and stored until it was ready to be drunk. Note also that it is “el Cava” in Spanish.
PROSECCO – Prosecco is made only in Italy and prosecco made specifically in the Conegliano Valdobbiadene region boasts Italy’s most prestigious status, Prosecco Superiore DOCG. Conegliano Valdobbiadene has the optimate climate to grow fresh, vibrant grapes that are high in acidity that are perfect for growing Glera, the signature grape of Prosecco wines. Only 25% of prosecco production receives DOCG designation.
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CHAMPAGNE – Champagne is made only in France and only in the Champagne Region. There are tightly regulated rules and regulations that wine makers must follow:
- viticultural practices
- Planting / pressing / pressing
- the winemaking process from start to finish
- labelling and packaging
- Strict delimitation
- Approved grape varieties: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Arbane, Petit Meslier
- Method of pruning: Royat, Chablis, Guyot, Vallée de la Marne
- Maximum permitted yields per hectare
- Maximum permitted press yield
- Minimum potential alcohol content of newly harvested grapes
- Secondary fermentation in the bottle, and minimum periods of maturation on lees: 15 months for non-vintage Champagne and three years for vintage Champagne.
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BUDGET: Madame Liberté Brut
You can enjoy champagne heritage for American sparkling prices! The Madame Liberté Brut drinks as well as its $20 and $30 American cousins but for much less.
Country: New Mexico, US
Style: Sparkling – Fresh and Youthful
Whole Foods Market 20% off sparkling wine sale: $12.79
SPLURGE: J. Lassalle
Lassalle is a top rated champagne maker and importer! It compares to Veuve Clicquot and other premium brands but comes in $10 – 15 lower.
Country: Champagne, France
Style: Sparkling – Complex and Traditional
Whole Foods Market 20% off sparkline wine sale: $35.99
SPARKLING ROSÉ
Sparkling rosé is made in the same fashion as white sparkling except they are made from mostly red varietals. The color comes from a small amount of skin contact time during the pressing of the grapes. Sparkling rosé is also categorized by brut, cava, etc.
BUDGET: De Chanceny Cremant de Loire Rose Brut
The De Chanceny is an amazing quality for the price. It’s made in a traditional Cremant method, which usually shows up in the bottle cost. Most rosé cremants of this quality run $20 – $25 a bottle.
Country: Loire, France
Style: Light & Fruity
Whole Foods Market 20% off sparkling wine sale: $13.59
SPLURGE: Champagne Brut Rosé – Chartogne-Taillet
The Chartogne-Taillet has all the amazing flavors of a classic brut rosé from a small farmer-producer. Most wines of this pedigree run $65 – $75 a bottle like Veuve Clicquot.
Country: France, Champagne
Style: Sparkling – Berries and Cream
Whole Foods Market 20% off sparkling wine sale: $47.99
SPARKLING CANNED
Presto Sparkling Cuvée
Presto Sparkling Cuvée gives you portability and convenience with the same great quality. Want just one glass, Presto! Get it? Also, you don’t waste the rest of the bottle.
Country: Italy
Sweetness Descriptor: Dry
Style: Italian Sparkling
Whole Foods Market 20% off sparkling wine sale: $10.39 (4-pk)
Let’s end on a sweet note with general guidelines on picking sparkling wine:
How Sweet Do You Like Your Sparkling Wine?
If you like it sweet and fruity, try Moscato d’Asti, Brachetto d’Acqui, or a sweet Lambrusco.
If you like it fruity and slightly sweet, look for “off-dry” or “extra dry” Cava, Prosecco, and some domestics, too.
If you like it dry and fruity, look for “brut” on the labels of Cava, Prosecco, Crémant, or domestic sparklers.
If you like it complex and toasty, go for a true Champagne or a high-quality domestic sparkler or an Italian Franciacorta.
This post is brought to you in collaboration with Whole Foods. Thank you for supporting the brands that support A Taste of Koko! Must be 21+, please drink responsibly. While supplies last. 20% off Sparkling Wines valid 9/29/17-10/01/17. No rain checks. Select Stores Only.
