Tag Archives: Prosecco

Steal These Bubbles

That’s what it’ll feel like when you taste the 3 bottles we’ve selected as this year’s top value sparklers. They deliver so much quality, flavor and enjoyment for what you pay that you’ll feel as if you’ve stolen them right off our shelves.
Our Prosecco Of The Year in the Under $15 category is the gorgeous, authentic AD-47 from the Veneto region in Italy. It’s round and creamy and eminently drinkable. It even has the traditional Prosecco closure for added charm. (Don’t let the cork intimidate you. Open as you would a traditional still wine: Gently move the fastening string to the side and insert the auger. Just be sure to move slowly and gently – and absolutely be sure the bottle is cold – and directed away from the crowd.) $10.99
Our Under $15 Cava Of The Year, made by the Bohigas family in Spain, arrived at Bottles only a few months ago. We were taken immediately with its story (the small winery is still family owned and employs only 14 people) and its flavor: Lots of zip and extra bubbly, which means we love it for celebrations, and for mixing in sparkling cocktails. $14.99
Our French Sparkler Of The Year in the sub $15 category is one of the store’s all-time best sellers. The Grandial Brut wins again for its tried and true consistency in delivering absolutely lovely flavor and buckets of festivity to any occasion. And its new(ish) counterpart, the Grandial Rosé, is equally as fetching, with a whisper of sweet and a delightful fizz. $9.99

Cheers to you and yours, whatever you may celebrate!

prices as of December 2018, subject to change

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Our Favorite Bottle For Spritzing

If it’s summer at Bottles you can be sure we’re spritzing. We’re taking a few of our favorite bottles, mixing them with seltzer or sparkling wine, pouring them over ice in a big wine glass and enjoying the good life.

For the fizz in our spritzers this year, we’re turning to the Anno Domini 47 Prosecco, aka the AD47. It’s a beautiful bottle we brought in a few months back and one that has already become a store best-seller. It’s made from organically-grown grapes, is light and bubbly but also incredibly round, smooth and creamy, without a bitterness that some prosecco has. It’s incredibly drinkable and fantastic on its own, though priced gently enough ($13.99) to be used as the frizzante that you’ll need in your spritz.

Last year our wine director Melissa visited the winery where the AD47 is made, in the Treviso region of Veneto, about 40 minutes north of Venice. (Check out the darling little glera grapes on the vines, below.) There she learned that the wine is named after the year in which construction ended on the Claudius Augustus, one of the most important Roman roads, and along which much of the winery’s vineyards grow.

The packaging is a knock-out too: A simple and elegant label paired with the traditional prosecco closure of a straight-sided cork and string (spago). To open, simply remove the string and gently but firmly use a corkscrew to withdraw the cork. Although prosecco doesn’t have as much pressure in the bottle as does Champagne, you should always take care when opening bubbles, and always be sure you’re opening a chilled bottle.

To make a spritz of your own, here’s our Spritzer 101 guide, with recipes and inspiration.

Happy Summer!

price subject to change

 

Top Thanksgiving Wines, Part I

November is our favorite time of the year at Bottles, which is why our team spends a good bit of the year thinking about you, your Thanksgiving dinner, and the bottles that will make your dinner sing. Out of the thousands of wines we taste each year, our nine November selections must meet the following criteria:

a) they must taste good
b) they must be agile enough to complement the Thanksgiving dinner as enjoyed on the whole
c) they must represent a good value
d) they must taste good.

Did we mention they must taste good?

Here are the sparkling and white wines that we’ll be drinking this November 23. Stay tuned next week for our rosé and red wine choices.

Terre di Marca Prosecco, Italy
Our favorite Prosecco for the second year running. It’s dry and full of expressive bubbles, it’s organic, and it comes in a cool looking bottle. What better way to toast to your guests’ health?
$13.99

Gérard Bertrand Crémant, France
A velvety soft and creamy French sparkler that’s less acidic and bracing than a true Champagne at twice the price, meaning you can sip on it through the entire Thanksgiving meal. This is the bottle (or two, or three) to have on hand for special company.
$19.99

Pere Mata Cava, Spain
The great thing about Cavas is that they’re bone-dry, elegant, and wallet-friendly. The Pere Mata in particular has terrific citrus and floral notes that will complement everything from that rich turkey and gravy to your after-dinner slice of pie.
$17.99

Dry Creek Chenin Blanc, California
Here’s the perfect choice for an all-purpose Thanksgiving white, satisfying both your aunt who loves Sauvignon Blanc and your cousin Marie who only drinks Chardonnay. It’s dry, crisp, and refreshing with a subtle baked apple and vanilla quality. Yes, please.
$12.99

Michel Caillot “Les Herbeux,” France
Ah, Mersault! From the heart of France, this rich and creamy, understated yet persistent, incredibly floral and expressive Chardonnay will knock your socks off. Mersault is the Chardonnay that even non-Chardonnay drinkers love. It’s. That. Good. Treat yourself!
$34.99

Happy Thanksgiving!

(prices subject to change)

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Video! Learn about Sparkling Wine

learnaboutsparklingwine

What’s the difference between Champagne, cava, and prosecco? Watch a basic overview of these different sparkling wine categories with Eric Taylor, our resident wine expert at Bottles.

We’re here to help make sense of it, and so we have broken the giant world of sparkling wine into three really big categories:

Champagne and sparkling wines made in the style of Champagne:  

Champagne is not only a style of sparkling wine, but also a place.  Only sparkling wines made in the very small region of Champagne (just to the East of Paris) can be called Champagne.  Among other very strict regulations, Champagnes must be made in a very particular fashion: they must get their bubbles from a secondary fermentation that happens inside the bottle.  While this is costly and time consuming, it’s worth the extra effort because it gives Champagne its signature richness, complexity and tiny lively bubbles.  Some of the most famous and expensive wines in the world are from Champagne:  Dom Perignon, Louis Roederer’s Cristal, Krug and Veuve Clicquot.

New World wine makers, mainly from California, are making brilliant wines in the very same style and manner as Champagne.  These wines are made using the same grapes that are used in Champagne (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier) and taking the effort and time to produce sparkling wines exactly as they would be made in France.  The biggest difference is price:  many top notch sparkling wines from California are half the price from their more famous counterparts in France.  Great examples are: Schramsberg, Mumm Napa, Chandon and Roederer Estate.

Prosecco:

Prosecco is a light, beautiful sparkling wine from the northeast corner of Italy made from a not so famous grape called Glera.  Proseccos are generally light and fruity, intensely aromatic, most with flavors of tart green apple, pear, white peach and apricot.  Prosecco is meant to be consumed young, and unlike Champagne, does not benefit from additional aging.  Also, prosecco is usually very inexpensive and makes it a great choice for large gatherings, casual parties and everyday drinking.  Some proseccos to look out for are: Mionetto, Ca’ Furlan, Bisson and Carpene Malvolti.

Cava:

Cava refers to sparkling wine made in Spain with the majority of it grown and produced in the Northeast corner of Spain around the grand city of Barcelona.  Cava has a long and rich wine making tradition in Spain, but has only recently gained popularity in the US.  The huge rise in popularity is due to the outrageous value that cava can offer.  Made in the exact same manner as expensive Champagne but with different grapes, cava is bright and vibrant but has many of the complex and sophisticated as its more expensive French counterpart.  Cava is great with cured meats, cheeses, appetizers and things that one would serve at a party.  Some of the most well known brands are Cristalino, Mercat and Raventos I Blanc.

Cheers!

Sutto Prosecco & Holiday Salads!

carrot_webA glass of bubbly is a great way to start your Thanksgiving dinner! We’re digging on Sutto Prosecco (from our Top 9 Thanksgiving Wine List) — it’s fresh, vibrant, and a treat everyone will enjoy along with special holiday salads. Try pairing it with Edible Rhody’s Rainbow Carrot Salad with Toasted Cumin Vinaigrette, featured in their recent fall issue. 

prosecco-2-web

The Prosecco is a perfect match with the earthy sweet carrots, crunchy crisp radishes and salty/sweet feta cheese. The lively bubbles are a lively contrast to the flavors of the veggies and the savory qualities of the cumin vinaigrette.  A great way to start the meal!

RAINBOW CARROT SALAD WITH TOASTED CUMIN VINAIGRETTE
Ben Wood, WildWood Catering, Kingston

Thanksgiving falls right at a wonderful time of the New England harvest. Flavorful rainbow carrots are among the bounty. Serve this raw carrot salad at your feast as a vibrant contrast to the traditional Thanksgiving fare.

Salad:

2 pounds rainbow carrots, well-washed
¼ cup fresh chives, cleaned and chopped
¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, cleaned and chopped
6–8 Breakfast radishes
1 cup (¼ pound) Narragansett Creamery Salty Sea Feta, crumbled
Grated zest of ½ lemon
Kosher or sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Edible flowers (optional)

Dressing:

½ teaspoon ground cumin
3 tablespoon sugar
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

For salad, trim carrot tops and, using a vegetable peeler, shave the carrots lengthwise into long, thin 3- to 4-inch ribbons. Place carrot ribbons into bowl. Toss in herbs with carrots. Slice radishes lengthwise as thin as possible; use mandolin if accessible.

For dressing, heat small skillet on medium heat for 1 minute, add ground cumin and cook for 1 minute, shaking pan constantly, or until cumin is slightly darkened and fragrant. In a small bowl add vinegar and sugar together, then whisk in toasted cumin and olive oil. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, season carrots and herbs with dressing just before serving and top with feta cheese, shaved radishes, a sprinkle of salt, pepper and lemon zest. Garnish with edible flowers if possible—we love Indie Growers in Bristol! Serves 6–8 people as a first course.

Enjoy this fun and creative dish! Cin Cin!

Cheers, 

The Bottles Team