A Toast to the Bride

A popular question pitched my way at this time of the year is, "can you recommend a sparkling wine to serve at our wedding?"

Excellent question I say, but which wine you serve depends to some extent on when you will serve it, and as always, how much you want to spend. We are going to assume that nearly everyone who asks about wedding wines is really saying can you recommend a fabulous wine that will impress my friends but not cost me an arm and a leg. In the case of sparkling wine that pretty much rules out champagne at $65 to $70 a bottle, or more unless of course the wedding reception is small.

Let's deal with the quantity first. How much wine will you need to purchase depends on a number of factors including the format of the day -- reception, sit down dinner or what have you, the food you are going to serve and most important how many guests will attend?

If you have ever been to wedding where they ran out of wine, you will know that having enough bottles to carry the day is a priority. It's simply better to have too much wine than not enough.

The standard 750-mL wine bottle holds 25 ounces and the standard sparkling wine flute or glass should hold about five ounces or 150 mL, and that means you get five pours per bottle. If you are hosting 100 people at your wedding and you want to give them a glass of sparkling wine to toast the bride you are going to need about 20 bottles.

To cover off all possibilities, including bad bottles suffering from TCA or cork taint, you can make the order an even two cases or 24 bottles. Multiply that by $10, $20 or $30 and you have your cost. Most retailers will take back unopened bottles if you keep your receipt. You can also take home the leftover bottles and store them for another day. You could open them one at time as the anniversaries slide by to remind you of the big day.

Which sparkler you choose depends on when it will be used: just after the ceremony, as part of a mid-meal toast or to celebrate the cake cutting. An excellent sparkler to serve post ceremony or as guests arrive is an Italian Prosecco. The style is light and fresh and fruity and works well with or without food. Mid-meal toasts, usually accompany the food so a drier, firmer sparkling wine would be our choice, perhaps something along the lines of a Spanish cava, or a California bubble. If you are pairing your sparkler with the wedding cake you may want to consider choosing something with a touch of sweetness.

If a wedding isn't in your future simply consider doing something we all need to do more of in British Columbia, experiment more with sparkling wine by opening it anytime, anywhere.

Year in and year out the Mionetto Il Moscato N/V gets the job done with class. Most important, it has nothing to do with the current Moscato craze that has commercial wineries worldwide selling simple, sweet, commercial junk that is killing the image of these great sparklers. Expect a clean fresh, floral, spicy, peach nose that is nimble on the palate. Well balanced and refreshing, it offers up ripe peach flavours and spicy, baked apple, mineral fruit that is in harmony with the bubbles. Perfect for dessert or pop off its crown cap with a bottle opener and serve with your favourite Thai or Indian dishes.

Sekt, as the Germans refer to sparkling wine, is something they drink more than anyone else in the world so they know bubble. The Dr. Loosen Sparkling Riesling N/V is 100 per cent Riesling so you can expect a super fresh, crisp, steely fruit bubble with a touch of sweetness. We like its juicy demeanour on the palate and expect you will too. A great pre-dinner bubble.

New to the market and a fun addition for those of you who want a dry but fruity sparkler, without the aggressive acidity, is the Jacob's Creek Chardonnay Pinot Noir Brut Cuvee N/V.

The grape mix is Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, the nose a citrus affair with soft red fruit flavours with a touch of yeast and crushed hazelnuts.

The texture and finish is creamy and soft.

Maybe the best, pure, dry sparkler in the market is the Anna de Codorníu Brut N/V. Classic Penedès, it opens with floral, nutty, baked pear nose. The attack is slightly austere with a creamy mousse and baked quince, citrus rind, pear, honey, nutty, spicy, floral flavours. Great value and perfect with appetizers.

One of the best local sparklers, finally in government stores, is the See Ya Later Ranch SYL Brut N/V. Expect a bright, floral, complex brioche nose with bits of fruit and nutty lees. The entry is clean, crisp with more baked pea and yeasty notes over a dried peach and pear finish. This label has really improved over the last decade. Very fine quality. Bravo B.C.

We finish with an eco-friendly organic sparkler Parés Baltà Cava Brut B N/V, from Penedès, Spain. This is a classy sparkler that is perfect for the wedding toast. A dry, elegant, stylish bubble with creamy textures the attack is fresh with green apple, nutty flavours flecked with mineral and floral highlights. An attractive, sophisticated sparkler for current drinking.

SPARKLING PICKS

Mionetto Il Moscato N/V, Veneto, Italy

Price      $18.00

UPC       727760501133

Score    89/100

Remarks              Year in and year out this Moscato gets the job done with class.

Dr. Loosen Sparkling Riesling N/V, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany

Price      $19

UPC       183103000761

Score    88/100

Remarks              Expect a super fresh, crisp, steely fruity bubble with a touch of sweetness.

Jacob's Creek Chardonnay Pinot Noir Brut Cuvee N/V, Australia

Price      $14

UPC       9300727839244

Score    87/100

Remarks              Lovely fruity textures that finish creamy and soft.

Anna de Codorníu Brut N/V, Sant Sadurní d'Anoia, Penedès, Catalunya, Spain

Price      $16

UPC       8410013261015

Score    88/100

Remarks              Fresh, crisp, pear, honey, nutty, spicy, floral flavours.

See Ya Later Ranch SYL Brut N/V, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada

Price      $22

UPC       624738011048

Score    90/100

Remarks              A local bubble with style and finesse. Bravo BC.

Parés Baltà Cava Brut B N/V, Penedès, Catalunya, Spain

Price      $20

UPC       8410439034354

Score    89/100

Remarks              An attractive, sophisticated bubble that works well with a variety of appetizers.