Dan's Papers - June 29, 2007 - Over the Barrel... with Lenn Thompson

The Benedictine monk Dom Perignon, when drinking the first Champagne in the late 1600s, is reputed to have exclaimed, "It's like drinking the stars!"

Sparkling wine, whether you call it Champagne, Cava, Prosecco or just bubbly, is the most romantic of wines and it's perfect for any celebration--be it a wedding, holiday or New Year's Eve.

Of course, I think too many people make an unfortunate mistake by only serving bubbly for special occasions. With fresh acidity, that delightful body and a wide array of flavors depending on style, sparkling wine is the perfect wine for any day--even today.

There are the classic pairings--like caviar, oysters and smoked salmon--but you can serve bubbly with most anything. Yes, from sushi to shellfish to frittata to fried foods......even popcorn, sparkling wine makes food and wine pairing easy, painless and delicious.

Here on Long Island, hidden amongst the endless bottles of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay, you can find some delicious, unique sparkling wines that are perfect for a wedding or any other celebration. I don't have enough space in this column to highlight all of the best ones, but here are a few of the best and most unique.

Pugliese Vineyards in Cutchogue offers four bubblies, all available for tasting at their tasting room. All are serviceable, but one stands out as the most interesting--Pugliese's Sparkling Merlot 1999 ($19). Ruby red and 100 percent Merlot, this light, fruity sparkler is great with burgers and just plain fun.

A longtime favorite of mine is Lieb Family Cellars' sparkling pinot blanc. The current vintage, 2003 Blanc de Blanc ($37). Bone dry with pronounced green apple and citrus flavors, it is subtley yeasty with a light butterscotch note. Delicate, elegant and refined, it is terrific with oysters and other local shellfish.

You can't talk about Long Island bubbly without mentioning the Lenz Winery, where winemaker Eric Fry crafts what I consider to be the region's most sophisticated and luxurious sparkling wines. Fry's Lenz Winery 1994 Cuvee RD ($50) is a well-aged combination of pinot noir and chardonnay that is well worth the price. RD stands for recently disgorged.

Disgorgement, degorgement in French, is the step in traditional sparkling winemaking that involves releasing the cork to let out a small amount of wine that contains sediment and then topping off the bottle with wine and a new cork. Fry believes that RD wines should be enjoyed soon after this process--just as beer is best when fresh. Rich, expressive and funky (in a good way), the nose is toasty, yeasty and nutty with underlying apple-pear character. The palate features flavors that closely match the aromas, with medium body, vibrant acidity and a refreshing, appley finish.

Gilles Martin, winemaker at Martha Clara Vineyards makes three sparklers these days--a great value Brut ($20) and two relatively new members of their portfolio.

Lively and super-fresh, Martin's Martha Clara Vineyards 2001 Blanc de Blanc ($30) is made 100% of chardonnay grapes and displays a lightly toasty nose with loads of apple, citrus and minerals. Clean citrusy apple flavors are framed by great acidity and a lingering finish. It's dry, but not harsh, making it perfect for appetizers and other light fare.

A supremely light coppery pink Martha Clara Vineyards Brut Rose ($25) is made with both chardonnay and pinot noir and is more fruity and a bit richer smelling than the others. The nose has a little toasty-bisquity character, but cherries and citrus dominate. It's dry but just a little soft around the edge, the flavors of cherries and raspberries live within a slightly fuller-bodied frame. If sparkling wine is versatile, rose sparklers can be even more so. I like the idea of this one with pulled pork or BBQ chicken.