Wine Time

from Lake Norman CURRENTS magazine December 2022

by Lake Norman Currents

Topic of the Day

Beware of Big Buck Bubbles

Sparkling Wines are a Great Way to Celebrate Without Bruising Your Wallet

by Trevor Burton photography by Trevor Burton

Cava is changing — from quantity wanabees to quality wines

Make no mistake, I’m a big fan of Champagne wines. They stand out with their tastes of citrus, apple, vanilla and, particularly, toasted nuttiness. High quality wines tend to be even more creamy and toasty. From a marketing point of view, Champagne wines have done an excellent job positioning themselves with some of life’s major moments — marriages, births, anniversaries and ringing in a new year.

But my analytical side questions that marketing link. Do you really have to turn to high-priced wines for celebration when the sensation you’re after is the bubbly excitement of sparkling wine? There are many alternatives for bubbles, and at much lower prices. That’s a sound approach to celebrating the holiday season.

I came across an interesting example while doing research on wines from the Languedoc region in the southwestern part of France, where I found a wine called Blanquette de Limoux.

There’s a strong Languedoc belief that the Champagne production method originated from the south of France. The term “blanquette” may remind you of a French method of cuisine. It isn’t. It’s a description of the grape that’s in the wine. It’s a description, in the region’s ancient language, of “the small white” Mauzac grape. The first mention of “blanquette” appeared in 1531 in papers written by Benedictine monks at an abbey in Saint-Hilaire.

Other French sparkling wines have “Méthode Traditionnelle” on the label. Until recently, they used “Méthode Champenoise,” but that was frowned upon by winemakers from the Champagne region. Blanquette de Limoux uses neither. It has “Méthode Ancestrale” on its labels, another indication that the region believes it was a pioneer in the world of sparkling wine. Blanquette de Limoux wines may be tough to find around the Lake Norman area; however, I’ve uncovered a couple. It’s an intriguing tale. That whirring sound you hear may be Dom Pérignon turning over in his grave.

A linguistic note: The term “Languedoc” also goes back to ancient times. Back in the day, the regional language used the term, “Oc’” as “Yes.” As France matured, the region was known as the region of the Language of Oc—in French, the Langue d’Oc. This turned into today’s Languedoc.

There’s another alternative to Champagne: Cava from the northeast of Spain. Cava’s market position was, in my mind, unfortunate and self-inflicted. From day one, Cava has presented itself as a cheap imitation Champagne. Not all of today’s Cava fits into this unfortunate slot. Things are changing for the better. Cava’s real strength is not as a cheap alternative. It’s that it is unlike its fizzy brother; it’s a sparkling wine from a warm climate that reflects its soil and the grapes that thrive within it.

Cava is changing from quantity wanabees to quality wines that express the terroir of Spain — especially the Penedès region. Cava can be made throughout Spain, but 95 percent of it comes from Penedès. My wife Mary Ellen and I have spent more than a few lunch times sipping on Cava at the old harbor in Barcelona, people-watching and pairing the wine with some fresh seafood.

Back home, it’s going to be fun exploring the finer quality wines as they become more abundant and readily available, and Cava can be purchased around the lake. So, if you’re feeling effervescent, go effervescent. Bubble to the max. Just keep an eye on the cost of being bubbly. There are plenty of alternatives out there.