Preparing for Wine Blogging Wednesday – Part II
Cava [KAH-vah]is the official name for sparkling wine produced in designated areas in various parts of northern Spain. The use of the word cava came about as a result of legal conflicts with France over the use of champán, Spain’s word for champagne. The word cava (Catalan for "cellar") was chosen for Spain’s sparkling wines because almost all such wines are made in the Catalan region.
AMERICAN SPARKLING WINES
California has a long history in the sparkling wine business. Many of their sparkling wine producers are related to French Champagne houses, for instance Chandon is part of Moet Chandon. But many states that produce wine have some sparkling wine on their list of offerings.
Here in Washington, Ste. Michelle, one of the oldest and the largest producer has a line of sparklers including a Brut, Blanc de Blanc and and Blanc do Noir. In Oregon, Argyle continues to win awards for its sparkling wines.
Most of the American sparklers that I’ve seen use the traditional Champagne grapes: Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier (or Meunier) and Chardonnay. However, while at Cornucopia I tasted a Canadian sparkler made from Riesling so there is some experimentation going on.
Prices on American sparkling wines are all over the board. The Ste. Michelle retails for about $13, is often on sale around $9 and tends to always make the "Best Values" list. The different Argyle varieties range from $25 – $40. Chandon wines are in a similar range. I’m sure if I look hard enough I can find higher priced wines but they would be the exception and not the rule.
Preparing for Wine Blogging Wednesday – Part I
Preparing for Wine Blogging Wednesday – Part III
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