Do You Also Enjoy Bubbles Whenever, Because You Can?

All kinds of holidays have sparkling wines attached to them, in fact all of them. But I have to ask, do you also enjoy bubbles whenever, just because you can? I do, why not? Carbonation is exciting, or sodas wouldn’t even exist, although I don’t drink sodas. I don’t need that extra sugar. But… I do love sparkling wines!

 

When Is The Best Time for Bubbles?

I was in a lovely in-between place during Valentine’s Day and now. I accepted two wine samples because Valentine’s Day was coming. Yet, you need to know, I can’t speed taste, nor can I compare, or judge. I can only taste and enjoy the fruits of so many people in the process of planting, growing, tending, leaf cutting, and harvesting. Then there’s fermenting, bottling, aging, marketing, purchasing and popping the cork. I feel that sparkling wine doesn’t need a holiday to be enjoyed. It just needs to be opened.

 

Fan Of All Things Gone Wild

I’ve never been what the wine world expected me to be. That turned out to be the best decision I never formally made. It does expect me to get into line with the rest. But, I have never been usual. At the age of nine I left the school yard at lunch time to discover our downtown. As a result, I was the only one in the school who saw Dwight D. Eisenhower with the Clydesdale Horses coming through town. It was an unexpected parade, as he was headed into the Maine woods to fish.

Bubble Fan? Bring Them On!

I’m a huge fan of bubbles, and was fortunate to have received two extraordinary samples, which are the intent of this story. They were satisfyingly delightful, like love, which can’t be hurried. Each bubble was created, sleeping in a wine cellar and captured to be there over time, while eventually ending up in my glass. They were my very own bubbles and still wine, and yay to my very own creators! These two bottles were waiting to become something, the names still forming somewhere underneath the Prosecco and Valentine’s Day.

Sometimes the best thing is to just let the stream of consciousness run a little longer, before you try to catch it. Here’s a thought, sparkling wine has been held hostage by occasion for too long. The fizz doesn’t know what day it is, and neither should we. You have 365 (or 366) days a year to celebrate, and I like National Petite Sirah Day, for instance. It’s because I created that day for my PS I Love You group, on August 5. That’s pretty obscure, huh, while proving my point? Every day is a reason to enjoy wine in moderation, depending on your own circumstance, just ask any Italian. To which you might also hear, “Ciao, ciao, ciao!”

 

Tada, Prosecco!

These two wines tasted and felt totally expressive and intentional. Both bottles were responsible for romance and a real sense of place. They were shared as a pairing, which moved beautifully from aperitif to dinner. There are two distinct Italian territories here, which are linked by the stewardship of the Moretti Polegato family. Together the wines unite a shared philosophy of harmony and understated elegance.

 

The chic sparkle of Villa Sandi Il Fresco Prosecco DOC Rosé Brut was totally inviting and satisfying. I loved lingering. From the Winery: For a romantic pop of pink, look no further than Villa Sandi Il Fresco Rosato Brut (SRP: $16.00). Crafted on the rolling hills of Veneto, from Glera grapes with a touch of Pinot Noir, Il Fresco Rosé is all about Italian refinement. It is fresh, lifted, and crisp, with delicate notes of berries, florals and stone fruit, framed by fine bubbles and a dry, polished finish. This is the bottle for an aperitivo-for-two: oysters, crudo, or even strawberries after dinner, a modern romantic staple that feels celebratory without trying too hard.

 

Borgo Conventi

Then, the promised lively minerality of Borgo Conventi Collio DOC Sauvignon Blanc was so refreshing. I measure Sauvignon Blanc by cat claws. One claw is nothing related to Sauvignon Blanc here, move on. Two claws, a hint of coming into its own. Three claws is perfection in the glass. Four is a hint of litter box, but still tolerable. Five claws is time to change the box, like now.

This white feels bright and romantic, and is from the hills of Collio, in Northern East Italy. It’s right where the Julian Alps meet the Adriatic Sea, Borgo Conventi’s Sauvignon is defined by the region’s hallmark ponca soils. They are composed of ancient marl and sandstone of marine origin that naturally deliver tension, salinity, and that signature mineral edge. Expect aromatics that go beyond simple citrus, like elderflower, spring herbs, peach, and a distinct mineral note, with a long, elegant finish.

I have stood at the edge of Adriatic Sea in Senagalia, while visiting Marche, Italy. It was a day at the beach and I was told, Croatia is only 20 miles from here. I so longed to take those 20 miles.