Sparkle and Dine with Sparkling Wine

You may sometimes find yourself in a situation where you have to make a hard choice whether dining alone, on a date, or at gatherings; choosing a beverage that compliments the dishes served is essential. Beer may be viewed as a “macho” drink that is cheap and makes your gut big. Vodka and tequila are more for drinking sprees and not good when dining. Wine is an excellent choice, but then you must choose what wine to pick. Red wine is best paired with red meat, while white wine goes well with fish or chicken. 

What if there is an alcoholic beverage that goes well with any food? You should be looking for sparkling wines if you want wine that goes well with any dish, even dessert.

Sparkling Wine 

All wines are made of fruits, with grapes being the most popular. Sparkling wines are wines that contain significant amounts of carbon dioxide, giving them that fizzy soda-like look when poured in a flute. 

These wines go through two levels of the fermentation process, with some gaining their carbon dioxide bubbliness in the second level, like champagne, and some getting their fizz from carbon dioxide injection. 

Champagne

You may be wondering why there are sparkling wines labelled as champagne that were produced in the state of California. You may think Champagne is a sparkling wine type, and you are correct! The Champagne label is given exclusively to sparkling wines produced in Champagne, France. 

This exemption was made possible thanks to the U.S. and European Union agreement in 2006. However, this agreement only applies to existing wine brands, and no new brands can bear the names of European places. 

Prosecco is another type of sparkling wine. The difference between champagne and prosecco is that prosecco is made in Italy, and carbon dioxide is added later in the fermentation process. The second fermentation process for champagne is done in individual bottles, unlike prosecco, which does it in bulk in a tank. Champagne is a classier wine compared to prosecco.

Cava is another popular type of sparkling wine. This alcoholic beverage hails from the country of Spain. Cava is the ideal summer wine and is commonly served at weddings. 

Why sparkling wine is great with any dish

Sparkling wines have certain characteristics that make them easy to pair with food. It is uncommon for any wine to match every dish. Sparkling wines are extremely versatile, making them the go-to choice when there is doubt about which wine to serve.

High acidity 

The acidity in sparkling wines acts as a palate cleanser. A sip of sparkling wine offers the perfect contrast to oily, salty flavours leaving your taste buds a clean slate for renewed tasting. That’s why sparkling wines are one of the go-to drinks in fine dining restaurants, as they suit the food they serve in such an industry very well.

It is in the bubbles.

Believe it or not, the bubbles in sparkling wines help in the palate-cleansing process. The effervescence in sparkling wines is thanks to the yeast fermentation process. 

Light to the moderate alcohol content

The light to the moderate alcohol content in sparkling wines makes beginners or casual drinkers comfortable with its light taste. The alcohol content is enough to give you a buzz without getting drunk. You can enjoy a fish or vegetarian meal with sparkling wine without the alcohol taste being overpowering.

Sweetness

Sparkling wines have varying levels of sweetness. The sweetness levels are indicated on the bottle for easy identification. There are four sweetness levels.

• Extra-Brut – The driest kinds of sparkling wines fall into this category. The lack of sweetness in these wines is due to the yeast consuming all the sugars during fermentation.
• Brut – This is where champagne is categorized and is the most popular among sparkling wines. These wines exhibit a tinge of sweetness despite being dry.
• Extra Dry – this is a dry wine that is sweeter than the extra-brut and brut types. Prosecco sparkling wine is the best example of this level of sweetness.
• Demi-sec – If sweetness is your thing, then you will love demi-sec sparklers. They are the sweetest type of sparkling wine, and you will notice the sugar content when you taste them. This sparkler is great with desserts.

Sparkling wine goes well with dessert

Conclusion

Sparkling wine is extremely popular in present times. Sparkling wines, often called “the bubbly” in slang terms, represent fun, money, and prestige. They also represent winning and are often presented to champions of competitions and tournaments. 

So it is no wonder that sparkling wine, such as champagne, is the preferred alcoholic beverage for celebrations and special occasions. It is also good to know that there is sparkling wine for every dish, every occasion, and every person. You can not go wrong serving sparkling wine.

Remember, drink responsibly at all times!