Tag Archives: sparkling wine

American Champagne: A Sparkler For All Celebrations + How It’s Made

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Wow, this past Sunday was something else! 😛 Are you still recovering like I am? What. A. Game. I do feel a smidge bad for the Patriots – it must have been like watching something die in slow motion – but I knew it was our year to win. I am sort of thankful it was a lot of “boring scoring” on our part; no tense drama and physical exertion in waiting to see who would win. I’ve lived through enough nail-biter games and while those are exciting, it’s sometimes nice to kick back, relax, and not be freaking out the whole game.

Congratulations, Seahawks, on a thoroughly-deserved win! You brought electrifying plays thanks to your tight focus and energy. You were incredible to watch this season. ❤

(If you want to read some of my previous philosophical waxing on the last Seahawks Super Bowl victory, click here.)

Anyway, switching gears…. 🙂

I meant to post about this wine around New Year’s Eve, but that didn’t happen. Rather than waiting 11 months, I thought I would share it with you now — you’re either celebrating the Seahawks’ victory, drowning your sorrows as a Patriots fan, or looking for something “Valentine’s Day-y” to present your loved one(s). Or maybe you’re just reading this and curious about trying an entry-level sparkling wine, or adding something really good to your existing drinks repertoire. Either way, keep reading, and let me introduce to you my ULTIMATE favorite, affordable sparkling wine….

A few years ago, we went out to dinner at a Joey’s Restaurant, and upon entering the restaurant we were greeted with flutes of this wine as an aperitif. I took a sip and was wowed by how good it was. I couldn’t believe this wine was their complimentary house  sparkler. It tasted way too expensive to fit that bill.

And they call it….

Wycliff Brut: A Festive Crowd-Pleaser That Sparkles and Dazzles

Wycliff Brut American Champagne

Wycliff Brut American Champagne

  • $7.99 at Total Wine & More
  • 10.5% ABV
  • Charmat Method Sparkling Wine, Secondary Fermentation Before Bottling
  • Light-bodied, exuberant perlage
  • Wonderful aromas and flavors of apple, citrus, stone fruit, honey
  • Balanced, tight acidity keeps it refreshing
  • Try it with seafood, spicy foods, and salty snacks
  • Perfect for sipping on while watching the Winter Olympics
  • If Disney’s Tinkerbell were a wine, this would be it!

Now, for those of you “vino-it-alls”, yes, you are correct, there is no such thing as American Champagne, it is mainly a marketing term. Certain American wineries, though, such as Wycliff, are legally able to use the terms “California Champagne” and/or “American Champagne” due to being grandfathered in to a 2005 trade agreement with the EU.

But since then, American wines have been required to have clearer labelling terms so that consumers aren’t getting duped by American impostors can trust that food products have the authentic origins they claim. 🙂 Burgundy wine can only come from Burgundy, France; Port can only come from Portugal, California sparkling wine can only come from California.

True Champagne is sparkling wine grown and made in Champagne, France. It is also and ONLY made using the traditional method, where a secondary alcoholic fermentation takes place inside each individual bottle, as opposed to a giant tank.

Allow me to illustrate….

Here’s how it works: wine, yeast, and sugar get invited to party in a bottle and get sealed up. The yeast can’t help themselves and go to town gobbling up the sugar and then create more alcohol and carbon dioxide (the bubbles). These wild partygoers are all trapped inside the bottles with nowhere to go. Once the yeast cells have gorged themselves to death, the secondary fermentation is complete. The dead yeast cells settle into a layer of sediment called lees. Rest in peace….

But, wait! Just because they’re dead doesn’t mean their job is finished. The lees break down in a process called autolysis, which imparts those fascinating toasty, almondy, bready flavors that wine people call autolytic character in Champagne or traditional-method sparkling wines. There are a few more steps in the winemaking process, but basically, the spent yeast gets the boot from each bottle via disgorgement. Then the wine is topped off with a little more wine and maybe sugar (called dosage) and then the bottle is sealed with cork and cage. Party’s over, folks (until the cork gets popped).

On the other hand, some sparkling wine, such as Wycliff Brut, is made using the tank method, also known as the Charmat method. It is much quicker to produce and much less labor intensive.

In this method, the original three party guests – wine, yeast, and sugar – are added to a giant tank and then locked inside to party and create another secondary fermentation. Again, those yeast just can’t help themselves and they start their sugar binge, producing alcohol and carbon dioxide. The alcohol and carbon dioxide can’t escape; they are all still trapped together in the tank. This is the point at which the winemaker decides enough is enough, and breaks the dead yeast cells (lees) free from tank prison by filtering them out. Then the remaining dry sparkling wine is bottled under pressure and voila, you’ve got yourself another sparkling wine, just this time without the toasty, bready flavors of autolytic character.

I hope that helped you better understand the difference between traditional and tank production methods. Basically, yeast gets to decompose in bottles (traditional method) but not in tanks (tank/Charmat method).

We should probably also talk about the Asti method in the not-too-distant future. Note to self.

So, there you have it. If I have to grab a sparkling wine that will please me and the vast majority, this is it. It’s also only $8/bottle (as of February 2026), and tastes way above its mere “under $10” price bracket.

Trust me, you can’t go wrong with this wine.

How about you? Have you tried Wycliff Brut? Comment!

Hula²: Pork Sliders and Sparkling Maui Pineapple Wine

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Aloha, readers! I don’t know what the weather is like where you are, but for the last several weeks we have had nothing but blue skies and full sunshine, albeit with freezing temperatures. If you didn’t have to feel the cold, and ignored the bare trees, you would think you were somewhere warm and humid. Somewhere tropical, even.

Let’s take a break from our usual Cab and Chardonnay and venture into other realms and regions for wine. Let’s entertain some novel possibilities. As you know, wine can be made from more than just grapes; see my past posts on blackberry wine and mead, for example.

Today I’m going to take you on a whirlwind tour to Maui, introduce you to a delightful sparkling pineapple wine, and rock your world with to-die-for Hula Pork Sliders. This is a food and wine equation that yields exponential bliss – read on!

Maui Wine signLast April I was fortunate to travel to Maui and enjoy an afternoon wine tasting at Maui Wine, in the Ulupalakua upcountry. If you are a wine lover who happens to be vacationing on Maui, this is definitely worth the drive up the mountain. Behold the beauty! You can learn more about the Maui Wine experience here.

Maui Wine Tasting RoomAt this idyllic winery, with a rich and varied history (the King of Hawaii used to party here), you can do tastings that feature pineapple based wines, whites, or reds. They gladly poured us tastes of other wines even if those wines were not on our flight. Lovely aloha spirit. 🌺

My favorite red wine that day was the 2022 GSM, from grapes grown in the Ulupalakua Vineyards AVA. It’s a blend of 69% Syrah, 18% Grenache, and 13% Malbec. I believe I enjoyed it more than the single varietal wines. Sometimes at a winery it’s the opposite; I prefer the single varietals over the blends. Maui Wine Tasting RoomOther favorites were the Lokelani Sparkling Rosé and Lehua Raspberry Dessert Wine (made from raspberries from Walla Walla, Washington – on Maui!). Tart, light, just the right amount of sweet. Scrumptious! And I’m in love with this label (Valentine’s is coming soon, ahem). Maui Wine Lehua Raspberry Dessert Wine

But the wine I want you to really pay attention to is the Hula O Maui Pineapple Sparkling Wine. This was given to me as a gift by my sister and brother-in-law who live there, and I didn’t open it up until after I got home since I was waiting to pair the wine with this special recipe. I think I need to order some more of this wine, it was truly special. Sparkling wine is admittedly not my jam, but this won me over and I will happily imbibe this any time.

Maui Wine uses fine Maui Gold pineapples that are not quite ripe to contribute fresh aromatic qualities to the wine. It is a wine made in the traditional method, the same as French Champagne and certain other sparkling wines. I actually really liked this wine and honestly prefer it to traditional sparkling wine made from grapes, even though some of those are excellent. This wine was pure refreshment and made the perfect accompaniment to the pork sliders.

Hula O Maui Sparkling Pineapple WineHula O Maui Sparkling Pineapple Wine

  • $26/bottle
  • Super pale straw/lightest lemon yellow
  • Light, delicate body with fine perlage (bubbles/carbonation)
  • Semi-dry
  • Aromas of pineapple, macadamia nut, green papaya, toast
  • An elegant sparkling wine that stays true to the character of the pineapples it’s made from

And for the ultimate food pairing with this wine, here is my take on Half Baked Harvest’s decadent Hawaiian-style pork sliders from the cookbook, Half Baked Harvest. Pulled pork is one of the darn tastiest things I have ever eaten, and this recipe just may be my ultimate favorite. Do not let my quick, mediocre photo dissuade you. Enjoy! 😋

Hula Pork Sliders from Half Baked Harvest Cookbook

These are absolutely worth the effort, and pure bliss with the sparkling pineapple wine. Paradise!

Hula Pork Sliders
Recipe courtesy of Tieghan Gerard
Half Baked Harvest Cookbook: Recipes from My Barn in the Mountains
Makes 12 sliders

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 1/4 cups pineapple juice
  • 1 – 1-inch knob fresh ginger, peeled and grated (or use refrigerated ginger paste like I do)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced or grated
  • 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
  • 2/3 cup ketchup
  • 2-3 tablespoons sriracha sauce
  • 2 1/2 pounds pork shoulder or butt, cut into two pieces
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 6 large pineapple rings, halved
  • 12 Hawaiian slider buns
  • 12 slices Swiss cheese
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded green lettuce or cabbage (bagged coleslaw mix works great)
  • Melted butter (optional)
  • Poppy seeds (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Preheat the oven to 325°F.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the pineapple juice, ginger, garlic, brown sugar, soy sauce, ketchup, and sriracha.
  • Place the pork in a Dutch oven and pour over half the sauce. Cover and transfer to the oven. Roast for 3 to 4 hours, or until the pork is falling off the bone and shreds easily – check the pork once or twice throughout cooking to be sure the sauce is not reducing too much. If it is, add the remaining sauce as needed to keep the pork moist. The pork should be submerged in liquid at least halfway. Shred the pork and add some of the remaining pineapple sauce to the pot, if desired.
  • Heat the broiler to high with a rack in the top third.
  • In a large skillet, melt the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the pineapple slices and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until caramelized.
  • Arrange the bottom halves of the slider buns on a baking sheet and add a scoop of pork to each. Top each with a slice of Swiss cheese. Place under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.
  • Top each slider with a slice of caramelized pineapple and shredded lettuce or cabbage. If desired, brush the top of each bun with melted butter and sprinkle with poppy seeds.

Love You Bunches Grape Galette and Sparkling Wine

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Disclosure Statement: This post contains affiliate links. When you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, I receive a commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions are my own.

Happy Valentine’s Day, readers! ❤ I hope you fell in love with the dark chocolate + ruby port duo we explored yesterday. For my final post in this mini themed series, I am leaving chocolate behind, diving into homemade dessert territory, and popping open a bottle of bubbly to accompany it. Intrigued? Read on!

I have to admit I am not the biggest fan of sparkling wines (including Champagne), which is reflected in the number of posts I have written on the subject. But every now and then I reluctantly try some more to see what the fuss is all about grow in my appreciation and understanding of wine. In order to keep learning, I have to challenge myself with all wines, even ones I don’t gravitate towards (yes, I mean you, rosé). What’s making me take more notice of sparkling wine lately though is the fact that it can pair well with a number of different types of foods.

I have Total Wine & More to thank for introducing me to this charming sparkling wine from the Burgundy region of France, known as a Crémant de Bourgogne. While these wines are made in the same méthode traditionnelle as their famous neighbors in Champagne, they cannot be called Champagne due to the fact that they are not from the geographic region of Champagne, France. Remember, European wines are usually called by place, not grape variety. This is helpful to us consumers who enjoy sparkling wine once or twice a year but don’t need to spend an arm and a leg on a bottle of the fancy stuff (although there is nothing wrong with loving the fancy stuff). Options like Spanish Cava, Italian Prosecco, this gorgeous sparkler from California, and today’s Crémant de Bourgogne are handy to keep in mind whilst shopping for bubbles.

Louis Bouillot Extra Dry Sparkling Wine

Louis Bouillot Extra Dry Sparkling Wine

  • $25/bottle at Total Wine (approximately half the starting price of true Champagne)
  • 12% ABV
  • Medium body with some sweetness (extra-dry actually means more sugar than brut/dry – I know, makes zero sense), focused and tight perlage (bubbles)
  • Some yeasty aromas but also peach, apple, pear flavors
  • While I am not reviewing the Brut here, it is available on wine.com for you to try, where it retails for around $18-$20/bottle. This one will be less sweet.
  • I definitely recommend this wine, and am already excited for the next time I can pop open another bottle.

When it comes to desserts, I prefer anything in the chocolate, cake, and cookie departments, but that’s not to say I never diverge into other territories. Plus, it’s Valentine’s Day, so I am considering my husband’s preferences here, which fall squarely in the pie and fruit dessert departments. 🙂

This dessert uses only FOUR ingredients and is a snap to throw together, even for non bakers. Plus, how often do you see a dessert made from grapes anyway? Take this unusual recipe for a spin and pair it with this lively and refreshing sparkling wine. Together, they bring out the best in each other (yes, you can use that in your Valentine’s Day card if you must). 😉

Happy Valentine’s Day! ❤

Please note, this galette is very sweet, and for me personally it’s a bit much when paired with the sparkling wine. To tame the sugar a bit, slice up some rich, creamy Brie cheese to balance out the high levels of sweetness in the dessert and also complement the sparkling wine.

For additional dessert ideas from The Rambling Vine, check out:
Sparkling Rosé Cake with Candied Roses
Snickers Cheesecake
Oatmeal Chocolate Chai Tea Cookies

Love You Bunches Grape Galette
Serves 8
Recipe courtesy of Oregon Wine Board
Adapted from Kristin Marchesi of Montinore Estate in Forest Grove, Oregon

Ingredients

  • Pie dough rolled out into a large circle 18-20 inches in diameter* (I used a Jus-Rol pre-rolled pie dough and literally unwrapped it, plopped it on the baking sheet, poured the fruit filling inside, and folded the dough up and around the sides to make a galette)
  • 1 pound seedless grapes (no slicing required, just wash them)
  • 1/2 – 3/4 cup sugar, depending on tartness of grapes
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Preparation

1) Whisk the sugar and cornstarch together and then add it to grapes. Stir to combine until the starch is completely hydrated and sugar has evenly coated the grape skins.

2) Place the dough on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper. Pour the filling into the center of the dough circle and fold the edges over the filling covering the perimeter but not the center. Chill for 20 minutes.

3) Preheat the oven to 400° and bake the galette for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350° and rotate the sheet tray. Continue baking for approximately 30 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Love You Bunches Grape Galette

Easier than pie – galette!

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Daze of Wine and Roses: An Indulgent Pairing of Chocolate Truffles and Sparkling Wine for Valentine’s Day

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Disclosure Statement: This post contains affiliate links. When you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, I receive a commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions are my own.

It’s no secret I love February — it may still be winter, but at least for me it is a short month filled with a whopping three big holidays of ultimate feminine spoiling: my birthday, Valentine’s Day, and my wedding anniversary all happily fill this month of love. February is cozy, sweet, dreamy, and I love all 28 days of it! 🙂 In the same way Christmas lights and decorations help lift the gloom of dark December, so Valentine’s

Gettin’ ready for Valentine’s Day with premium chocolate

Day (in all its cheesiness) makes February more fun and gives us a great excuse to enjoy some chocolate and drink some wine! Although none of us here NEED an excuse for that. 😉

But the world of chocolate and wine pairing, though. Yikes. It’s like stepping into a flavor minefield if you don’t have good direction. A pairing can either send your taste buds into flavor ecstasy or quickly banish them to foul pairing hell. So what to do if you would actually like to try and achieve flavor bliss?

First, think of your food and drink like paints on a palette or musical notes — you are composing specific “works” based on the combined qualities of your ingredients. In a nutshell, food and wine can either create complementary pairings (where the weight, textures, and flavors complement or agree with each other) or contrasting pairings (where the weight, textures, and flavors have opposite characteristics and create  exciting dynamics through contrast). An example of a complementary food and wine pairing would be ribeye steak with Cabernet Sauvignon (heavy, rich, full-bodied). A contrasting example would be pad thai with Riesling (both light, but spicy against acidic and sweet). 

But for now, let’s just keep it simple with a delicious complementary pairing that will delight both wine noobs and experts alike.

You’re just too good to be true… can’t take my eyes off of you….

Let me introduce you to Banfi Rosa Regale, an Italian sparkling red wine from Piedmont, Italy. It is made from a red grape known as Brachetto. Yes, it is sweet and bubbly like soda pop, BUT it offers great structure, fine perlage (tiny bubbles equal higher quality in sparkling wines) and enough acidity to make it elegant and sophisticated and oh so enjoyable. The aromas of red berries, orange, and rose are hypnotic, and the sweet but slightly tart flavors of strawberry and raspberry that unfold on your palate with drive you crazy and keep you coming back for more. I first tried this wine at a business networking event when I worked at a chamber of commerce, and it was pretty much all I could think about that evening — how utterly amazing this wine is! I still feel that way, and that is why I think you should stock up on this wine for Valentine’s Day!

(goes to pour herself another glass because it’s too… freaking…good…)

Heaven, I’m in heaven…

Now, that wine was amazing on its own, but wait, things are about to get even better when it meets its sweet match! This wine will get along VERY well with milk chocolate. I would personally applaud your choice of Seattle Chocolate Milk Chocolate Truffles (which is what I paired with) but you could also have great success with other brands of milk chocolate you enjoy. The creamy sweetness of each are tantalizingly divine together. I literally taste vanilla whipped cream. Wow! 

Speaking of chocolate, the aforementioned Seattle Chocolate Company has some of the best-tasting chocolate in the world (prove me wrong) and they have a great factory tour which is a fascinating education in all things chocolate. I even got to touch fresh, raw cacao fruit before the beans get roasted. Since I especially love exploring subtle flavors and aromas in wine, I really enjoyed blind tasting through several of their delicious chocolates and trying to guess the flavors and ingredients. Their store also carries a number of fun pairing ideas of their chocolates matched with various Washington wines. Do check them out if you’re in the greater Seattle area!

So there you have it: milk chocolate with Brachetto for the Valentine’s Day win!

Happy Valentine’s Day, sweet readers! ❤ 

La Dolce Vino: Valentine’s is for Lovers (Or Anyone, Really)

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Valentine’s Day is most commonly attributed to romantic lovers, but really? What about all the other forms of love out there? Love of family, best friend, neighbor, children, pets, etc.

How sweet it is! Rosa Regale... your perfect Valentine's Day accompaniment.

How sweet it is! Rosa Regale… your perfect Valentine’s Day accompaniment.

Aren’t we just as entitled to celebrate these forms of love as highly as romantic love? If love is blind, then those responsible for commercializing this holiday need to start embracing a little more affirmative action in the love department. Love doesn’t fit under just one label!

Here is a wine that is not only bubbly, fruity, flirty and sexy enough to drink with your lover on Valentine’s Day; it’s perfect to enjoy with a friend or relative (though I would advise against a child or pet… don’t take me too literally, folks), even to bring to an Anti-Valentine’s Day party (aka getting wasted, binging on bonbons, and performing voodoo on stuffed teddy bears). Hey, equal opportunity!

Banfi Rosa Regale Brachetto D’Acqui is a sparkling dolce red wine that is usually under $20. As the Italians say, “Questo rocce!” This rocks! It’s like Martinelli’s for adults, but way better… molto meglio.

From the tasting notes:

“This rare Brachetto, a semi-dry, red sparkling wine cherished by the courts of Europe over two centuries ago, owes its reincarnation to Banfi. Rosa Regale is created in one of Italy’s smallest production zones, the Brachetto d’Acqui Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita, commonly referred to as DOCG. It is crafted from 100% Brachetto grapes grown exclusively at the La Rosa Vineyard in the town of Acqui Terme located in the Piedmont region of Italy. The label features a single red rose, representing the wines origin from this single vineyard La Rosa estate.

Rosa Regale has a delicate bouquet of rose petals and offers sensuous flavors of fresh raspberries and strawberries. Its effervescence is softer than that of champagne, yet it yields a persistent and delicate pink froth. Its lively garnet color makes other sparklers pale in comparison. Served chilled and with a low alcohol content, it serves as the perfect partner throughout the entire meal, beginning as an elegant aperitif, moving to a savory appetizer and ending with a sweet dessert. No wine pairs better with chocolate than Rosa Regale. The bright fresh berry flavors complement the sweet velvet of the chocolate. Rosa Regale is a seductive red sparkler that turns any occasion into a celebration.

Legend also has it that both Julius Caesar and Marc Antony presented Cleopatra with several gourds of Brachetto. The empress then had her lovers drink the wine in order to unleash their passion.

Rosa Regale is produced using the Charmat process or Metodo Italiano (Italian Method). This method forces the second fermentation to happen in large stainless steel tanks prior to bottling, rather than in the bottle like the traditional méthod champenoise. This process is best used on sparkling wines that are meant to be enjoyed young and relatively fresh.”

I had this wine one February when I organized a Business After Hours event at two next door businesses: a flower shop and wine bar. We wandered happily back and forth between each adorable shop. Once I had a sip, I was smitten and could not stop drinking this. Oddly enough, the flower shop was pouring this, not the wine bar.

Since it’s a sweet wine, I think it’s plenty good on its own. Of course, pairing it with dark chocolate truffles or a lava cake would be a decadent Valentine’s Day gorge fest or an extra special treat on your anniversary or birthday. It also makes an elegant gift… perfect for a holiday like, oh, I dunno, let’s think here, maybe, Valentine’s Day?

However you choose to enjoy this sparkling wine, and however you choose to celebrate Valentine’s Day, do it wholeheartedly and with love!