Raise your glass: Taste the Bubbles

Jason Clarke, Contributor

Christmas is a time of food, frolic and festivities. It's also a time we celebrate the year that was, our challenges, but more importantly, relishing in our successes. And there is no better way to do this than with a little bubbly.

Sparkling wines set themselves apart from all others, simply due to all these bubbles. This is attributed to a significant amount of carbon dioxide. It's the same thing that gives soda its fizz, and makes the bubblies pop when you open the bottle.

One cannot speak of bubbly without paying homage to the ever-popular Champagne. Revered worldwide, it's a blend of three types of grapes which gives it its amazing taste and smell. Not all sparkling wines are Champagne. Champagne is grown and produced in the champagne region in France, which is what truly makes it one of a kind - all others are just considered sparkling wines.

There are an abundance of sparkling wines, all made through different methods, but have that same great bubbly feature we enjoy. Most sparkling wines are intended to be consumed immediately (not something you store, or think of saving for when you are old and grey). Ideally, a sparkling should be had within two to three years- some can last longer, but why wait?

We could classify them as follows:

Extra Brut - extra dry, so not sweet, but great with dessert.

Brut - dry(meaning not sweet), which is very popular, not to mention food friendly

Extra Dry - is a middle road bubbly because it is not as dry as a brut and has some residual sugars in it. It is a great starter to any evening before dinner. Your appetiser wine, if you will.

Demi-Sec - sweeter and goes best with dessert or fruits.

All sparkling wines should be served cold - the colder, the better. It allows for a crisp refreshing taste that tickles all the way down. I recommend chilling in the coldest part of your fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes to an hour before serving. Once you open and pour, keep it on ice. Ideally, it should be served in flutes, which really shows the bubbles rising. A typical bottle should serve between 4-6 glasses depending on the flutes you use. If you open a bottle and can't finish it all in one go, you can re-cork, but return to the fridge, and it may only last for a few days.

I personally use the rest to make mimosas (a blend of orange juice and sparkling wine). This is particularly good over breakfast, particularly if it's a leisurely morning with no work, like Christmas or Boxing Day.

Feeling for something a little bubbly to celebrate (#teamtessane), I decided on a Trapiche Extra Brut. This bottle clearly wanted to set me straight. From the moment I opened and poured, bubbles spiralled in the centre of the glass and looked like a co-ordinated dance which lasted until I consumed the last drop. I had an ice-cream cake, sipped a little bubbly, and all was right with the world. This is definitely a must try.

Another one I can never exclude is the Freixenet. This is an amazing sparkling and, for me, always great with a late afternoon lunch. Every now and again, when I have the luxury of being truly indulgent, I opt for a mini bottle (serves about two glasses) and a lobster patty from Devon House. Now that's a match made in heaven. If you're serving at a party, it goes very well with bruschetta as a great starter for the evening.

There are a number of options available on the shelves of your local supermarket, and could range from $900-$3,500 and, of course, Champagne being much, much more. Read the labels to see if it's a extra brut, brut, extra dry or demi sec. Those speak to the level of sweetness, so that should help you select something that works best for you.

If you are thinking of hosting a party and want to make a champagne-like splash at a fraction of the price, a great premium option is the Mionetto Prosecco. Looks great, and tastes better.

Join us for a tasting of the Trapiche Extra Brut this Sunday at Bin26 between 1pm and 3pm during Market on the lawn.

I am not an expert, merely a wine enthusiast, sharing my thoughts and experiences. Feel free to share your own experiences at wineenthusiastja@gmail.com