“When in Rome, do like the romans”. I’m still in America and should do like the Americans. When choosing some good sparkling wine for this new years eve I could happliy choose a good bottle of the real thing, Champagne. Because the US is one of the worlds biggest markets for genuine Champagne. And yes, Champagne is a sparkling wine that is made, and only made in Champagne, France. No other sparkling wine should ever be called Champagne.
But, they make wine here in the US as well. Even sparkling ones. After tasting some of them I could have gone to the conclusion that they are all crap, but they’re not. Some of them are far too sweet and full bodied for my taste but it’s all about knowledge. Knowledge about finding the good ones.
Knowledge that I don’t have. Fortunately I have a brother-in-law that is one of the world’s best tasters and a living encyclopedia of wine. One phonecall later: “Look for Iron Horse or Roederer Estate.”
So I did, and today we tasted the Anderson Valley Brut from Roederer Estate. At $15 it is remarkably complex and very good. Not like really good true Champagne, but a very good sparkling wine indeed!
Tomorrow we’ll taste the Roederer Estate Brut Rosé and for the evening dinner: Iron Horse Clasic Vintage Brut 2000. And what’s our new years eve dinner down here in sunny Florida?
Fresh shrimp from the gulf tossed in lots of freshly ground Malabar Pepper and grilled…
If you for some strange kind of reason should have any leftovers you make this lovely
Granita with Pink Grapefruit
1/2 cup (1 dl) water
1/2 cup (1 dl) sugar
Cook and stir until the sugar dissolves completely. Chill to room teperature.
Add:
Juice from one pink grapefruit
1/4 cup (1/2 dl) sparkling wine
Freeze for about one hour (until you have a thin layer of ice on the top and around the sides). Take out of the freezer and stir around. Mix the ice shards with the liquid. Put back in the freezer.
Repeat this process until the granita is icy and granular.
Should be served within a couple of hours.
As a curiosity I also want to mention that I found it very flattering that at age 35 I had to show an ID before I could buy these bottles of great American sparkling wine over at “Total Wine”. By the way, the biggest wine store I have ever visited.
Update:
And if you can’t afford sparkling wine at all head over here. LOL…
eirikso 
Sorry to rain on your parade about your youthful appearance, but in many areas in the USA you are required to show an ID before buying alcohol, period. I once had five guests with me to a bar in Cambridge, MA. The oldest person of us was 55, with a gray beard and a suit. He was denied a beer when he had forgotten his passport…..
The REAL test is when you ask for a ticket on the bus and the driver asks “kid or adult?”
So much for me thinking that someone had the idea that I am under 21… 🙂
Oh, well. It’s really not about the calendar, it’s about how you feel – right?
Where are you staying in the US ? There are some terrific wine growing regions that make excellent Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Port, Rieslings, Gerwurtz.
Oregon, California, Long Island, Washington State all have some very impressive wineries . . . Try a good local “brew”
I am currently staying in Florida. Excellent orange juice. Not so excellent wine… 🙂
On recomendation from Thomas Hawk I just tried a bottle of Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon 2003. And, as Thomas puts it: pricey but very good!
Could be interesting to try something from Washington State, most of what I have consumed here have been California wines.
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