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Making Your New Year’s Eve Fizz

December 29, 2009

champagne1
Far be it for us to complain about the tradition of drinking champagne on New Year’s Eve. We’ll cease just about any opportunity to pop open a bottle of bubbly and celebrate life’s good fortune - even if that good fortune is just the chance to drink champagne. Still, with tradition comes the danger of repetitiveness. As you plan your festivities for the approaching holiday, you may find your creative juices corked when it comes to selecting the right sparkling wine to punctuate your 2009.

Though it’s likely your fellow celebrators won’t be picky as they wait expectantly for the countdown with empty glasses in hand, a little attention to detail can make for a more memorable night.

If we’ve learned anything this past year, it’s that creativity flourishes in the face of challenges. We suggest that you use that lesson to plant a motif into your champagne selection this year. Make a statement about 2009 by taking a particular angle with the fizzy wines you serve. 2010-themed eyeglasses can only go so far at keeping your soiree timely. But don’t take our word for it - let the bubbles speak for themselves. Here’s some suggestions to help you pick the perfect sparkling wine to celebrate the decade, the year, or just the current moment:

Choose a green champagne:

Sustainable, environmentally-conscious living is a full-time commitment. Luckily, your green responsibilities needn’t get in the way of your night of carefree carousal. Pommery’s trendy line of POP champagnes just released a green variety called Earth that’s just as eco-friendly as it is party-ready. The champagne’s grapes were raised using reduced amounts of water and pesticides, the glass bottles are lightweight, there’s no external packaging, and the labels use water-soluble ink. And the flavor? “Warm brioche…tropical flavors and a lovely roundness,” according to Pommery’s cellar master, Thierry Gasco. Retailing at $55 a bottle, Earth is priced at an appropriate level for a special occasion, without completely breaking the bank.

Choose an affordable sparkling wine:

If you plan to party on a budget, fear not. There’s no need to make sacrifices this year. A standard rule for wine is that low price doesn’t necessarily equate to low-quality. By doing a bit of research, you can pick the winners from the weaklings when it comes to cheaper labels. Guests who inquire about your selection will be pleasantly surprised at the low prices, and will have a renewed respect for your resourcefulness. Try the crisp, citrus-y non vintage Freixenet “Carta Nevada” cava from Spain, the bubbly, peachy Nonvintage Domaine Ste. Michelle Extra Dry sparkling wine from Washington state, or the frothy, green-apple-flavored Nonvintage Piper Sonoma Blanc de Blancs sparkling wine from Sonoma. Each wine retails for under $15 and comes packed with zesty taste.

Make Champagne cocktails:

If you want to get more out of a limited supply of sparkling wine, take the cocktail route. Champagne is remarkably forgiving, so even inexperienced mixologists will find this to be a viable approach. Sweet dessert wines, brandy, and fruity-flavored liqueurs are some standard mixers, but, really, your imagination is the only limit when it comes to these bubbly concoctions. To rid yourself of all-night bar-tending duties, just provide your guests with champagne and a variety of mixing options and make the cocktails a DIY activity. Creative mixes will serve as perfect conversation starters and will get your party fizzing.

Or, splurge on an expensive label

We call this the “What recession?” approach. Be a rebel and make a statement with a famously top shelf champagne. Cristal, once drunk only by the Russian Tsar Alexander II or the equally luxurious Dom Pérignon will undoubtedly impress (or shock) and leave a sufficiently large hole in your bank account. If your going to use this approach, we recommend you downsize your party to two, to maximize your personal enjoyment. Share one of the above top notch champagnes with one special individual and make it a romantic, low-key evening at home.

No matter what kind of champagne or sparkling wine you decide to pop open, remember that you selection should complement - and not define - your celebration. Wine is only as good as the party at which it’s drunk. The joy of celebrating your relationships - romantic or otherwise, your accomplishments, and your goals is what ultimately makes the champagne delicious. As wine columnists Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher recently posited in the Wall Street Journal, wine is a subjective art and, as they stated: “Your enjoyment of any wine is an extension of yourself, your emotions, your experiences and your circumstances when you drink it.” With that advice, make every bubble count this New Year’s Eve.

Sources:
“For holidays, let bubbly flow” miamiherald.com;
“Champagne Holiday Cocktails” blogs.kqed.org/bayareabites;
“Pop Hit | Pommery Green Champagnes” tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com;
“The Mysterious Heart of Deliciousness”wsj.com.
Photo courtesy of:
freechristmaswallpapers.net.

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A Cocktail is Worth a Thousand Words

December 18, 2009

martini
When it comes to the social setting of a bar or restaurant, you are what you drink. Everyone has their signature. Whether its the tangy simplicity of a gin and tonic, the colorful fruitiness of a margarita, or the wholesomeness of an artisinal, organic cocktail, your drink is saying something about you. Sure, a cocktail doesn’t tell your whole story, but it is at least a tagline on your personal movie poster. Considering all the time spent, or not spent, on your personal appearance before a night on the town. Shouldn’t the signature drink that ultimately ends up in your hand add an extra kick of spice to your ensemble?

We’ve uncovered the science behind Dining DNA, but what about Beverage DNA? To make sure your signature drink is sending the right signals about you, we’ve compiled a quick guide to cocktail symbology and its social intricacies. Because a drink choice without thoughtfulness is like a martini without an olive.

A drink of a different color

The easiest way to decipher the meaning behind your beverage selection is to ask yourself: What does its color bring to mind? First, examine the color. The vibrant pink of a protagonista’s cosmopolitan is alluring, feminine and romantic, but it doesn’t suggest seriousness. The clarity of a vodka martini conveys decisiveness and sophistication, but can also intimidate. The deep hues of heavier beers or whiskey manifest heartiness, warmth and earthiness.

Behind every good drink is a good glass

One simple rule to remember is that the shape of the glass is typically meant to match a person’s appearance. A graceful, subtle martini glass goes best with more formal or sensual attire. Beer bottles and shot glasses are direct and to-the-point. In other words: they’re strictly casual - though any formal ensemble can turn casual with the proper adjustments (loosened ties, unbuttoned collars, kicked-off high heels

Context matters

On certain occasions, the appropriateness of a drink is a function of the environment. A martini would seem pretentious at a backyard barbecue, and margarita would receive quizzical looks at a formal cocktail hour. Changes of season also tend to bring changes is optimal drink selection. The rule of thumb: heavier, darker drinks and smokier flavors in the colder months, lighter, fruitier, more acidic drinks when the temperature rises. It’s important to remember that a signature drink is more of a good friend than a spouse. There’s nothing wrong with varying your selection or giving your favorite cognac a summer vacation. It’ll be waiting for you when the winter chill creeps back.

Mood Matters

Your drink can also serve as a personal mood barometer. You might opt for a simple classic drink, like a rum and coke or vodka cranberry, when feeling laid back and unpretentious. Shots or a drink like a tequila fizz might indicate adventurousness. Champagne is celebratory.

Simplicity suggests experience

Some drinks try to say more than others. The larger the garnish, or the more theatrical the presentation (such as a cocktail that involves flames) tend to be geared toward youthful, less experienced drinkers. The fewer the ingredients in a cocktail, the less disguised the base alcohol. These “classic” drinks imply experience and confidence. They are more relaxed, more self-assured.

Novelty often equates to trendiness

Plenty of statement drinks have had their respective moments in the spotlight this past year. These included drinks with ingredients we never considered drinkable (like the bacon martini) and odd, organic additions (like flower cocktails). Trying new and even odd drinks is an important part of developing an informed palate, but it’s also advisable that tastes be kept balanced. If you’re trying all the latest novelty drinks, but you’ve never tried a Manhattan, you might be getting ahead of yourself.

But even “classics” can turn trendy

Classic, creamy drinks, particularly the White Russian, are reportedly churning up under the radar among hipsters. Similar to Pabst Blue Ribbon beer, the case of the White Russian proves how some forgotten classics can be reappropriated by current trends. Pay attention to what others are drinking to get a sense of whether or not the drink in your hand is truly giving off the vibes you expected.

Shaken vs. Stirred

The difference is merely a matter of taste. Shaken drinks tend to be colder and more diluted, since the ice breaks down in the process. Stirred martinis are warmer and stronger. Neither is necessarily right, but asking for one over the other could either make you sound discerning, or like a Bond wannabe. To play it safe, try not to take the words directly from his mouth.