New Year’s Eve approaches, and bubble drinkers around the world are giving a “hip, hip, hooray”. Well, bubble lovers find absolutely any excuse to pop open a bottle – like the 17th Thursday of the year. But others reserve the stuff for ‘special occasions’. That’s okay. We’re finding you and converting you, one boozer at a time.
There was a time when the bubble section was unfamiliar territory to many of us: strange fonts, fancy labels in what could have been latin and sometimes was… not to mention those confusing foil cages over the cork. And the cork! How on earth are we to keep all light fixtures unbroken with all that effervescence about? Dear me.
Times have changed. BC has burst the bubble scene like nobody’s business, with many Canadian wineries hot on their heels. No longer are we forced to drink Baby Duck because we can’t discern one chateau from another – and don’t have the disposable income to part with $150 for a bottle that will be consumed after we’ve tipped back a few already.
I love our worldwide neighbours and what bubble they have to offer. In fact, I’m taking some non-BC bubble to a New Year’s Eve bash – in addition to the homegrown stuff, of course. The bottle I chose is from Spain and had a pretty label with nice font, all for under $20. I’m sure it will taste just fine. But the heart of the evening will go to BC.
We have some great contributors to the bubble world, and they’re right in our Okanagan back yards. Go find some. Don’t know where to look? This should get you started.
Gray Monk Odyssey – Rose or White Brut (both $24.99 at the winery)
Sumac Ridge Tribute, Stellar’s Jay or Gewurztraminer… all fabulous choices, and most available at speciality liquor stores or the BCLDB
Road 13 Sparkling Chenin Blanc – even has a nifty cap to crank off instead of a cork, and intensely drinkable (possibly at specialty liquor stores, or winery direct)
Blue Mountain – more challenging to find, but worth it when you do
Summerhill Pyramid Winery – Cipes (Rose, Gabriel, Brut… from $24.95 to $45/bottle, it’s all worth a taste and usually available at VQA stores)
If your New Year’s Eve tradition involves some cheap and cheerful bubble, so be it. Hey – it’s once a year, go nuts. But don’t forget that we’ve got our own BC bubbles to get silly with, and they’re easy to get hold of – and reasonably priced.
As for me, I’ll be starting the night with my bottle of BC sparkling wine and approaching midnight with that cheap and cheerful Spanish bubble – because by then, it’s likely I’ll be quite effervescent myself. I need to un*wine*d, too.
Wishing everyone a happy and safe 2011. Cheers!
~ Jeannette
December 29th, 2010 7:41 pm
Don’t forget Tantalus 2004 Classic Cuvee and the Blanc de Noir if you were lucky to get some.