Sparklies for the New Year!

Hello hello my sweetie peaches!

Here we are, another Christmas over and the New Year looms right around the corner.  I am actually for the first time in years going to a real, live, grown-up party on New Year's Eve.  No Dora or Mario Bros. or cheese-only pizza--a real party with real adults.  Okay, we might BEHAVE like children after a drink or two, but that's what parents do when there are no kids to mind.  But I'm getting ahead of myself; I should talk about Christmas wine...

So between my dad, my sister and I, there was more wine than you could wave a poopy stick at this Christmas.  I tasted my sister's Cab Sauv but didn't catch the name (was it the Bonterra organic?  Help me, sister!).  After that my dad and I tucked into the Cave Spring Riesling, which was everything apricoty and yummy as it always is (Dad said it reminded him of his trip to Germany).  Following that, we all made short work of the Cuvée Catherine Sparkling Rosé (Brut).  And when that was all gone, we mmm'd and ahhh'd over a CduP that Lorri brought, and again I didn't catch the name.  I wasn't paying much attention to labels; I was having too good a time!  But what a wonderful way to wheedle away the day, drinking delicious wines, laughing, playing music and lots of talking.  Since then, I've only tried one other wine--Karen and I split a bottle of Malivoire's Guilty Men 2008 Red today while watching Young Victoria.  I think the only thing Malivoire is guilty of here is over-exaggerating on their back label, which reads: "Roguishly fruity, cunningly dry, guilefully supple and wickedly good, Guilty Men Red is for all occasions."  I didn't find much that was roguish or cunning about this wine; it was good, not great, and now it's gone.  I liked their other red blend much better, to tell you the truth. 

But back to New Year's Eve; I'm having trouble deciding which sparkly to bring!  The Henry of Pelham's Cuvée Catherine Sparking Rosé Brut was very dry, pretty and quaffable---inexpensive too (I think the bottle was less than $30).  But I am secretly hoping I can find a bottle of that Mumm's Napa at our LCBO; I had it earlier this year and truly loved it.  Or, maybe this is the time to try something else, like Spanish Cava or Italian Asti.  There's a sparkling red I'm very curious to try, though I haven't any hope of finding it here I'm sure; red Spumante from Piedmont is made from barbera or nebbiolo and is apparently quite delicious. I here German Sekt can be very refreshing (I'll have to find out for myself someday). Crémant and sparkling Saumur come from France's Loire region; they're made in the same method as Champagne, but usually with chenin blanc instead of pinot noir.  Australia, South Africa and New Zealand all make sparkling wine too.  I guess what I'm trying to illustrate here is that one need not break the bank on French Champagne when there are so many other kinds of sparklies from the world over.  If you try something fizzy and different this New Year's Eve, do tell me about it  I would love to hear about your bubbly wine experiences!

I'm off to give myself a facial and do all of those other prettying-up things a girl does before a party.  But before I do, I will leave you with a big HAPPY NEW YEAR!  And please, if you're marinading yourselves from the inside-out with sparkling wine or any other alcoholic beverage this New Year's Eve, don't drive.  I think you'd have a very hard time keeping up with my blog from prison if you do, and those jumpsuits are so drab!

Kiss kiss,

B.