What Makes a Great Sparkling Wine?
Sparkling wines usually mean there’s reason for celebration, but you don’t need a special occasion to enjoy this effervescent beverage. The right wine is appropriate for casual dinners and fancy hors d’oeuvres alike. The best sparkling wines will have an appearance ranging from light platinum to a golden straw color. The wine should have a kinetic stream of bubbles as well as some sustained carbonation along the surface. Look for a wine with a complex aroma that includes any number of pleasing scents, like peach, citrus, raisin, mineral, or vanilla notes. While the smell can be multi-layered, don’t confuse this with strength—good sparkling wines will have a moderate intensity. Sweetness will be the most basic taste of a great sparkling wine, followed by a milder sourness. Depending on the combination of flavors, there may be some bitterness involved, though if present it should be very subtle. The tastes of high-quality sparkling wines should correspond to their aromas. These elements—
