Costco Connection - December 2010

wine connection
Bring out
the bubbly

By Pierre Levron

CHAMPAGNE, USUALLY thought of as a celebration drink for birthday parties and other special occasions, is now widely accepted as the perfect apéritif for dinner parties or family gatherings. In fact, many believe that no wine, or any other beverage, is more versatile in suiting various kinds of food.

Whatever style of Champagne you choose, it will always be fresh enough to jazz up your palate and stim-

LAUREN FRY

Pierre Levron

ulate your appetite. The U.S. market, it seems, understands this. With 12 million bottles consumed last year, the U.S. remains the second-largest worldwide export market for Champagne, right behind the United Kingdom. Whether the current economic climate might put a hold on this continuous rise is yet to be seen, but so far sales have not shown any sign of downturn.

Rules of engagement

According to the rules that govern the appellation, up to eight different grapes can enter into the elaboration of Champagne. However, three grapes— Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier—are used almost exclusively today. The average non-vintage Champagne is made from a blend of all three of these grapes. The style of each brand, or “marque,” is mainly determined by the proportion of each grape entering the blend.

Chardonnay-dominated wines tend to be lighter and more delicate. Blanc de Blanc, for instance, is made exclusively from Chardonnay. These wines are more appropriate for pairing with slightly salty foods such as seafood or raw or lightly cooked food. The classic match for this type of Champagne is smoked salmon and scrambled eggs.

At the other end of the style spectrum stands Champagne made with higher Pinot Noir or Pinot Meunier content; both are black grapes with white juice. Blanc de Noir, for example, is made exclusively from these grapes. These wines tend to be made in a more robust, fuller style and are well suited for meat dishes such as poultry or even veal and pork.

A drink with dessert

For those who savor sweets after dinner,
Champagne is probably the only dry wine to go well
with desserts such as fresh strawberries or even
chocolate. On a recent visit to the Champagne
region, I was introduced to Vincent Dallet, who runs L’Ecole du Chocolat in Épernay, 30 miles south of Reims. He invited me, along with a group of French food critics, to taste his handcrafted chocolates, which we oblig- ingly washed down with demi- sec Champagne, a slightly sweeter style than brut. Like
all wine snobs, I have always
been convinced that choco-
late only goes well with port,
but to my astonishment this
Champagne worked!

Pierre Levron oversees Costco’s wine, spirits and beer program in the UK.

Bubbly at Costco

These Champagnes and other sparkling wines are available at select Costcos.

CHAMPAGNE

Kirkland Signature™ Non-Vintage Brut Champagne, France Item #942108 Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Non-Vintage Brut Champagne, France Item #85684 Dom Pérignon Brut Champagne, France Item #21006 CHAMPAGNE INFORMATION BUREAU, LONDON

OTHER SPARKLING WINES
Kirkland Signature Non-Vintage
Sonoma Brut Sparkling Wine
Sonoma, California Item #851621
Giordano Non-Vintage
Brut Prosecco
Veneto, Italy Item #373416
Santo Stefano Non-Vintage
Moscato d’Asti
Piedmont, Italy Item #549602

NW

FOR INFORMATION on Costco’s Kirkland Signature wines, go to Costco.com, click on “Costco Connection Magazine,” then “Kirkland Signature Wine Connection.” To find which warehouses carry wine, click on “Beer, Wine & Spirits Locator.”