Barolo for lunch #80
Last minute bubbles for New Years
Hi friends! Welcome back for another edition of Barolo for Lunch. This week I’ve picked out a couple of last minute bottles, nödraketer, if you haven’t picked out the bubbles for New Years yet. The general recommendation stands though – when in doubt always go for Champagne, or at least something created with the champagne method – Cremant, Franciacorta or Cava. Always try to avoid Prosecco (unless it’s Valdobbiadene) and run when someone suggests Pet Net :) Cheers! 🍷
Louis Bouillot Crémant de Bourgogne Rosé Brut – #7781 – 159:-
Louis Bouillot is my goto whenever I want a decent sparkling wine, since it punches way over it’s price point. The rosé is especially nice, with pretty subtle notes of wild strawberries and a nice bitterness to round it off. This is a perfect wine for ringing in the New Year. 70% Pinot Noir, 20% Gamay and 10% Chardonnay.
Pierre Peters Cuvée de Réserve – #7350 – 489:-
Legendary “grower” champagne, that is probably the best value for money you can find in the regular assortment at Systembolaget. A pretty standard blanc de blanc, which means very focused wine, with notes of green apples and very creamy mousse. Serve as an apertif or with Toast Skagen. 100% Chardonnay.
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Nerd zone: Prosecco
Prosecco is, as you probably already know, the more famous sparkling wine of Italy. It comes from the northern parts of Italy, around Veneto and Friuli, and it’s made from the Glera grape. Unlike Champagne and Cava, Prosecco is made using the Charmat method, which is basically means that the second fermentation of the wine (which in the “traditional method” happens in the bottle) happens in big stainless steel tank. This is a method that preserves the fruitiness of the wine, and contributes to the very very approachable - or sweet - taste. It’s also a very cheap way of producing wine, which is one reasons why Prosecco is made is such HUGE quantities – around 650 million bottles every year.
Personally I’m not really a fan of Prosecco, but there is an exception: Valdobbiadene. This is a small region in the heart of the Friuli region, which is famous for creating Prosecco of a completely different calibre. The Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore is actually a DOCG, which you might remember as the highest quality designation in Italy, and it comes with a completely different set of production rules than the regular DOC. While they of course share their DNA with the simpler versions of the wine, these are labels I actually enjoy drinking. Pricewise they are still very very reasonable, so if you ever decide to go Prosecco over Champagne – keep your peepers out for Valdobbiadene.