Drink & Be Merry

            The holidays are a time when it’s not only OK to treat ourselves to something special, it’s encouraged, and that includes food, wine and spirits.

            Lake residents planning to entertain this season want to serve drinks and food that will fill friends and neighbors with the holiday spirit. Those planning to attend want to ensure they bring a thoughtful host or hostess gift to show appreciation.

            So how can you throw impressive parties and give great gifts without breaking the bank? Here are a few tips.

Break Out the Bubbly

            Sparkling wine adds zest to lakeside entertaining. Don’t become fixated on the word "champagne." Paradoxically, this term applies to the top-of-the-line offerings as well as the absolute bottom of the barrel, while good-value bubbly is often labeled as "sparkling wine." Quirks in international trade agreements are to blame. All European countries signed an agreement that wine can only be labeled as champagne if it comes from the specific Champagne region of France and is made by the laborious classic method.

                With this process, the wine undergoes a secondary fermentation in the bottle to produce carbonation. This procedure involves extensive cellaring, hand rotation of racked bottles and an arduous bottling process involving freezing, popping, topping and re-corking. The result is bubbly with complex aromas accentuated with bracing acidity that awakens the palate. Pricing begins at $30. If you are entertaining a large crowd, this can get expensive in a hurry.

                 What about the "champagne" at the grocery store for $3.99? The United States did not sign the agreement mentioned above, so some shady producers label their sparklers with this name. Forget the process described above, along with the desirable flavors. These wines are made by a bulk process, dosed with sugar to mask flawed flavors and are to be avoided. The best values in bubbly usually are labeled as sparking wine.

            One of the best deals in sparkling wine is cava from Spain. The term cava means "cave" and these wines are generally made by the classic method. However, some of the laborious processes are mechanized to save money. These wines most often can be found in the $6-10 range and offer festive bubbles and fresh, crisp flavors. Some reliable brand names are Cristalino, Friexinet and Codorniú.

            There are some mid-priced American offerings made by the classic method that are labeled as sparkling wine out of respect for the European system. Some are French-owned and are usually priced under $20. Some dependable brands are Gruet, Domain Chandon and Mumm Cuveé Napa.

            If you have a sweet tooth for sparkling wine, try Moscato d’Asti. This Italian sparkler is made from the aromatic Muscat grape and tastes like fresh, sweet, effervescent grape juice. The wine is a real crowd-pleaser and usually sells for less than $15 a bottle. The wine’s low alcohol content (around 6 percent) will help keep guests civilized.

What to Bring?

            When I worked in wine retail, I was often asked to help select a wine to bring as a gift for party hosts. In order to answer appropriately, I usually had to probe further. For example, does the purchaser know what style of wine the host prefers? The answer makes a huge difference. If the recipient prefers sweet, fruit wines, he or she probably will not like a bottle of dry Chateau Latour Bordeaux – even if you do pay $800 for it.

            But what do you do when you have no clue what wine the person enjoys? Your odds of success increase if you select chardonnay simply because it is the most popular variety in terms of sales. You could also consider pinot grigio if you feel adventurous. The popularity of this white wine has increased in recent years because people like its fresh, clean, dry flavors without heavy oak notes.

            If the host or hostess likes merlot, consider broadening their horizons and pick up a bottle of Australian shiraz or malbec from Argentina. These wines offer the opulent, plush fruit flavors that people associate with merlot and can be obtained for as little as $6-7. Reserve selections are available for under $20.

Add a Holiday Twist

            If you are hosting a cocktail party and want to include a drink with holiday flair, try the Christmas Cosmopolitan, a seasonal variation of this popular drink. Combine a half-ounce of orange liqueur, a half-ounce of cranberry juice, a squeeze of fresh lime juice and one ounce of cranberry flavored vodka into a shaker filled with ice. Shake and drain into a martini glass. Garnish with a couple of cranberries for a festive look.

            If you think your guests would like something with more sweet fruit flavors, try making a pitcher of Sparkling White Sangria. In a pitcher, blend a chilled bottle of cava, one and a half cups of chilled apricot nectar, one and a half ounces of chilled triple sec and a splash of Spanish brandy. Stir and serve in wine glasses garnished with a twist of orange peel.

            If you are entertaining with cava as suggested above, don’t fret over food and wine pairings because bubbly goes with just about any fare. Just switch over to sweeter wines with dessert.

            Happy holidays!