Post Views: 311

Versatile and food-friendly, pop the bubbly for any occasion.

Shvaygert Ekaterina / Shutterstock

Sparkling wine is far more versatile and food-friendly than conventional pairing wisdom lets on. Have you ever had a blanc de blanc Champagne with crispy fried chicken, washed down Italian mortadella with a frosty glass of Prosecco, or paired your New York slice with a sparkling ruby-hued Lambrusco?

Amanda McCrossin, a sommelier and host of the Wine Access Unfiltered podcast, is a keen advocate for popping corks when considering food pairings.

“Sparkling wine isn’t a one-size-fits-all category,” says McCrossin. “Like any other category of wine, sparkling wine is made all over the world and laden with choices that can work with various facets of our lives.” McCrossin will be hosting a session on pairing sparkling wines with everything at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen this year, and pouring a variety of bubbles to help make her case.

McCrossin likens picking out a sparkling wine to planning out an outfit.

“You’ll quickly discover that Prosecco and Champagne, like pajamas and a cocktail dress, were destined for different things. Treat them accordingly,” she says. “You wouldn’t wear a cocktail dress to a football game or don pajamas to a work event.”

“[Prosecco] is the ultimate aperitivo wine — easy to drink and lovely to sip with food, especially the snacky kind,” continues McCrossin. “It isn’t built for long aging so it’s meant to be consumed in the moment. It isn’t meant to be taken seriously.”

McCrossin points to at the ancestral home of Prosecco, the Valdobbiadene region of Italy, and how the sparkling wine is enjoyed there. “Prosecco is consumed like water,” she says.

Pour Prosecco in carefree situations, alongside weekend lunches and seasonal salads, with snack dinners and grazing platters, or paired with Italian dishes like farinata or crispy gnocchi. Have a few glasses left in the bottle? Lend the leftovers to your pre-dinner aperitivo or post-dinner digestivo.

“Champagne demands a higher degree of attention when it comes to serving,” explains McCrossin.

She often matches Champagnes with more complex dishes. “Due to its complex aromatics and flavor profile, along with its aging potential, Champagne pairs well with a range of foods—from various cheeses to sophisticated dishes like scallops and lobster,” she details.

Similar to the overall category of sparkling wines, Champagne exhibits a wide range of variety, defying a uniform serving strategy.

Extra brut wines are a delightful match for salty or briny dishes like oysters, sushi, or even crispy, fried foods. The distinct mineral quality of a blanc de blancs shines when partnered with traditional favorites like caviar or crispy fried chicken. Older Champagnes, featuring notes of yeast, hazelnuts, and crème brûlée, complement foods like slices of Comté cheese or mac and cheese. McCrossin also enjoys pairing brut rosé Champagne, especially from Laurent-Perrier, with hearty, rich meat dishes.

If Champagne is beyond your budget, consider Cava and corpinnat. These Spanish sparkling wines are produced in the traditional method of Champagne and often share its characteristics but are more economical.

“The acidity of the wine should match or exceed that of the food it accompanies. Given Champagne’s high acidity, it’s nearly impossible to find a dish with which it doesn’t pair beautifully.” —Amanda McCrossin, sommelier and host of the Wine Access Unfiltered podcast“

McCrossin emphasizes one crucial principle in pairing sparkling wines with dishes. The wine’s acidity needs to be as intense as, or more so than, the food it’s intended to pair with. Considering the high acidity of Champagne, it’s a versatile choice that aligns well with virtually any dish.

However, McCrossin does advise to not overthink it too much. “Pairings don’t have to be fancy,” she says. “I love Champagne with potato chips — high fat and salt content goes brilliantly with sparkling, and even just a handful of nuts.”

Beyond stalwarts like Champagne and Prosecco, excellent bubbles can be found around the world. In England, producers like Wiston, Chapel Down, and Hattingley Valley lean into the region’s signature chalky soil, similar to those found in Champagne. Pair these bottles with fish and chips or British cheeses.

In South Africa, producers leverage the traditional méthode cap classique process to make Champagne-like wines that showcase South African terroir. Open a bottle to cut the costly fat of fried food — croquettes, arancini, or Southern-fried mushrooms.

Lambrusco, a deep red frizzante produced in Italy is perfect for pizza or anything covered with tomato sauce.

Then there’s pétillant naturel, made using the ancestral method, meaning, it’s bottled during the first fermentation, and one of the oldest styles of sparkling wine. Pét-nats are made all over the world from any grape variety, so there’s no typicity — many are wild and slightly fizzy, but beyond that, they can be bready, savory, and golden orange. This style of wine can also be cloudy, acidic, and the color of sunshine, or rich and rosy. Pairings can range from roast chicken to tinned fish or spicy Thai dishes.

But the most fun way to find out what works best? Try everything you can.

For more Food & Wine news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on Food & Wine.