Du Vin Wine's Stacie Hunt decants the latest fizzy, sparkling wines.
Du Vin Wine & Spirits
540 N San Vicente Blvd (near Melrose)
West Hollywood, CA 90048
310-855-1161
Hunt recommends:
FRANCE
Sparkling Vouvray: The grape variety is Chenin Blanc, from the Loire Valley. This is a fruity, but dry finishing sparkling wine. Excellent with raw seafood and creamy sauces. $15-23.00
Veuve Ambal, Peche: A favorite for winter or summer. $18.99
Blanquette de Limoux: A secret sparkler from the Languedoc area of Southwestern France. Made from the Mauzac (a secondary aromatic grape and Chardonnay). This wine comes in Magnums only and what an amazing bargain! $31.95 (Magnum)
Bouillot de Bourgogne: Pinot Noir, from Burgundy, rose in color. $16.99
ITALY
Bella Vista: This is what graced the golden throat of Pavarotti. The ONLY Wine he drank. Made in the Franciacorta (Veneto) area of Italy in the manner of Method Champenoise, this is an elegant sparkling wine of Chardonnay and other local grape varieties. $36.99
Moscato d’Asti: Made from one of the Aromatic varieties, Moscato (Muscat). This low-alcohol, frizzante wine tastes of green apples and is thoroughly refreshing! $19.99
Brachetto d’Acqui: A sparkling wine made from the ONLY red aromatic grape, Brachetto. This wine tastes of wild raspberries and is perfect, even sexy, with bitter chocolate and fresh raspberries. $19.99
Prosecco: Made in the Veneto region of Italy of the Prosecco grape that was only born to be a sparkling wine. $12-14.00
Lambrusco: This is a bone dry sparkler that is the only wine to have on a picnic! Made by Fiorini, a very old house. $16.99
Sparkling Pinot Grigio: Kind of rare in the US, but this sparkler made by Canaletto is a real surprise. Imagine the fruity and spritely flavors of Pinot Grigio with a touch of fizz. Well, perfect, just perfect to toast the end of the day and enjoy a light meal of seafood. $12.99
SPAIN
Cava: Here the sparkling wine, produced mainly from local grape varieties, is called cava. They do taste different from Champagne and California bubblies, with a more pronounced earthy flavor. No wonder the world's best selling sparkling wine (Freixenet Cordon Negro) is a cava! They are the sparkling wine world's best values, with most brands selling for around. $8.00
AUSTRALIA
Sparkling Shiraz: This is a wine produced only in Australia and is only for those with the muscle to handle it! It’s bone dry, sparkles plenty and can actually handle a meal of grilled anything! One of the best is Majella, from Coonawaara. $29.99
Music break: Caravane by Pierre Adenot