PARIS-In a recent column, my colleague at The New York Times, Eric Asimov, looked at holiday alternatives to Champagne. Some people in Champagne would argue, with some justification, that there is no such thing, but there are certainly a lot of other wines with bubbles.
Eric focused on American-made sparkling wines. These wines, while relatively widely available in the United States, are rarities elsewhere in the world, especially Europe. But Champagne is not the only Old World sparkling wine. Far from it.
Of all the supposed Champagne alternatives in Europe, the most convincing that I have come across recently are the Sekte from a German producer, Raumland, in the Rheinhessen region. Raumland makes some of its Sekte from the same three grape varieties that preponderate in Champagne â€" pinot noir, pinot meunier and chardonnay. Others are from the more typically German Riesling variety. They all have the chalky dryness, steely intensity and lingering elegance that characterize good Champagne â€" in some cases, at considerably lower prices.
If you can't find Raumland's wines, Sekte from other producers are also improving, though this is still a kind of wine you need to choose carefully. The same goes for most Champagne alternatives.
Geographically speaking, the closest options are the sparkling wines of Burgundy, known as Cremant de Bourgogne. These, two, tend to be made from the Champagne varieties, which is natural, given that pinot noir and chardonnay are also the main grapes in still Burgundy reds and whites.
Cremant de Bourgogne sometimes lacks the focus of Champagne, but these wines can nonetheless represent excellent value; many of them cost less than 10 euros. Reliable producers include Simonnet-Febvre, Bailly-Lapierre and Louis Bouillot.
One of the most difficult things to find is an alternative to a special kind of Champagnes that I discuss in my column this week â€" those that are unsweetened. This category, known as “brut nature,†represents a highly distinctive side of Champagne.
Among the rare examples of this kind of wine that I have come across outside of Champagne is a bubbly called Triple Zero, from Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups, in the Loire Valley. The name refers to the fact that there is no sugar added at any of the three stages when it can be used in sparkling wine production â€" during the initial, alcoholic fermentation; in a subsequent fermentation, when the bubbles are formed; and finally, for sweetening.
Triple Zero is made from chenin blanc grapes, so it doesn't resemble Champagne. But it's a delicious wine in its own right, with subtle fruit flavors and a bracing acidity.
What kind of bubbly will you be serving over the holidays? Do you insist on Champagne, or are you willing to experiment a bit? If so, what are your favorites?
