Celebrating a safe return

Sparkling wine is all too often reserved only for celebrations. New Year's Eve, promotions, weddings and the birth of a new child are all typical occasions for open a bottle of bubbly. I most certainly believe that sparkling wines should be drunk as often as white and red wines. As regular readers will now, for most of 2011 and the beginning of 2012, I opened a bottle of sparkling wine every week to continue the celebration of the birth of my first child, Benjamin. While each bottle was in a way a celebration of Ben, sparkling wine became a regular part of our routine for one year. This journey allowed my wife and I to explore a style of wine that we often neglected. It was quite eye opening that changed the way my wife and I approached sparkling wine.

One thing that didn't change throughout that year was the fact that sparkling wine is still the go-to wine for commemorating significant events in our lives. So, when my younger brother returned from a nine-month tour in Afghanistan it only made sense to open something sparkling. Any soldier's safe return home is something that should be celebrated, but showing my, and my family's, bias my brother's return is all the more special. My brother and I don't always see eye-to-eye politically and I wasn't a huge advocate of his joining the Army a few years ago. And when he decided to become an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) technician, my whole family wondered why he wanted to do perhaps the most dangerous job in all of the Army. For those who don't know what EOD is, watch The Hurt Locker. My brother has been to Iraq and Afghanistan and most likely seen things that most of us only get a Hollywood version of on the big screen. Having him home is a wonderful feeling that only others with family members in the military can fully understand.

Ben saying, "Welcome home!"

After the Captain retired to bed following a long series of flights home, my parents and I went back to my house and opened a bottle of 2005 J Vineyards & Winery Vintage Brut to celebrate his safe return. It didn't matter that the wine offered a wonderful toasty and appley nose. The rich yeasty, fruity palate didn't mean much. The long finish that followed delicious marzipan and butterscotch apple flavors seemed trivial. All that mattered in those moments were that my family, along with a handful of other families, was able to celebrate the safe return of a brave individual who risked his life so that we could enjoy something as insignificant as a wonderful bottle of wine.

Ben's Bubbly: Wrap-Up

Ben - 1 year

Each of the past 52 weeks, my wife and I have opened a bottle of sparkling wine in honor of our son Ben's first year. The wines helped us celebrate moments from bringing our baby home to him running around and beginning to talk. We've taken him on plane rides and road trips. He's attended two weddings and is eagerly awaiting the arrival of a few new friends. We've had quite an adventure celebrating a year of firsts: the first time he rolled over, the first time he sat up, his first tooth, his first steps, his first signed word, his first spoken word, his first solid food, his first scratch, first day of school. I bet I could continue that list ad infinitum.

During this adventure, we drank 54 different sparkling wines (doubling up Mother's Day week and Valentine's Day) from 11 different countries. Here are a few statistics from this little endeavor:

Ben's Bubbly: Champagne Doyard, Collection de l'An I

Well, we finally made it. We successfully raised our first child to one year of age. And in doing so, we consumed one bottle (sometimes more) of sparkling wine for the past 52 weeks. The past year has been just the first chapter on a fantastic journey that I hope lasts for the rest of my life. Everyone always says to cherish these early times in a child's life because they grow up so fast. I just never knew how fast this year would go and how much Ben would grow. From the helpless, wrinkly little baby we took home 4 hours after his birth to the walking and talking energetic (and sometimes quite impatient) little boy who always brings a smile to my face (well, maybe not when he smacks me in the face while I am asleep), I have enjoyed every moment so far. When my wife and I decided to open a bottle of bubbly for every week of his first year, I mostly thought it would be good to have consistent material for the blog. But opening a bottle to celebrate Ben every week has meant so much more. Every week for the past year we were able to relax, reflect and recover all in the name of Ben. Who knew something that requires so much work could be so fun and rewarding (well, all of you parents knew that already)!

Two weeks ago, Ben enjoyed his first Spring Break with Mom and his grandparents all came over for his birthday party. At the end of the day, he was covered in dirt, frosting and dog hair. What a good day for a little boy. Unfortunately, Ben started to feel a little under the weather at day care on his birthday. He recovered quickly, but he had to stay home with on Thursday and Friday. We had a good time just hanging out and enjoying the beautiful spring weather. We are so excited to have a yard that Ben can call his own and play in for the years to come.

Ben's Bubbly: Sektkellerei Szigeti Grüner Veltliner Brut

This was a busy week for Ben, which was perfect because it was spring break for Mom, so he was only at daycare for Monday and Tuesday. On Wednesday evening, Grandma and Grandpa from Wisconsin flew in for Ben's first birthday party. It is very weird to think that Ben is almost one year old already! We actually had his party almost a week early and we sure lucked out with the weather. It was in the 70s and 80s for the better part of the last week of March. Ben had a grand time hanging out with Grandma and Grandpa; he went on walks, went to the park, played with new toys, and even played in the dirt a little bit! He had so much going on that I am sure that he will sleep well for the next week! I know I will.

Sektkellerei Szigeti Grüner Veltliner Brut

It is not too often that you see a sparkling Grüner Veltliner. I was trying to find something unique for the penultimate bubbly. With my parents in town, I decided to have a little fun opening it. I really think that sabering sparkling wine is one of the coolest wine traditions and I have attempted it twice in the past, once successfully and the other not so much. I don't have a wine saber, so I grabbed a drywall saw. I found the seam on the bottle and in one fell swoop popped of the top of the bottle and the cork with an exceptionally clean decapitation. I was so eager to show of that I forgot to have someone record my feat. I poured a glass for the four adults, much to Ben's chagrin. The wine was a very light yellow with a slight green tint. The nose was subtle but with nice aromas of peaches, green apples and tart citrus. You will not confuse this Brut with a true Champagne, but it is nonetheless a nice wine. Not surprisingly, it tastes like Grüner Veltliner with bubbles added. The flavors were one-dimensional with crisp lime and grapefruit and a very short finish. It went down smoothly, but lacked any complexity. 12% abv Purchased $18. Good

Ben's Bubbly: Spirit of the Andes, Sparkling Torrontés

It seems like summer arrived before spring even had a chance to begin here in Denver. It has been in the 70s for the better part of March and Ben is enjoying every minute of the great weather. We are really going to enjoy our new yard this summer and Ben has been quite helpful as I try to rake up all the leaves that I didn't get to last autumn. He tries his hardest to use our extra rake as I do the heavy lifting! He also loves to go on walks and waves furiously at every dog he sees. His hometown grandma and grandpa just got a new dog, so I think it will take a while until Ben and I can convince Mom to get a dog for ourselves (on a sad note, the dog my family got when I was in high school is no longer with us. Rest In Peace, Cleo. I'll miss you!). Until then, our cats will have to do. At least one of the cats enjoys Ben's company. The other usually leaves Ben with a nice scratch on his face any time he gets near. He currently is sporting a Dr. Evil-like scratch under his left eye just for attempting to touch the cat's tail.

With Ben's first birthday coming up quickly, he is starting to get presents from his relatives. His grandma and grandpa in Wisconsin sent him a Little Tikes Cozy Coupe and Grandma insisted that I put it together for him asap. Turns out that gifts from grandparents are payback for how Dad acted as a child. It took me the better part of an hour, a bit of sweat and more than a few choice words to put the damn thing together. But, it was definitely worth the effort as Ben loves it. He likes pushing it around the driveway, but he really loves when he gets in and Mom and Dad play "catch" with him. He already knows how to get in and out and operate the door, though he hasn't quite figured out that the door is only on the left side and gets frustrated when he tries to get in from the right. He's really going to like it when I get around to putting together the trailer that came with it!

Spirit of the Andes, Sparkling Torrontés, Valle de Uco, Argentina

Looking through my archives, I found it hard to believe that I've only posted on one wine from Argentina and no torrontés over the past two years. I do enjoy many South American wines and find that they often offer great values, but for some reason I find Argentine wines to a be a bit too mainstream for my tastes these days. Well, this wine is anything but mainstream. Sure, torrontés is a very popular grape, but this was the first time I've seen one with bubbles. As soon as I saw it on the shelf at Mondo Vino, I knew it was going to be this week's post. This eclectic wine has a very interesting label that just looks very Andean. The wine itself is a very pale yellow with very fine bubbles. The nose is very subtle, but aromas of green apples and limes are ever so slightly present. The flavor might be even more delicate. For a few seconds you can taste tart Granny Smith apples and lime zest, but not for much longer. I like the wine, but it is hard to be really get into it with the flavors fading so quickly. My wife had to put slices of pear into her glass, which I reluctantly tried with my second glass. The pears didn't add much to the wine, but they were a tasty dessert at the end of the glass. 13.8% abv Purchased $18. Average/Good

Ben's Bubbly: Cara Mia Moscato d'Asti

It was good to get home this weekend. As I stated in Friday's post, I was out of town for most of last week on a work trip. Ben was home with Mom and got to enjoy the great Denver weather by going to the park and watching the geese. He loves watching those delicious waterfowl from the north. He's even toppled over a few times as he follows them with his eyes as they fly overhead. I guess he hasn't realized how top heavy he is. On a down note, he also had to go home from school early one day and miss the next. I usually stay home with him when doesn't go to daycare because of my flexible work schedule, but with me being gone, Mom had to line up a substitute and nurse the little guy back to health. He's just now starting to get back to 100%. Nevertheless, he was quite excited to see me walk through the door when I got home. He ran over to me and demanded that I pick him up. Is there really a better feeling than that?

2011 Cara Mia Moscato d'Asti, DOCG

One of the hottest wine trends of the past year is the rise of moscato wines. Even after months of denial, Steve Heimoff admitted as much recently. Moscato d'Asti is the region best known for producing the sweet and slightly sparkling low-alcohol wine. The best provide good complexity and length, but most importantly are refreshing. While this wine wasn't the best moscato I've ever had, it is a very nice wine. The blue bottle leaves a bit to be desired, but thank goodness it is what's inside that counts. Lots of apple, peach and pear aromas fill the glass. The sweetness is balanced nicely with good acidity and a pleasant fruity creaminess (think peaches and cream and a slice of apple pie with vanilla ice cream) round out the palate. I think this is a lovely wine that most people will be able to enjoy. 5.5% abv Gift $14. Very Good

Ben's Bubbly: Iron Horse Vineyards, Blanc de Blancs

I've only missed one bubbly post over the past eleven months and I was not about to let it happen again. We actually drank the wine more than a week ago, but my work travels and a few other issues kept me from getting this posted on time. Even if it is going up at the end of the work week, I figured it is better to be late than not post at all.

Well, it is time to start thinking about the final bubbly; Ben's first birthday is less than a month away. We've had lots of different types, styles and origins of sparkling wine for each of the past 48 weeks. It is pretty amazing that we've been doing this little experiment considering most people only drink sparkling wine on New Year's Eve and a few other special occasions. If wine consumers really sit down and think about what is special in their lives, I'm sure that they will find many more reasons to drink bubblies. Not a week goes by that I am not reminded how special my little Ben is. He is growing up so fast and I love him more each day. It will be fun to one day in the distant future reread this entire series and reminisce about what he was doing each week for the first year of his life, but also to remember the wines we drank to celebrate. Ben will only have one first birthday and he of course will not remember it, but I want to pick a truly special wine to mark this momentous occasion. I was lucky enough to taste Krug a few months ago, so that might be the winner if I can find a bottle. I'll listen to suggestions, too.

Iron Horse Vineyards, Blanc de Blancs, Green Valley AVA

I stand by the statement that you should drink what you like. This 15-year old California sparkler is a good example. It was highly rated and not cheap ($33). My wife could only bear a few sips, whereas I thought it was fantastic. The dark gold color and distinct aromas of autolysis indicated that this was indeed a well-aged wine that saw a fair amount of lees contact. In fact, this bottle was disgorged after seven years (unheard of in all but the highest end Champagne and late-disgorged domestic sparklers). My wife thought there were funky aromas and a bit of kerosene. I thought it had much more complexity and personality than most of the sparklers we've had over the past year. Apples, pears, cinnamon, sourdough toast, lemon zest and sauteed mushrooms were just a few of the aromas and flavors that I enjoyed. Iron Horse Vineyards is one of the U.S. top sparkling wine houses and often are served at State Dinners at The White House (as it was this week, unofficially). I make no guarantees that you'll like it, but I definitely recommend picking up any Iron Horse wines you find. 13.5% abv. Purchased $33 Very Good

Ben's Bubbly: La Marca Prosecco

Well, we survived our first family bout of the stomach flu. We found out that playing pass the puking baby and then change your clothes is not fun. At least he was feeling better by the time we caught the bug. Three of the four babies at Ben's daycare were out last week and no less than eight other family members of the babes were stricken, too. I'm still not feeling 100% four days later.

In better news, Ben has started pretending to talk on our cell phones. He has always been fascinated by them and wanted to chew on them, but now he will pick up the phone and hold it to his ear and babble. It took me almost twenty one years to get my first cell phone, but I have a feeling I won't be able to keep Ben from getting one of his own for that long. Actually, he already has one as we gave him an old one (sans battery), but he still would rather play with one of ours.

La Marca Prosecco

My run of disappointment with Prosecco continues with this pretty little bottle. The robin's egg blue label is eye catching and as I saw in a liquor store yesterday, the La Marca received 90 points from a major wine publication. I don't do points, but if I did I can tell you that this does not strike me as an outstanding wine. Nice, sure. But definitely not outstanding, or whatever 90 points is supposed to mean these days. It is almost clear in color with only the slightest suggestion of a yellow tint. The nose is equally underwhelming. There is a bit of apple and lemon, but not much else. On the palate, faint flavors of baked apple, banana and a twist of lemon are noticeable for a few brief seconds before your taste buds reset. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this wine, but it is not at all that interesting. 11% abv. Gift $15. Good

Ben's Bubbly: Chateau Vincent Brut

We officially have a toddler. Ben is now walking more than he crawls and he even stands up on his own without pulling himself up on something. He has also taken up the sport of hockey! He got two hockey sticks from his grandparents for Christmas and he really is quite adept at using them to play with a tennis ball (or any other toy within reach). I need to get him kicking a soccer ball before he decides that hockey is the sport for him. In addition to the new mobility independence, Ben is feeding himself for most of his meals. We usually give him bite-sized pieces of his food, which he scoops up with his fingers and places in his mouth. We have to pace ourselves or else he'll fill up his entire mouth like a hamster. Even when we try to use a spoon, Ben usually wants to grab the spoon and do it himself. This has led to rather messy meal times and multiple clothing changes throughout the day. Good thing he has more clothes than we know what to do with!

Chateau Vincent, Brut, Hungary

I've had this wine a few years ago and thought it would be an interesting addition to the is little experiment. Plus, it is not too often that one finds 10-yr old Hungarian sparkling wine sitting on a retailers shelf, though surprisingly this isn't the first Hungarian bubbly we've had this past year. This wine is showing its maturity with its dark golden color. The nose is relatively muted, but there was a pleasant toastiness followed by a background of citrus and apple. The flavors mirrored the aromas by showing orange and yeast. Overall, I don't have much else to say about this wine. It was not unpleasant, but nothing exciting or worth revisiting one more time in the future. 12% abv Purchased $12. Average/Good

Ben's Bubbly: Kirkland Champange

It is amazing how much can change in a week. Last week, Ben was beginning to take a few "independent" steps here and there. Now, the child is walking across the house. In fact, he is now walking as often as he crawls. If he can pull himself up on something, he will then use his feet to stumble like a drunk cowboy around the house. However, if he really wants to get somewhere fast he'll plop down and crawl with a vengeance. Despite having a low-grade fever, a leaky nose and a cough for the past few days, he is being a trooper during the day. The nights are a different story, unfortunately. One of these days, I am confident we will sleep through the night again.

Kirkland Signature Champagne, Brut

For those of you that don't know, Kirkland Signature is Costco's store brand. Now, of course Costco does not make Champagne, but has the wine privately labeled by an actual Champagne house; Janisson et Fils. With the current hype surrounding Grower Champagne, most consumers only know that the label codes RM and NM differentiate between Récoltant manipulant (farmer fizz) and Négociant manipulant (larger houses). Little do most Champagne consumers know that there are five other producer designations found on bottles. In the case of the Kirkland bubbly, it is designated as Marque auxiliaire (MA), which is a brand that is unrelated to the actual producer, such as Kirkland Signature. I doubt that you will see this designation much in the U.S., though you might find it more often if you were shopping at a supermarket in France.

It is darker than most other bubblies that we have poured over the past 46 weeks. It is a pretty amber color with medium-sized bubbles. The nose is a bit muted, but with a little citrus fruit. I was quite surprised that this wine showed so much tart grapefruit flavors along with a slight nuttiness. It was so tart that it wasn't all that pleasant on its own, but a bit of food made it a bit better. You can't beat this price for true Champagne, but unfortunately it doesn't come with the quality you would expect from Champagne. I you just can't stand non-Champagne bubbly, but can't stand the prices of good Champagne this might be a wine for you. 12% abv Purchased $20 Average/Good

Ben's Bubbly: Valentine's Day edition

This sweet child of mine is growing up so fast. Just a few months ago he was completely dependent on us for everything. Now, he actually is mobile and can communicate. And when I say mobile, I mean that he finally has started walking. He's still mostly crawling, but he now can walk about 10 feet across the floor before he either reaches a piece of furniture or decides to sit. While this is exciting (and at the same time terrifying) the cooler thing is that he is also starting to use sign language to communicate. We've been trying to teach him (and ourselves) sign language. We haven't used a whole lot of signs, but just this week he has signed "more" and "all done," in addition to "milk" (which has been doing for a few weeks, though he prefers the dive and grab approach for that one...). We are so excited that he is now able to express his own feelings to us (and the cats). He has been waving hello and goodbye for a few weeks now and he especially likes to greet the cats whenever they enter a room with a quick wave, but they usually decide to vanish when they realize they've been made!

This week for the bubbly we didn't just have a bottle after Ben went to bed as we usually do. We invited a group of friends over for a Valentine's Day party, sans babies. We asked each couple to bring a bottle of bubbly to share. All told, we had six bottles of sparkling wine and a sparkling wine-based punch that also included rum and pomegranate. The punch was a hit and we only opened three of the bottles. It was a fun way to celebrate the holiday and try a few different bubblies in one sitting. I was more concerned with cooking (though I still managed to over-grill the oysters) and didn't take notes on the wines, but I'll at least give my general impressions.

Ben's Bubbly: Mamamango

Ben is turning into such a little person. Well, he's always been a little person, but now he is turning into a bigger person that actually expresses emotions. He gets frustrated, he gets impatient, and he also gets affectionate. That last one is our favorite. When we least expectt it, he'll give us the cutest little hug. He doesn't actually put his arms around us, but he does rest his head on whatever part he can reach and shows his affection that way. I'm really diggin' this cuddly interactive little boy!

Another funny thing that he is starting to do is taking food out of his mouth. We like to let him feed himself as much as he can. We give him Cheerios, cut up fruit and chunks of pasta on his highchair tray and he puts them into his mouth on his own. Just recently, he has also started taking the bites back out his mouth. He usually does this a few times before the item either goes down the hatch or on the floor. It really is a special meal when he generously offers one of his partially chewed foods to us to try.

Mamamango, Moscato + Mango

A post last week by W. Blake Gray, and the resulting comments, that discussed the possibility of ingredient listings on wine labels if the TTB was eliminated and control over alcohol regulation were split between the FDA and the IRS made me decide to buy this bottle. Now, on the surface I would support ingredient listings, but there would have to be exceptions to such rules that did not make this extra work for wineries any more onerous than necessary.

Anywho, when I saw this bottle of wine on the shelf at Costco, I had to give it a try. And while it is not a true indication of ingredient labeling on wine (this just listed: quality aromatic sweet sparkling Moscato wine, natural pulp of mango and natural aromas), you might start seeing something like this in the future on all wine bottles. I just won't be buying any more bottles that list those ingredients. This wine looks like orange juice, smells like mango concentrate and tastes like a cheap mango mimosa made with Squirt Soda instead of wine. I would only recommend giving this a try if you are too lazy to open two containers to make your Sunday brunch mimosa. 6.5% abv Purchased $9. Average

Ben's Bubbly: Perrier-Jouët

Last week was rough; Ben came down with a fever at school and got sent home. I hung out with him the next day since he couldn't go back for 24 hours. I rearranged my scheduled (and by rearrange I mean I stayed home and attended a meeting that I had via Google+ Hangout) to care for the ill one. He took a super long nap that coincided perfectly with my work meeting. One side effect of his long morning naps (he's had a few this week when he's been home with me) is that he doesn't take an afternoon nap. I enjoy the extra time hanging out with him, but I think I am really going to miss the extra afternoon hours of being able to get work done. C'est la vie.

Champagne Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut

Back to Champagne we go this week. When people talk about how rare Champagne is, they don't know what they're talking about. Perrier-Jouët is a large négociant from Épernay that produces twice as much wine annually as the entire state of Colorado. So, this one winery is twice as big as one hundred Colorado wineries put together. Think about that. Most Champagne is produced in this industrial fashion, and to Terry Theise, I'm surprised it is as good as it is being an industrial product. I have nothing against Perrier-Jouët, they make perfectly palatable wine. Their Belle Epoque (often called the flower bottle) is highly sought by Champagne aficionados. The Grand Brut is their basic non-vintage cuvée. The label is imprinted with the flowers of its more famous relative and is quite eye catching. The first thing I notice on the nose is loads of red fruit. Apples, raspberries and even strawberries  intrigue even before the first sip. Once you get the glass to your mouth, the acidity slaps you back in your seat. The yeasty flavors are more apparent on the palate, but the fruit is still there. Who ever says Champagne isn't a food wine is also wrong. This wine needs food to help tone down the almost too tart acids. You won't spend a lot of time contemplating this wine, but it was a nice accompaniment to dinner. 12% abv Purchased $26 Good

Ben's Bubbly: Triebaumer Muscato

I was out of town all last week, so I've gotten a bit behind in posting. Aside from not writing, I was away from Ben for a full week. It sure is fun walking in the door after being away and seeing his little face light up as I pick him up. Needless to say, he seemed happy with my return and didn't want me to put him down for quite some time. The new thing he picked up while I was gone is throwing his food. We give him Cheerios to snack on pre- and post-meal time and while he used to gobble them up, he now likes to see how far they will travel through the air. It is at this point in his life I wish we had a dog to clean up after him; the cats couldn't care less about food on the floor, even when it is theirs. Even as I type this and glance down, I see a cheerio on the floor below his highchair.

Weingut Günter & Regina Triebaumer Muscato

While most sparkling wine from Germany and Austria is called Sekt, this bubbly is actually Perlwein. Perlwein (mild sparkling wine) is the legal name for a sparkling wine which has a residual sugar of more than 5% and an alcoholic content of less than 9% abv. This is my first taste of Austrian muscato, and though I don't dislike it, I prefer the real stuff from Moscato d'Asti. This wine is a bit simple and linear compared to its Italian brethren. Gold in color, it smells sweet and simple. It tastes like candy. Its thick and creamy texture gives way to copious amounts of mango and pineapple flavors and not much else. If you're looking for something simple and sweet to gulp, this might be right up your alley. 7% abv Purchased $15. Average

Ben's Bubbly: J Vineyards & Winery, Cuvée 20

I know with living in Colorado I shouldn't say this, but I am glad that Tebow-mania will finally come to a rest (at least until July). The Broncos had a good run, but all this focus on Tebow as the Broncos' savior was really annoying. Even more annoying is the fact that my team (Green Bay Packers) lost as well and will not be repeating as Super Bowl champions. By the time the next season starts, Ben will probably have outgrown all of his Packers clothes. He had a pretty uneventful week, though the poor sleeping returned. We'll be moving into our new house soon, so he'll have his very own bedroom and we're looking forward to that!

He is starting to really recognize words and understand some of the things we say. He is fascinated by ceiling fans and every time we say the word "fan," he immediately looks up to find one. He thinks it is quite funny when we look up at the fan, too, and say, "Whoosh, whoosh" as we move our heads around in a circle. This usually elicits a hearty laugh. Ben also knows the word "foot." When we put his pants on him and leave just his toes hanging out the foot hole, if we ask him were his foot is, he reaches down and grabs his little feet. Even before he started moving around upright, I had come to the realization that this little person would be able to walk, but I still am having trouble comprehending that very soon, too, he will be able to communicate his very own thoughts and ideas with words.

 J Vineyards & Winery, Cuvée 20

The first glass of wine my wife had when she was pregnant was a bottle of J sparkling wine. We've had several since and are always pleased with the wine. This 25th anniversary label was no different, especially more so since the last two (a Champagne and a California sparkler) have been only so-so. The sexy labeling (few reviews discuss labeling, but that is often a major determinant of consumer choice so I think I will start mentioning the packaging), gives way to a pretty yellow bubbly wine. Apples and stone fruit dominate on the nose. Apricots, apples and a bit of toast tempt you as you swirl your glass. The first thing that comes to mind when I taste it is Fuji apple and pear marmalade on sourdough toast. The acid is well integrated and not overpowering as a few recent bubblies have been. Overall, this is a smooth and balanced wine that goes down quite easily. The Cuvée 20 might not wow you, but it will not disappoint. 12.5% abv Sample $24. Good/Very Good

Ben's Bubbly: Mumm Napa 2006 Blanc de Blancs

Wow. What a game last night. I'm not a Broncos fan, but this year certainly has been an exciting season for football fans in Denver. I'm hoping to raise little Ben as a Packers fan, but if he also wants to cheer for the Broncos, I guess I'll let him. Currently, though, his interest lies with our humidifier. Anytime he sees it, he makes a beeline straight for it. He loves how the buttons glow either blue or red when it is on, and he has figured out how to get it to turn on (sometimes by using his finger to press the button, but when that fails he just starts smacking the general area with his whole hand). The unit itself if about as tall as the little guy, so he has to stand on his tiptoes to get his mouth to the vapor, which in and of itself is adorable. Usually he turns to look at us with a face full of condensation. Again, quite cute. Unfortunately, all of his leaning and pulling on it has caused it to start to leak. This just means he can't be left unattended with it (as with most things...). I'm hoping that he'll take a break from the humidifier next weekend and watch both the Broncos' and Packers' games with me. He'll definitely being sporting a green and gold outfit! Maybe in few weeks the Packers can exact revenge for Super Bowl XXXII.

2006 Mumm Napa Blanc de Blancs

A few years ago, we spent a lovely afternoon on the patio at Mumm Napa. As I worked in the industry, I was lucky enough to get to try most of their lineup. I was quite impressed with many of their wines. However, I remember enjoying the blanc de blancs a little bit more then. Perhaps it was a different vintage; I don't remember. The 2006 pours a very pale yellow color and offers a subtle nose of lemons, limes and white flowers. The palate definitely packs a punch that is not suggested on the nose and it tastes like a laserbeam of acidity. Now, I like acid, but this thing was Warheads tart. Behind the excessive tartness there were pleasant flavors of sea shells, salt, and tart lemons and apples. The finish was a bit short and the wine was, overall, a bit too tart; not terrible, but just not balanced right now. Maybe with time it will mellow. 12.5% abv Purchased $14. Average

Ben's Bubbly: Taittinger Brut La Francaise

Happy New Year! I hope that everyone had a great holiday break and is ready for an even better 2012. What an eventful week it was for us. My family drove out from Wisconsin with two terriers, we had four different Christmases to attend and Ben took his first steps! Ben had fun hanging out with his grandma, grandpa, aunt and uncle and they seemed to enjoy him, too. :) He had been cruising around on furniture for a few weeks, but hadn't taken off the training wheels. He actually startled himself when he realized he wasn't hanging on to anything and tried to get to mommy by taking a few steps as he fell. He has only done it a few times, but occasionally I'll turn around to see him just standing on his own for a few moments before he sits (or falls) down. He is getting braver by purposefully letting go of our hands or the furniture, but we predict it will only be a matter of time before he realizes that he has the upper hand in our relationship.

One thing that didn't freak him out this past week was the dogs. He quite enjoyed them and usually screeched whenever a dog came into sight. He really enjoyed it when (on two separate occasions) a dog would so helpfully clean the crusty (and not so crusty) boogers off his face. We'll see how long it takes until his cute adorable face is able to convince mommy that he wants a dog.

In a pretty big first for our little family, New Year's Eve was the first time that mommy and daddy both spent away from the little guy. I've been away for work a few times and mom escaped to Vegas a few months ago (man, that seems like ages ago). Grandma (the local one) stayed over at our place while we went out to dinner and then to our new place (oh, yeah, we also bought a new house a few weeks ago, but have been doing some remodeling before we move). We sipped on a bottle of Taittinger and were asleep by 12:05. We did, however, get seven blissful hours of uninterrupted sleep.

Taittinger "La Française" Brut

A big name in the the world of Champagne, best known for their Comtes de Champagne blanc de blancs, the La Française (also known as Brut Réserve) is the basic entry-level non-vintage blend of chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier for Taittinger. Normally around $45-50, I picked this up on sale for under $30 a few weeks ago. It never ceases to amaze me how much these mass produced Champagne cost just because the word "Champagne" is on the label, especially when there are plenty of quality sparkling wines on shelves for under $30. Sure, top Champagne are worth their weight in gold, but not the basic stuff and this bottle did nothing to change my mind. Don't get me wrong, it is a nice bottle of wine and worth its sale price, but not the regular price. Lots on the nose here, especially baked pear and toast. It kind of tricks you into thinking it is going to be smooth and complex, but then smacks you on the other cheek with loads of acidic and slightly bitter yellow grapefruit. There might have been a little bit of lemon pastry in there too, but it was hard to tell (it was NYE after all) with the in your face grapefruit. I do give Taittinger credit for the abundant acidity, which too many sparkling wines shy away from, but I was expecting a bit more complexity and length. 12% abv Purchased $27. Good

Ben's Bubbly: The Jumping Grape

Well, with my family in town and four different Christmases to attend I am finally getting around to this week's (well, last week's wine) bubbly write-up. Ben enjoyed having the grandparents, aunts and uncles around all week, but that is for next week's post! If Ben knew that I was posting almost a week late, he would probably throw a mini temper tantrum. That, after all, is his new thing of the week. He is quite fascinated by the TV remote control, but when we try to take the thing away from him he throws the biggest hissy fit. He screams and glares at you. We've tried coaxing him with other remote controls, but the TV remote is the only one he wants. This makes watching TV a bit difficult when he keeps his little fingers pressed down on the channel up button. The only way to get it away from him is to really stoke his interest in something else. We are hoping that this little temper control problem is only just a phase, but we shall see...

The Jumping Grape, Sparkling Red Wine, Padthaway, South Australia

Most sparkling wine is white, although some is pink. A few Australian wineries are trying to make a new trend with sparkling red wines (yes, I know Italy produces some sweet red bubbly). Unfortunately, I am not a fan. This blend of 80% shiraz and 20% cabernet sauvignon would be a very nice still wine, but it was not to be. The base wine for this bubbly was aged five years in oak, and you could taste every year. Lush red raspberries are accented by sweet vanilla and a hint of cracked black pepper on both the nose and the palate. I like Aussie shiraz and I like sparkling wine, but I do not like the outcome when they combine forces. I am hopeful that next week's (New Year's Eve's) bubbly will more than make up for this disappointing bottle. 12.5% abv Purchased $16. Average

Ben's Bubbly: Domaine le Capitaine Vouvray Methode Traditionelle Brut

Ben just keeps getting cuter each week. One of his new things is sharing. He loves offering his Cheerios or water bottle to us as we feed him. He gets super excited when we gladly accept his goodies. One of his new food goodies is tofu. We dice up the tofu into pea-sized cubes and dust them with crumbled Cheerios to make them easier to grab. While he enjoys eating the tofu, he also loves throwing it and smashing it on his high chair tray. He is really enjoying feeding himself and often ends up with the spoon in one hand and food from ear to ear and hair to chin.

Domaine le Capitaine Vouvray, Methode Traditionelle Brut

Yes, France makes sparkling wine outside of the Champagne region. This sparkling Vouvray is made from 100% chenin blanc (as is all Vouvray, still or sparkling). This wine is a lovely golden color and has fine bubbles. The nose is a bit richer than Champagne with notes of honey, baked pear, and orange blossom. The flavors are equally unique. The minerality and acidity combine to yield a pleasant saltiness, along with flavors of rye bread and orange marmalade. This is not going to be confused with top-notch bubbly, but at a fraction of the price it is a tasty alternative.12.5% abv Purchased $16 Good

Ben's Bubbly: Francis Ford Coppola Winery, Sofia Mini

Ben has really started to discover his voice. Rarely is there a quite moment in our house anymore. While he has babbled for quite some, he is learning how to adjust his volume. When mom and dad are talking and Ben is not included in the conversation, we usually are notified of the injustice by very loud baby noises. When we recognize Ben's presence (and usually pick him up), we get a smile and quiet from the little man. He also lets us know when he wants our attention by cruising the furniture and attempting to pull himself up our legs. He definitely makes sure that we don't ever forget about him!

Our sparkling wine (or at least the packaging) this week is also trying to insert itself in the wine conversation. Canned wine has been around for almost 75 years, but is recently seeing a resurgence. Last week, The New York Times, Palate Press: the online wine magazine (written by yours truly) and The San Francisco Examiner all published articles about the revitalization of putting wine into aluminum cans. Just as with Ben, canned wines are starting to discover their voice. I predict that we will start to see more wines in cans in the near future.

Francis Ford Coppola Winery, Sofia, Blanc de Blancs, California

This funky little can should fool you about what is inside. With less than 1% residual sugar, this is true sparkling wine and not a gimmick. This fruit forward bubbly also comes in a tradition glass bottle, but the straw-adorned travel-size cans add a bit of zestiness to the boring row of bottles on the liquor store shelf. This blanc de blancs (82% Pinot Blanc, 10% Riesling, 8% Muscat) is very aromatic with pear and flowers tempting your nose. The bombardment of fruit continues in the mouth with pears dominating the show, but golden apples and zesty lemons make a cameo. We drank it with the straw, from the can and poured into a flute. I definitely recommend using a glass. But, when you’re in the mood for something different, yet familiar, grab a can from this reputable produce and try drinking from a straw. You might have more fun than you think you can with wine. 11.5% abv Purchase $5 (187 mL) Good