Le Crocodile at Brooklyn ' s Wythe Hotel .

“ We have a few different

– Leah Matthews , wine director at Daisies restaurant in Chicago

of hard-aged cheese with lush blackberries and black plumb on the palate .”

PAIRING POSSIBILITIES

When it comes to pairings , Dubose , like many , believes that sparkling wine goes with everything . “ The Vino Volo Butcher Board , Pizzetas , and Chopped Salad are among my favorite pairings .”

Galpão Gaucho ’ s Rizzardo thinks Champagne or sparkling wine “ is a perfect start to our experience ; it goes well with our iconic cheese bread appetizer .” She likes sparkling moscato with mild to medium spicy seasonings , “ like our spicy sirloin , as well as any dessert that is low acidity .”

Sparkling rosé can pair wonderfully with any salad that features fresh berries , most cheeses and typical charcuterie offerings such as prosciutto or a dry , aged salami , Rizzardo says . “ And because there is some tannin structure , it will stand up to leaner red meats like a tenderloin with minimal seasoning .”

The dry nature and acidity of the brut / Champagne style makes it a match with savory salads , a vast array of cheeses and charcuterie offerings , Rizzardo notes . “ It can pair well with buttery , savory preparations of seafood , poultry , and can even pair with some traditional starchy sides — think potatoes , french fries and a lobster or truffle mac and cheese .”

Champagne with oysters remains a classic food pairing , Costanzi says . “ Bubbles heighten flavor , so pairing is specific to the type of oyster .”

Le Crocodile generally serves Red Label oysters from Prince Edward Island . “ Right now , we actually would recommend our Cremant de Loire by Domaine Jacky Marteau : searing acidity to meet the mignonette , refreshing salinity , and it doesn ' t have a creamy or overly rich palate — both of which suit an East Coast oyster ,” she notes .

“ We ' ve definitely seen an increase in guests opting

– Gabriella Borg Costanzi , service and beverage director at Le Crocodile in Brooklyn

N / A OPTIONS BUBBLE UP

Wine professionals are paying close attention to the growing no-alcohol movement . For instance , non-alcoholic beverage retailer Boisson in December began carrying a cuvée blanc sparkling magnum from Berlin-based non-alcoholic wine brand Kolonne Null .

The American Bar in The Stafford London hotel recently added Wild Idol , a nonalcoholic sparkling wine from Germany , to its menu . And Joanne Trattoria in New York offered a nonalcoholic wine flight this past winter that included two sparklers from Jøyus , along with a no-alcohol still rosé and cabernet sauvignon .

“ We ’ ve definitely seen an increase in guests opting for non-alcoholic options ,” says Costanzi . “ Our two sparkling N / A wines are the highest sellers from the N / A list .”

Daisies offers a house-made non-alcoholic blush pét nat named " Pét Nah " among its nonalcoholic selections . “ We have a long reputation of accommodating dietary restrictions , including those who don ’ t drink alcohol ,” Matthews says .

Because of increased demand , all Vino Volo locations now offer non-alcoholic sparkling wine , “ and we are encouraging our locations to explore with more offerings as they see the demand ,” says Dubose . •

36 Beverage Dynamics • Summer 2024 www . beveragedynamics . com