Bresca restaurant in Washington , D . C ., offers a curated selection of Champagne , including both larger houses and grower producers .
“ Recently we ’ ve seen a regression in prosecco and ‘ cheaper ’ forms of sparkling wine that have been more popular in the past ,” says Nick Baitzel , director of operations for Sojourn Philly Restaurant Group . The company ’ s concept Rex at the Royal , a 150-seat Southern-inspired restaurant and curated bottle shop housed in the historical Royal Theater , offers three sparkling options by the glass and 14 by the bottle .
Baitzel deems the creamy and full-bodied Sauvage by Gruet , a blanc de blancs from New Mexico , as the most Champagne-esque of Rex ’ s glass pours ; it ’ s available for $ 19 a glass and $ 78 a bottle . And Bouvet Brut Rosé ($ 14 a glass , $ 56 a bottle ) is a pink option that ’ s versatile any time of day , including brunch .
Wine pros are bubbling over with the latest trends in effervescence
Perhaps no other beverage can generate attention like sparkling wine . Uncorking a bottle in a crowded dining room is known to elicit heads turning to find the origin of that quiet “ pop ,” not to mention fear of missing out ( FOMO ) if the ritual is not happening at their table .
Watching the glass fill with a liquid that ’ s at once alive , festive and full of history can lead to giddiness well before the first sip is taken . As the season for bubbly now extends well beyond the December holidays and Valentine ’ s Day , wine lovers have discovered a wealth of fun options with year-round appeal .
“ The biggest trend I ’ ve been seeing everywhere is a frenzy around sparkling rosé ,” says Vincent Samarco , general manager of Workshop Kitchen & Bar , a new 120-seat restaurant in Los Angeles . Fizzy pink wine takes the rosé craze that began last decade one step further , he says . The restaurant plans to offer a Crémant d ’ Alsace rosé by the glass .
At Aba , a 250-seat Mediterranean restaurant in Austin , TX , with influences including Israel , Lebanon , Turkey and Greece , rosé cava and prosecco are the most popular sparkling wines on the menu . “ We select [ sparkling ] wines from the regions that influence our food ,” says senior beverage manager Thomas Mizuno-Moore . These include the 2019 Raventos Blanc “ De Nit ” Cava Rosé from Spain for $ 16 a glass and $ 76 a bottle .
Guests opting for a bottle instead of a glass tend to show more interest in a wide variety of regions and styles . Kir-Yanni “ Akakies ,” for example , is a sparkling rosé made in Greece using the xinomavro grape ; it ’ s available at Aba for $ 60 a bottle . The restaurant ’ s by-the-glass sparkling selections range in price from $ 12 to $ 18 , while bottle selections range from $ 58 to $ 1125 .
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Aba Mediterranean restaurant in Austin , TX , selects sparkling wines from the regions that influence the food .
FRANCIACORTA FINDS FANS Franciacorta , Italy ’ s answer to Champagne , has become decidedly more popular — and familiar — to sparkling wine fans . It can also be a great foil to counter recent price increases on Champagne .
At The Betty , St . Julep and Willow bar at the Kimpton Sylvan Hotel in Atlanta , Laurent-Perrier Brut Rosé is priced at $ 39 a glass . Manager and sommelier Joe Billesbach started pouring the Ca ’ del Bosco Cuvee Prestige Brut ($ 23 ) from Franciacorta as an alternative to Champagne , and guest feedback has been positive .
“ It has all the depth of flavor , structure and effervescence you would expect from a great Champagne , but at a much better price ,” he says of the Franciacorta . It ’ s also
StateWays | www . stateways . com | Fall 2022