Bubbles on a budget
by george parkinson
It is a well-documented fact that during economic difficulties, human beings seek to preserve their most desired luxuries in lieu of certain necessities. In example; I choose to meet a friend for lunch, dinner, cocktails Friday evening instead of paying that stupid utility bill and leave it for another few days (5 or 6), maybe next payday. O.K., utilities too close to home? (no pun intended) How about the winter check-up for the car or that trip to the dentist? Yea, that’s a good one to ignore, and a great trade for a night out.
Where wine is concerned, Champagne is an easy one to forego. The holidays are here and everyone is reducing their budgets these days so bubbles can be removed from the holiday event for maybe something red, it ages better, may cost the same or less and more people drink it than sparkling wine anyway. Great’ less than half way through the article and all your holiday libation decisions are made! Right?
Look, I am not making light of these trying times. Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, The Super Bowl, (weather you like it or not America’s Top Sporting Day and big in wine consumption) and Valentines day all come in a period of 7 weeks beginning November 27th and ending February 14th! Anybody got a birthday in this time frame? I am not a violent or confrontational sort, but I gota have words with the person that chose these days so close together. Did we really need that sort of line-up of events within such a tight time frame!?!
I started to write this article on the silliness of bubbles and why since childhood we find pleasure in their physical state of being. They rise in the air are lighter than clouds and pop when we put our finger to them. They always made us giggle and now that we are adults they fizz, burst on our tongue and still make us smile like a child for the experience. Do we really need to remove them from our holiday table? Can’t we find a way to sacrifice something else on the menu for the table? How about the turkey? No, we need that, the cranberry sauce! What! No, keep it or I’ll have anarchy in my home. How about Pumpkin Pie, mashed potatoes, stuffing? Man this isn’t easy.
So while I stand on the edge of becoming an, “Antoinette-ian”; You know, let everyone eat their cake and have it too, (isn’t that what got us in this money crunch in the first place?)…I have a few suggestions that will save everyone some face and some money in these economically humbling times, keep the bubbles around and find childlike pleasure in the smallest of things, bubbles.
Have a blessed holiday season.
A new world style of Brut from Spain Clean & Crisp
Some Lemon drop notes along with a touch of cream.
This wine makes a great twist on a bellini slight cherry notes with refreshing
Just add some strawberry juice! Acidity.
A nice & inexpensive Champagne from France
that will delight the senses.