January at Big Nose Full Body!

Now that all the major holidays are behind us, we can address Champagne and Traditional Method (Champenoise) sparklers in a clear-headed manner. There are several pertinent points worth discussing in order to get the most out of your bubbles: glasses, temperature, and food pairing. A little experimentation will make you taste bubbly in a whole new way.

Glass Shape

The 300 year-old, saucer shaped Coupe glass was especially popular in America between the 1920s and 1960s but was eventually replaced by Flute glass, which is appreciated for height and bubble preserving properties. The tubular shape makes for a good vessel, but some glass makers have lost all sense of functionality through designs that do nothing for the wine. However, the popularity of the Flute persists because it’s great for toasting: lots of them fit on a serving tray, 1-2 ounce portions appear adequate, and the glass is visible in the hand and good for clinking. But one major drawback of the flute is that it prevents the drinker from savoring nuanced aromas, so oenophiles are going a different route by serving bubbly in large flared Tulips, or even Bordeaux and Burgundy glasses. While this serving method might seem odd, let’s not forget that Champagne is first and foremost a very fine wine made from Burgundian grapes. For better sparklers it’s worth emphasizing the flavor over the fizz, so try using a regular wine glass and give your nose and palate a remarkable experience. Don’t worry, the bubbles won’t dissipate.

Temperature

Inexpensive, as well as basic sparklers like most Cava and Prosecco, can be served right out of the fridge at 38-45º without affecting their flavor. In fact, the cold acts as a balancing agent for these wines, but high-end Champagne shows best at cave conditions of 45-55 degrees. Despite the fact that expensive and complex sparklers are usually thrown into ice buckets and left to chill like a 6-pack of brewski, excessive chilling mutes the best aspects of these labor intensive wines. If you really want to appreciate the multifaceted flavors of bubbly, then try it a little warmer than usual. You can always chill it down again. Furthermore, truly exemplary Champagne can even be gently decanted. Again, the bubbles will remain.

Food Pairing

In addition to novelty glassware and vigorous cooling, incorrect food pairing is a common mistake when serving Champagne. Although there is a sparkler to go with virtually any type of food (except dense, fatty, red meats), one must always consider sugar levels. We’ve been trained to think that “Brut” is always superior or somehow more elegant than sweeter wine, but dry bubbly is a horrible match with most desserts and can even be a little tough on the gut when drunk on its own. To help you pair food with sparklers, here are the standard sweetness levels measured in grams of residual sugar per liter: Extra Brut/Brut Zero, Brut, Extra Sec, Sec, Demi-Sec, and Doux. For savory foods drink drier wines with sugar levels between Extra Brut and Extra Sec. Dessert and fruit dishes go wonderfully with wines in the range between Sec and Doux. As an aperitif drink Brut, Extra Sec and Sec.

We hope this information helps expand your enjoyment of the great sparklers we’ve selected for this month. In summary: save your skinny flute glasses and ice buckets for simpler, inexpensive sparklers; experiment with regular wine glasses and warmer temperatures for Champagne. Finally, most Champagne available in America is Brut style dry wine, so there’s rarely a need to scrutinize labels for sugar levels. However, leave yourself open to sweeter wines such as Extra Sec, Sec and Demi-Sec if you can ever find them. They’re amazing expressions of Champagne.

Recipe: Baked Brie with Chutney

If you’re the chef in the family, January is the time when you need a serious break from all the holiday meals cooked over the last two months. So, start out the year with a dish that requires just a few ingredients and tools, and is done within an hour. Given the rich pastry and cheese, Baked Brie also brings an air of festivity to the sometimes gloomy months of mid-winter – especially when it’s paired with Champagne.
Ingredients

1 sheet puff pastry

One 5-7inch round of French Brie, right out of the fridge

2 tablespoons whole grain mustard

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 cup of your favorite Chutney, or try sliced Membrillo (Quince Paste)

Black pepper

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Spread out pastry on a cool surface and position your Brie in a spot where you can easily envelope the cheese.

Brush all sides of the cheese with the mustard, sprinkle with fresh ground pepper and fold the pastry over the Brie. Cut away the excess so you have a single, even layer of sealed dough all around. Use scraps to plug any gaps so the cheese doesn’t leak out.

Place the Brie (smooth side facing up) on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Use a cookie cutter to make decorative shapes from the leftover scraps, place on top and brush all over with the egg wash.

Bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees, lower the temperature to 325 and bake for another 20-25 minutes. Remove from the oven when deeply golden and let cool for 15 minutes. Put on a platter surrounded by ramekins of chutney made from pear, apple, mango or peach, plus another ramekin of mustard if desired. Slice and serve with plenty of your favorite bubbly.

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