Having a party? Get yourself some bubbly.
Celebrations are always characterized by the popping of a cork and the overflow of some kind of bubbly. If you are a young Career Girl who have something big to celebrate – a first job, a promotion, or whatever, really – celebrate with some sparkly white wine like a Prosecco or a Cava?
Most younger Career Girls would prefer to just go out and go wild in a night out, which I don’t think is a bad idea, but there is something about getting your girls together for a chat and some wine that feels much more special. If you really want the spotlight to be on you and your celebration, keeping it intimate and low key is the way to go. But what do you buy for drinks then?
While it is the drink of choice for most celebrations, Champagne can get quite expensive. If you want to get the same festive vibe but still be easy on your pockets, a Cava or Prosecco is definitely the perfect way to go for bubbly. What’s the difference? Here’s the most basic bubbly guide: It’s mostly geography, but they also differ in fizz and flavors.
In order to officially be called Champagne, the bubbly needs to be from the Champagne region of France and made in accordance with specific guidelines. As it is more traditional in nature it is more expensive to produce, which is why it is more expensive. Its second fermentation is done in sealed bottles instead of gigantic vats, which other sparkling wines follow. The amount of care put into Champagne gives it its more refined stature, and richer fizz and taste.
What is Cava? Cava is a Spanish sparkling wine which mostly comes from Catalonia. It has varying levels of sweetness from the dry brut to the dolsec, or dulce. Cava has more citrus notes and among the selection is most used in sparkling cocktails. I’d recommend this the most if you are looking for a long night of sipping and chatting with your girlfriends.
What is Prosecco? Prosecco is made in Italy, Prosecco is a sparkling white wine made primarily from Glera grapes grown in the Veneto region of Italy. It is the sparkling wine that has the closest taste to Champagne, and is percepted to be fancier than Cava.
If you needed to pick one, it’s all really more based on your taste. Since bubbly is mostly used as a pre or post dinner drink, pairing it with food is not a big practice. However, you can take into consideration what canapes you are having. I say just go with a midrange bottle if you can’t afford the top prices, and work your way up from there.
If you want to get more in depth with the differences of these wines you can check out Christie's World Encyclopedia of Champagne & Sparkling Wine.
I think that as the year comes in, we should also start trying out new habits. Going out can be fun, but staying in with a nice flute of bubbly can be truly lovely. Enjoy!
