Ericka @Chef PickyKid and Me
Today on Wine on Wednesday I’m sharing one of my favorite varietals…Sparkling Almond Wine. I discovered this wine many years ago while on a wine tasting trip and I’ve been in love with it ever since!
As I mentioned in our previous Wine on Wednesday article on Choosing the Right Wine for Thanksgiving, Sparkling Wine and Champagne are both similar in their effervescent quality. The difference between the two is simply the location in which they were produced; Champagne comes from the Champagne region of France.
I’m usually not a huge fan of Champagne and Sparkling Wine. While I like the bubbles in this varietal, it tends to be a little too dry for my taste (see our Introduction to Wine on Wednesday for information about wine terms like these). However, I’m always up for Champagne mixed with a little OJ or a splash of Chambord! If you aren’t familiar with Chambord, it’s a delightful raspberry liqueur and it tastes great with Champagne!
Back to the topic at hand…Sparkling Almond Wine is different from other Champagne and Sparkling Wine; it still has the bubbly goodness of these varietals, but added to the mix is a hint of almond that takes away from the dryness of the wine and adds just the right amount of flavor. It’s the perfect balance of sweet and dry in a Sparkling Wine.
There are a few different producers of Sparkling Almond Wine. My favorite comes from a winery in Amador, California called Karmere; this was actually the winery where I tried Sparkling Almond for the first time and fell in love. Karmere also has several other flavors of sparkling wine, and can be ordered from their website and shipped to many locations.
If you aren’t near Amador or can’t have your Sparkling Almond shipped, there are also other producers of Sparkling Almond that you can find in stores like Total Wine and BevMo. One of my favorites that can be found at these stores is from Wilson Creek.
Sparkling Almond Wine isn’t necessarily a wine you would pair with food, but it makes a great Aperitif or drink to serve at a cocktail party or a get together with friends. I brought several bottles to my family’s house for Thanksgiving and everyone loved it; even people who don’t traditionally like sweeter wines loved the Sparkling Almond.
If you like bubbly Sparkling Wine or Champagne but would prefer something a little sweeter, or are just looking for something new to try, the Sparkling Almond Wine would be a great choice for you. This would also be a great choice if you’re looking for something easy and versatile to serve at a party. And don’t be afraid to give this a try even if you aren’t a fan of sweeter wines. This isn’t a super sweet wine like Moscato or Gewurztraminer; it has a nice balance of sweetness and the almond flavor just makes it better.
