Sometimes the weather calls for bubbles. The holiday season is certainly a perfect time to pop a cork or two. Champagne, naturally, is my go-to for such occasions, but the pricetag usually means only popping it on special occasions. Traditional bubbly is incredibly time consuming to produce, and due to all the time it takes to create a bottle, it makes sense that we the consumers be expected to bear the cost. On the other hand, my everyday bubbly, the lively and fun Prosecco, sometimes just doesn’t cut it on those nights when I’m looking for that high-quality Champagne experience. It’s a challenge, for sure — how to chase down that special feeling, but without spending more than a Jackson — or, should I say, a Tubman?
I had Mumm Napa Brut Prestige a long time ago, and I remember liking it. But somehow, it fell off my radar. Recently, I tasted it again and was suddenly consumed with the realization that good bubbly doesn’t have to come from Champagne. It was like returning to that old friend from grade school who I always loved chatting with, but for some reason or other we’d simply lost touch.
The wine is a festive yellow, and it immediately puts me in the mood to celebrate, even if it’s a Wednesday evening after work, and I’m tired, worn out by November, and simply want to crash. As I enjoyed the glass I’d poured myself, I loved how the bright flavors danced off my tongue. My mouth thought I was at a festive party, maybe about to dance, when in reality, I was hanging out in my living room. Fruit forward without being overly so, it was insanely drinkable. The bottle was finished rather quickly.
