Fri. December 12, 2003
The clock is about to strike midnight as the countdown to 2004 is on! Whether you’re planning big parties or an intimate evening now is the time to buy the bubbly. To help you decide what to serve Jeffrey Durbin and Mike Banko of The Gourmet Grape, 3530 N. Halsted St., made these favorite suggestions of champagne and sparkling wine to help you celebrate the New Year in style.
Duval-Leroy/Cuvee Paris Brut/Champagne/France
$27.99
Tasting Notes: Aroma ~ Powerful and elegant fresh fruits, white flowers, honeysuckle and hazelnut aromas. Taste ~ Well-balanced, full-flavored and fresh, with a rich, elegant and silky long finish.
Laurent—Perrier/Demi-Sec/Champagne/France
$29.99
Tasting Notes: A straw-coloured wine with a stream of fine, light bubbles. Vinous nose with a sensation of honeyed candy. On the palate, good fruit with predominantly sweet-ripe with fruity freshness coming through on the finish. Good length. The dosage makes it perfect for pairing with fruit and desserts.
Laurent—Perrier/Grand Siecle/Champagne/France
$66.49
Tasting Notes: Appearance: Clear and bright yellow. The fine bead rises gently up the long neck, whetting the appetite. Nose: Intense and well-developed. Honeyed, nutty aromas, with a hint of almonds and brioche. Taste: Round and powerful. Mouth-watering flavours which develop constantly and finish with a lift. Persistent aromas and a unique combination of power and delicacy.
Fleury/Brut Rose/Champagne/France
$43.99
Tasting Notes: This is the first Champagne certified by Demeter made with grapes that have been cultivated in accordance with Biodynamic principles. No synthetic sprays or chemical fertilisers are used. Instead natural preparations are made with plant based products and mineral extracts, which respect the environment and increase the soils vitality. This method allows us to extract "the sensuality of the land" which then expresses itself in an aromatic and complex palate.
Bellefon/Blanc de Blanc/Champagne/France
$56.99
Tasting Notes: The colour is a very pure bright yellow, with golden highlights. A froth of light bubbles forming a discreet ring in the glass. Intense nose revealing fresh citrus notes admirably matched with well-developed toasted aromas. Ample, well-structured palate
Sumarroca/Brut Reserva/Spain
$ 9.99
Tasting Notes: The bright, clear, straw yellow color; very clean bouquet; dry, well-integrated flavor; and long, intense finish are ideal as an aperitif or to celebrate a very special occasion.
These selections are carried at The Gourmet Grape, 3530 N. Halsted St., where you’ll find a nice selection of champagne and sparkling wine. So when 12 o'clock arrives, greet the New Year with a glass of champagne. It is now January 1st, the beginning of a new year.
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