SLÄINTE, L’CHAIM, SALUD, PROOST, CHEERS! Toasting the New Year for Less Carole Osterink ccSCOOP Editor There is nothing like champagne for celebrating the New Year—especially this year. Napoleon is alleged to have said, “In victory, you deserve champagne; in defeat, you need it.” As reports about the depth and breadth of the economic crisis roll in, one after the other, and people like James Howard Kunstler make their gloomy predictions for 2009, we all need champagne, but few of us may feel comfortable with the price of the traditional French bubbly. So, to help you celebrate 2009, ccSCOOP asked some local wine merchants to recommend sparkling wines that can be had for less than $20.

Lewis Dimm, at Fairview Wines & Spirits, Fairview Plaza in Greenport, confirmed our belief that “there are a surprising number of great choices.” Lewis recommended two in particular.

Gruet    $15.99

This is a sparking wine from New Mexico, which Lewis describes as a “serious sparkler” in the classic champagne vein. It perennially wins accolades from such publications as Food & Wine and the Wall Street Journal, and Lewis reports, “Every time I have it, I am reminded of just how good it is.” There are three cuvees—brut, blanc de noirs, and rosé. Lewis prefers the blanc de noirs but thinks that all three are “just great.”

Bellenda “Col di Luna di Valmonte”    $15.99

Lewis calls this “one of the most enjoyable Proseccos we have.” It’s a rosé variation, with a beautiful pink color and fresh berry scents. “Clean, crisp, and dry, with a nice creamy texture.”

Mary Hack, at East Chatham Wine & Spirits, 1129 State Route 295, made her recommendations as well, similarly including both European and American wines in her picks—one from very close by.

Reuter Riesling Sekt     $19.99 (on sale)

In recommending this sparkler, Mary quotes her favorite wine guru, Willie Gluckstern: "If Riesling is the world's greatest food wine, then Riesling Sekt must be the greatest of all food partners that bubble." This top-quality Sekt comes from the miniscule estate of Dr. Stephan Reuter in the chilly Mosel Valley. It is crafted by Reuter’s father from a single patch of old vines, and only 100 cases are produced each year. Mary declares it “as fine an example of German sparkling wine as we’ve ever tasted—rare, delicate, crisp, and bone dry, with an almost ethereal finish.”

Hudson-Chatham Winery Blanc de Blanc    $17.99

Mary recommends an alternative to premium champagne that is not only less expensive but local: “Columbia County vintners Carlo and Dominique DeVito have crafted a fabulous answer to Veuve Cliquot.” Tart green apple abounds on the palate, with a hint of pear and ginger. This is a medium-bodied sparkler, with a lingering, dry refreshing finish.

Charles de Fère Blanc de Blanc    $11.99

A Wine Enthusiast Best Buy, this sparkling Chardonnay from France has a lovely pale gold color and scents of white fruit with a touch of hazelnut. Mary describes it as “more peach and pear on the palate, with a velvety texture and a clean, long-lasting finish.”  

Tonight and tomorrow when you toast the New Year may only your optimism for 2009 be extravagant.

Happy New Year to all from ccSCOOP!