Whether youre queuing up your newest binge on Netflix or streaming a movie on Apple TV, odds are youre probably not settling into your sofa in your cozy pants without some sort of snack and if you know whats what a glass of sparkling wine. The beauty of bubbly, such as Italian Prosecco, brut ros from France, and California sparkling wine, is that they go just as well with salty snacks (potato chips, cheese curls) as they do sweet ones (gummy bears, chocolate chip cookies). In this vein, fizzy wine and popcorn has become a go-to pairing among the wine glitterati because the bubbles so perfectly clean away the butter and lift up the salt, making staying on your couch way more alluring than even going to the movies. Here are five different ways you can elevate your home theater (or armchair laptop).
Pick one to be the theme of the night and hit play.
Pull Out the Good Glasses
Its easy to get a little lazy with glassware when youre just having a casual night at home, but if you really want to up the ante at your coffee table, pour your sparkling wine into a proper glass. Classic skinny flutes and wide coupes have long been Hollywoods picks for sparkling wines, but in practice, you cant really smell much from a narrow flute mouth and the bubbles dissipate too quickly in coupes. These days, sommeliers in top restaurants are serving sparkling wine in beautiful white wine glasses instead; the wider opening of the glass allows the wine to really show off its aromas. Served this way, a Prosecco, like Luminore by La Marca, will more easily display its delicate nose. And the subtleties of J Vineyards & Winerys California Cuve Brut, a Chardonnay-based blend with Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, will be more apparent. To take this even further, pour a boldly fruit-forward sparkling wine, like Amelia Brut Ros Crmant de Bordeaux, into a large-bowled red wine glass. After all, the wine is made from two very hearty red grapes, Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
Compose a Fancy Cheese and Charcuterie Plate
Skip cooking and assemble an over-the-top cheese-and-charcuterie plate for yourself, including a mix of hard and soft cheeses alongside cured meats like prosciutto, soppressata, and salami. Then, deck the tray out with accoutrements such as fig jam, grapes, roasted Marcona almonds, and honey. As for wine? Make it sparkling. Itll keep your palate ready for whatever comes next.
Pour Yourself a Cocktail
Bubbles on their own are great, but you could also whip up a fizzy cocktail no bartending skills required. For example, you can simply drop a frozen raspberry (or three!) into a glass of Amelia Brut Ros Crmant for instant oomph. For something a little more ambitious, pour a half-ounce of St. Germain liqueur and top up the glass with 5 ounces of the crmant for a classy elderflower royale. Maybe youre a mixologist after all?
Match Birds and Bubbles
Even the snobbiest of wine snobs knows that fried chicken is hands-down the ultimate sparkling wine pairing. So when youre perusing Seamless or Postmates, consider ordering in spicy, crispy chicken wings to go with whatever bubbly you have on hand. The J Vineyards & Winery California Cuve has a zesty flavor profile with notes of bright citrus and orange blossom that can nicely stand up to spicy or saucy wings, especially those with a sweet, fruity counterweight to the spice (think sweet-and-sour or honey mustard). Similarly, the crisp acidity of the Luminore by La Marca Prosecco serves as a palate cleanser for savory fried chicken preparations like lemon-pepper or buttermilk-brined birds..
Try a Pint Pairing
Truly, the signature dessert of couches everywhere a pint of ice cream with a spoon doesnt need much embellishment. But why not gild the lily with a glass of sparkling wine? Lets be honest, theres no reason to overthink this, but if you keep things simple when it comes to ice cream, have your French vanilla with a glass of brut ros, like the one from Amelia. If youre more of a fruit-based ice cream person mango, strawberry, peach have it with a lighter sparkler, like Luminore by La Marca Prosecco. And if you go big with all the caramel and cookies and chocolate bits swirled in, have a fuller bodied sparkling wine like J Vineyards & Winery California Cuve.
Now, wheres the remote?
Click the link here to find out where to purchase any (or all) of the three bubbly wines!
This article is sponsored by Amelia Brut Ros, Luminore by LaMarca, and J Vineyards & Winery.
The article 5 Ways to Elevate Your Movie (or Streaming) Night appeared first on VinePair.
