New Trends in Bubbly!!!

Many people have connotations of Spring: flowers, spring cleaning, baseball. When the weather starts to improve I, on the other hand, have “wedding season” connotations.

Champagne.

Do your thoughts turn to champagne? Mine do, and I wanted to go to the epicenter of the wine and spirit world to see what the new trends are this wedding season. I called Chris Adams of Sherry Lehmann.

2009 marks Sherry Lehmann’s seventy-fifth year selling fine wines and spirits. The store is as “New York” for wines as Tiffany & Company is for jewels, but Sherry Lehmann now ships internationally, and to every state that allows it.

What are people ordering for Spring and Summer weddings? Chris reports a now familiar (given the worldwide economy) “bad news and good news” tale. The market for true French Champagnes has softened dramatically: that’s the bad news, especially for purists. For those seeking a more affordable alternative—a category many if not most couples fit into these days—it seems there is plenty of good news.

Sherry Lehmann has been promoting a Blanc de Blanc sparkling wine, Boyer Brut, since the 1940’s. Their house favorite, Boyer Brut has been used to toast countless newly married couples, graduates, and other celebrants (including the winners at Saratoga Racetrack) over the years. Chris reports that at $10 a bottle, Boyer Brut is flying out the door like a new discovery; with their average sales doubling in the past 15 months.

Also popular and recommended are a couple of Cramonts, made just outside of Champagne, France. From Louis Bouillot comes a Brut and a Rose. The Brut sells for $12.95 a bottle, and the Rose $13.95. Both are excellent sellers for weddings, though Chris notes that since the Rose was written up in the New York Times’ “Tastings” column its popularity has soared.

Among Italian Proseccos, Chris reports that Sherry Lehmann is doing very well with Zardetto Conegliano, a blend of 95% Prosecco and 5% Chardonnay that is one of the store’s best values at $12.95 a bottle. What does the New York Times have to say about Zardetto? Quite simple: “Millions of Italians Can’t Be Wrong.”

Hearing about these lovely sparkling wines and I’ve already forgotten the bad news.
What was it again? There will be so many reasons to celebrate this Spring and Summer—another wedding season! Thanks to Sherry Lehmann for clueing us into some wonderful and affordable choices for all of those toasts and best wishes.