On a slightly snowy Saturday evening in January, I had the pleasure of being the sommelier pairing wines with four courses prepared by a chef in a private home.  The two wines that I paired with the first course and the last course were both sparkling. 

The first course was Lump Crab and Smoked Salmon Cocktail with Caviar Cream.  I thought the caviar cream and smoked salmon, being a little salty, would pair well with a sparkling wine, as salty foods do. I turned to one of my current favorite sparklers, the one I poured at the Bar Foundation’s Wine, Beer, and Bourbon Tasting in October:  Fritz-Ritter Riesling Sekt Extra Trocken from Pfalz, Germany.

The Pfalz region is in Southwest Germany, bordering France on its Western border and the Rhine River on its Eastern border. The Fritz-Ritter family estate dates back to 1785, was one of the first German wineries to produce sparkling wine in 1837, and is on its ninth generation of winemakers. Friends of mine have stayed at the Estate located in Bad Dürkheim.

The winery is certified organic (not an easy thing) and one of the founding members of the VDP (Verband Deutscher Pradikatsweinguter), an association of top producers of quality German Wines.

The Riesling Sekt is a dry, sparkling Riesling made in the Champagne Method, so there are some toasty characteristics, but the wine retains the usual Riesling aromas of petrol, pear, and blossoms. It was delightful with the first course. $20 at Martin’s Liquors in Mt. Laurel.

The dessert was Peach-Blueberry Cobbler with Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream.  I chose Braida Brachetto d’Acqui to accompany it.  Brachetto d’Acqui is from the Piedmont region, located in Northwest Italy. Brachetto d’Acqui is often marketed as a “Valentine’s Day Wine,” because it goes so well with chocolate and other desserts, especially berry desserts.

Made from the Brachetto grape, this charming wine can be either still or sparkling. Fermentation is stopped while there is some residual sugar left in the juice, keeping the alcohol low (5-6%). 

Dark pink and frizzante in the glass, the raspberry, cherry, and rose notes of the Braida Brachetto d’Acqui are intense on both the nose and palate. Although the wine is off-dry, its sweetness is not noticeable when paired with a sweet dessert.

Legend has it that Caesar and Marc Anthony brought Cleopatra gourds of vinum acquense (wine of the Acqui), a precursor of Brachetto d’Acqui, to woo her.  You can pick up a bottle for your sweetheart (or your sweet tooth) at Traino’s Liquors for $20.