Voulez vous Vouvray?

Wine: Domaine de Vaugondy Vouvray

Paired with: Success, baby!

Comments: I'm not sure exactly how sparkling wine evolved into THE thing to have for a celebration. I guess technically it's rare compared to non-sparkling wines, and if you are looking for actual champagne it can get pretty expensive. Oh, and bubbles are kinda fun.

But there's no need to spend oodles of cash on champagne when there are so many other great sparkling wines on the market. Take this Vouvray, for example. For about $20, you get a sparkling wine that actually tastes like something you want to drink. (I am not a huge fan of most champagnes, in case you couldn't tell.)

So anyway, Vouvray (named for the region of France in which it's produced) is typically chenin blanc because that's pretty much the only grape grown there. Vouvray is also produced as a still wine, if you decide you like the flavors, but not the bubbles.

Tasting Notes - pre-food: This is a very pleasant sparkling wine, very light with a mostly appley flavor. Not a lot of aromas - not sure if we had it too cold or if it's just not a very aromatic wine.

Tasting Notes - with food: Oops. Were we supposed to have this with food?

Color: Pale yellow-white.

Price: $19.75 at The Greene Grape in Manhattan

Verdict: Friday, or Monday, or whatever day you have something to celebrate.