The Final Test and Champagnes and Port

Eight weeks of wine school, suddenly finished. The final class was a bit of a blur: a blind tasting exam, then six sparkling wines and three ports. I got only three out of four in the blind tasting, and I even studied! (These were all wines we sampled in class.) I guess I will just have to keep on learning.

Sparkling Wines

1. Cristalino Cava Brut (Spain): Few bubbles, low foam, aroma of pear; high acidity to start, an an easy, crisp, basic sparkler. Zraly is a big fan of this one ("one of the best bottle-fermented wines"), and its price: $10. Great for mimosas.
2. Roederer Estate Brut n.v. (Anderson Valley, California): Mineral/biscuit bouquet; notes of anise and green apple; a nice balance of fruit, acidity and carbon dioxide. $30.
3. Domaine Carneros Brut 2005 (Napa/Carneros, California): Very pale and bubbly, fresh scent; fuller body than the previous wine, lower acid, a yeasty finish.
4. Taittinger Brut La Francaise (France): Toasty aroma; mousse-y start, balanced, a slightly tart end. My favorite. $40.
5. Veuve Cliquot Brut n.v. (France): I felt I already knew this wine (thanks, Laura!) since I have had it so many times; it's a lower acidity, fuller-body style wine, with a mild, balanced finish. $40.
6. Blind, from France, Italy or the U.S.A.: It was a wine with very few bubbles and not much aroma; a hint of oak in the tasting. My classmates and I were puzzled; was it prosecco? Zraly tricked us with jug wine before, was he giving us Korbel or some other cheapie? I said maybe California, not French and definitely not real Champagne. Well, shut my mouth. It was a 1999 Dom Perignon. $165. (!) Zraly say he did this to show that more money does not give you better Champagne. Stick to the non-vintage types from good producers -- the ultraexpensive stuff usually just isn't worth it.

Port

1. Ruby: W.& J. Graham's: A light ruby, heady aroma; sweet and intense but balanced; the alcohol did not overwhelm. $15.
2. Tawny: Fonseca 10 Year Old: Orange cast; sticky, walnutty bouquet; more acidity than the ruby, lower sweetness. $28.
3. Vintage: Cockburn's 2000: Dark red, very leggy; notes of plum; smooth with some tannin. Delicious (I finished it). $75.