Domaine Ste Michelle: #TGTaste

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Last month I participated in my first thirstygirl virtual tasting, which is basically like a Twitter party where you chat with other wine enthusiasts about wines from one specific wine maker. I had a great time reviewing the last batch of wines, and was thrilled to be selected again to take part! 

And lucky for me, this month the bottles they chose to focus on were...sparkling wines!  (My new obsession as of late.) We will taste two sparkling wines made by Domaine Ste Michelle which has made sparkling wines in Washington state for more than 30 years, using the traditional method of making champagne, called the methode champenoise. Here are the two "sparklers" on the agenda for tomorrow's tasting:

The Brut is a blend of 88% Chardonnay and 12% Pinot Noir. It has a light citrus flavor and toasty finish. Accoridng to the tasting notes, it pairs well with "French fries, artichoke or cheese dips, calamari and salty snacks." Champagne and French fries? Who knew that was an ideal pairing? But it sounds awesome, so count me in.

The Brut Rose is made of 100% Pinot Noir. It has aromas and flavors of raspberries and strawberries and it is said to pair well "with fresh berries, melon and Asian cuisine." I like to pair sparkling wine with my ginger shrimp lettuce wraps, so this one could be a new go-to for me.

In full transparency, I was provided with this wine to participate in the tasting which will be taking place Wednesday, December 19 at 8p.m. EST. Join me on Twitter @lctampa to talk about these wines - during the chat, we get to ask the winemaker questions and virtually raise our glasses to the holiday season.

Cheers!