SINCE I'VE BEEN celebrating a lot over the past few days, I thought that I'd look at Champagnes and sparkling wines. I've written about them in the past, so I thought I'd focus on some of the ones that are considered summer wines. That way, if you want to celebrate with me, you'll be armed with the information required to join the party.

Sparkling wines and Champagnes come in many styles. One of the lesser known of those is sparkling rose. Technically, sparkling rose wines are red wines without all the red coloring. A quick look will tell you that they are obviously not white wines. The color of rose sparkling wines vary from what could be considered an orange tint to colors as deep as purple. These days, in order to make a rose, red wine grapes are crushed earlier than usual, so that they are not able to impart their color or much of their tannin into the finished product. This gives this type of wine all of the character and flavor of white wine, leaving just a tinge of color and a subtle taste difference.

Rose wines were once made by adding small amounts of red wine to white wine. This was thought to produce interesting wine that possessed a little of the hearty character of red wine while retaining the crispness associated with white wine. Today, this practice is frowned upon -- even in Champagne. Wine connoisseurs generally view rose sparkling wines and Champagnes with disdain, but many people find them very refreshing, especially on hot summer days.

One of my all time favorite sparkling rose wines is Wolfberger Cremant d'Alsace Brut Rose N. V. from the Alsace region of France. For the N. V. impaired, the initials stand for non-vintage. That means that the grapes from more than one season were probably used to make this wine. This particular sparkling rose is made from 100% pinot noir grapes. The grapes are usually harvested in mid-September, which is about two weeks before the harvest for still wines. The hand-selected grapes are temperature control fermented in stainless steel tanks. After bottling, it is bottle fermented in cellars at about 12 degrees Celsius. It is then aged in the bottle for a minimum of 15 months. The result of this process is a wine with a delicate salmon color with active, small bubbles. It's full-bodied with watermelon and strawberry aromas and a smooth finish. It pairs with lots of great foods. Since it's warm outside these days, I'd pair it with a nice goat cheese or chicken Caesar salad. It can be enjoyed as a aperitif as well. Lately, I've found myself enjoying a glass or two at night while sitting under the stars.

Another sparkling wine that has been, until recently, ignored is Prosecco. Prosecco is an Italian dry sparkling wine that is usually made from a grape known as Glera. Ironically, Glera was once called Prosecco. Prosecco is mainly produced in a region called Veneto, which is located near Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, in the hills just north of Treviso.

Until the 1960's, Prosecco was a very sweet wine. It was almost indistinguishable from Asti Spumante, a sparkling wine produced in Piedmont. Since that time, production techniques have improved and the quality of the resulting wine has improved immeasurably. The method used to produce Prosecco is called Charmat. This technique employs a secondary fermentation in stainless steel tanks. This makes it less expensive to produce which makes it a reasonable alternative to other more expensive sparkling wines.

In Italy, Prosecco is a wine for all seasons and all occasions. Outside the Italian borders, it is enjoyed as an aperitif in the same manner as Champagne and other sparkling wines. Since it is not bottle fermented, it goes stale with time, so it should be consumed while it is young. The time frame is generally less than two years after bottling. Compared to most sparkling wines, Prosecco is considered low in alcohol content. Generally it is in the range of 11 - 12 percent alcohol by volume. Most Prosecco sparkling wines are crisp and intensely aromatic, with hints of apple, pear, peach, and apricot. They are very light and refreshing -- perfect for the hot summer months. They pair well with salads and cheeses.

Prosecco is a worthy replacement for Champagne in a Mimosa. It gives it a lighter more appealing flavor for those who aren't big fans of Champagne. For those familiar with the Bellini cocktail, Prosecco is a key ingredient in that delicious summertime drink. The Bellini was invented in Venice, Italy by Giuseppe Cipriani sometime between 1934 and 1948. Apparently, the color of the drink reminded the him of the color of the toga of a saint in a painting by famed 15th-century Venetian artist Giovanni Bellini. We've all been inspired in our lives, so I guess we can give Cipriani a pass here. In any event, this amazingly refreshing cocktail is made by adding 1.5 ounces of fresh peach puree to a Champagne flute and topping it off with Prosecco. For best results, use white peaches.

So, there you have it -- sparkling rose, rose Champagne, and Prosecco uncorked. You really don't need a reason to celebrate in order to enjoy these delightful sparkling beverages. They are perfect for any occasion, but they definitely bring relief on the sweltering hot days we experience here in southeastern Virginia. As always, when enjoying your favorite sparkling rose, Prosecco, or Prosecco based cocktail, please drink responsibly. Until next time...prosit!!!