In the bar business, a mere drink turns into a cocktail when the


mixture starts to get more complicated and the mixing of flavors more subtle and sophisticated.


Here are some local places where you can have a sparkling evening:


Tour de Bubbly


TWIGS MARTINI BAR (Downtown, South Hill, North, Valley) Bellinitini concoction of peach Bacardi, peach Schnapps, champagne and an orange twist. CLINKERDAGGER AT THE FLOUR MILL (Downtown) Classic made with sugars, biters, champagne and a lemon twist. THE PEACOCK ROOM AT THE DAVENPORT HOTEL (Downtown Spokane) French 75 made with gin, sours, sparkling wine By-the-glass, Mountain Dome NV Brut to Dom Perignon BISTRO ON SPRUCE (Coeur d’Alene, ID) Kir Royal a combination of Chambord (black raspberry liqueur) and champagne MAX AT MIRBEAU (Spokane Valley) Sparkling Passion fruit Sangria: a blend of gin, guava, passion fruit and sparkling wine ISABELLA’S GIN JOINT (Downtown Spokane) French 75 made with gin, sours, champagne BON BON AT THE GARLAND THEATER (North Spokane) Bon Bon Classic a concoction of raw sugar, biters, Grand Marnier and sparkling wine BARDENAY RESTAURNT & DISTILLERY (Coeur d’Alene, ID) Pomegranate Champagne Cocktail Pana liquor, POM juice, Prosecco


Mountain Dome Winery: Our Home Town Sparkler Sip some local bubbly at Mountain Dome Winery. A geodesic dome which serves as the family’s home is nestled on 85 acres of land in the foothills of Mount Spokane only 30 minutes from downtown Spokane. Mountain Dome also is available at Te Tasting Room, a downtown tasting room which is shared with Grande Rhone Cellars. Established in 1984, Mountain Dome Winery is the largest family-run sparkling house in the Northwest, producing upward of


3,000 cases annually. Tis wonderful winery has taken the art of sparkling wines, made in the méthode champenoise, to a hand- craſted quality that sets the bar high for Washington sparkling wines. Te prices for Mountain Dome’s sparkling wines are relatively inexpensive when compared to comparable-tasting French champagnes. Mountain Dome Brut Rosé ($22-$26) A sophisticated sparkler with a persistent stream


of tiny bubbles. Tastes include crisp apple, juicy pear and spice flavors and hints of hazelnuts and cream. Expect a long finish with distinct hints of toasted hazelnuts. Almost a flawless wine for food pairing. Mountain Dome Cuvée Forté, ($38-$40) A special blend of some of Mountain Dome’s top vintage


wines. Te current release consists of 50 percent Pinot Noir and 50 percent Chardonnay and has been aged some seven years. Tis is an outstanding sparkling wine. Expect tiny litle elegant bubbles, fine body and great depth. Te nose has hints of tangerine rind, honeysuckle, freshly baked croissant, and vanilla. Tis is a wine you actually taste everything the winemaker’s notes suggest. Enjoy flavors that dance on your palate ranging from crisp apple, juicy pear, and creamy star fruit to spicy citrus and fresh white peaches. Te finish is long and polished, adding a zing of citrus peel. One sip and you’ll understand why it’s well worth the splurge. Mountain Dome NV Brut ($13-$15) Although Cuvée Forté is brilliant, one should always have


the more affordable Mountain Dome NV Brut chilled to ready to make any day sparkling. Tis Non-Vintage (NV) Brut, also known as the “gnome wine” or “gnome perignon” is light gold in color with an active and persistent bubble stream that is perfect for festive events by being impressive yet still affordable. Te flavors include crisp green apple, followed by toasted caramel with a creamy finish. An outstanding value. You may recognize the playful gnome label on the NV Brut,


which depicts the Manz family patriot, Michael and his wife Patricia. Sadly, Michael, a Washington wine-pioneer and a child psychologist at Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital, passed in 2006. Fortunately for consumers and the Manz family wine legacy, Erik Manz, one of the couple’s two sons, inherited the passion for the labor-intensive process and has been hand- craſting sparkling wine since 2000, being later promoted to head winemaker by his father. Today, Manz along with his uncle, John Mueller, have secured that this Mountain Dome family tradition continues, and the bubbly is as wonderful as always. One could say the winery’s future isn’t just bright, but sparkling.


Laurie L. Ross is the author sipofspokane.com, a guide to local wine. Special thanks to Mat Dolan, the “wine guy” at the Rocket Market and his Friday night wine classes, especially the recent one on bubbly.


www.spokanecda.com 159


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