To demonstrate that there is delicious sparkling wine to be had at all price points, Mark administers a rosé bubbly taste-test to a friend on the way to this year’s Emmy Awards. The results will surprise those who think that taste is always proportionate to price, which is valuable to keep in mind with holiday entertaining upon us.

Featured rosé sparklers:
Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé Champagne NV (France, $80)
Gruet Rosé Sparkling Wine NV (New Mexico, $14)

Other pink drinks that sparkle with affordability:
Domaine Ste Michelle Brut Rosé NV (Washington State, $12)
Mont Marçal Cava Brut Rosado Reserva 2010 (Spain, $16)
Graham Beck Brut Rosé NV (Australia, $15)
Jaume Serra Brut Rosé Cava Cristalino NV (Spain, $10)
Schramsberg Mirabelle Brut Rosé (California, $25)
Zardetto Prosecco Rosé NV (Italy, $14)

Thanks to Alison Harmelin Hamadeh for her game participation.

“Poosh It!”

How to Spit Wine – Episode 68 – Drink Bravely with Mark Oldman

If you want to be a wine insider, you have to know how to hock a good one. So Mark heads to Burgundy to seek spitting advice from two expert expectorators, Diana Snowden Seysses of Domaine Dujac and Nicolas Rossignol of Domaine Rossignol. They teach him the fine points of “l’art du cracher,” including three different styles, where to practice, and which type of athlete spits best.

musical snippets:
Lou Reed, “Spit it Out,” from Mistrial (RCA)
Rush, “Stick it Out,” from Counterparts (Atlantic)