How did a magical Dom Pérignon Champagne tasting of 60 rare vintages reveal the surprising depth and aging potential of sparkling Rosé? What surprising role did the British play in the discovery of sparkling wine? What makes the Porn Star Martini one of the most crowd-pleasing cocktails?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Elva Ramirez, author of the award-winning books "Sparkling" and "Zero Proof."

You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks.

Giveaway

Three of you are going to win a copy of Elva Ramirez's terrific book, Sparkling: Champagne and Sparkling Cocktails for Any Occasion. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at [email protected] and let me know that you've posted a review of the podcast. I'll choose two people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!

Highlights

What happened when Elva accidentally triggered an alarm at Veuve Clicquot's private estate in France?

How did her career as a Wall Street Journal reporter lead her into the world of cocktails and Champagne?

How did years working in restaurants teach Elva to "speak bartender" and shape her storytelling style?

What was it like attending an exclusive Dom Pérignon Rosé dinner featuring decades of rare vintages?

What did that tasting reveal about how aged Rosé Champagne evolves and expresses itself over time?

How does Elva's book, Sparkling, showcase the creativity of world-class bartenders and Champagne houses?

What surprising history did she uncover about who truly discovered sparkling wine?

Why did Champagne dominate New York's Gilded Age, when most of America's supply was consumed in just a few city blocks?

How did bartenders in the 1800s turn Champagne into a cultural symbol of luxury and celebration?

What are the stories behind Prince Albert Edward's "Prince of Wales" cocktail and Ernest Hemingway's "Death in the Afternoon"?

How can you choose the right sparkling wine for cocktails?

Why should Lambrusco be reconsidered as a serious, fruit-forward sparkling wine?

Key Takeaways

March 2016, Dom Pérignon was releasing a new Rosé vintage and threw a portfolio dinner serving every Dom Pérignon Rosé ever released. The aha moment for Elva was, up until about the mid-80s, it's still a fresh, sparkling rose that we know, but from the 80s, all of a sudden, the colour completely deepens, and all these Pinot characters just come out of it. The fact that it had aged so well surprised her.

The Champagne region has been famous for wine for a very, very long time, and it's believed that people have been making wine there since before the Roman era but the English are actually credited with "discovering" sparkling wine. They figured out how to make the bubbles happen and that they liked it.

The Porn Star Martini features vanilla vodka, passion-fruit purée and then separately, you're served a very cold shot of Champagne or sparkling wine. Instantly, it was a hit because the combination of vanilla and passionfruit, people get it right away. So this is like a cocktail and a shot. You can drink one and then drink the other, or you can take the shot and pour it in the glass.

About Elva Ramirez

Elva Ramirez is an author, journalist and brand strategist. She is the author of "Sparkling" and "Zero Proof," which were both finalists for Best Cocktail Book at Tales of the Cocktail in their respective years. "Sparkling" is a finalist for IACP's 2025 Best Cookbook Awards. Elva holds an MBA from CUNY Baruch College and a Master's in journalism from Columbia University.

To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/362.