SPARKLING WINE Taking a shine to
Champagne alternatives offer value and choice By Carolyn Walkup
celebrate everyday occasions with affordable bubbles, according to several restaurant and wine bar operators. With French Champagne prices remaining high, operators
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orks are popping all over restaurants, and not just from Champagne bottles. The expanding options in sparkling wines are appealing to guests who want to
have been promoting alternatives, including domestic sparkling wines, Italian prosecco, Spanish cava, German riesling and
| NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012
others. Champagne still sells, but it's becoming even more of a special occasion beverage than it used to be. Bin 36, a restaurant, wine bar and retail store in Chicago,
stopped pouring Champagne by the glass several years ago. Increased prices made that practice prohibitively expensive, recalls Brian Duncan, partner and wine director. Instead of having to charge up to $25 for a glass of champagne, Bin 36 is able to charge $7 to $12 for an alternative sparkling wine.
www.cheersonline.com
