Michigan Avenue - Niche Media - Michigan Avenue magazine is a luxury lifestyle magazine centered around Chicago’s finest people, events, fashion, health & beauty, fine dining & more!
Issue link: http://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/138854
TASTE sparkling nights FROM PROSECCO AND CAVA TO PREMIUM CHAMPAGNE, EVERYTHING'S COMING UP BUBBLY THIS SUMMER IN CHICAGO. BY ELLE EICHINGER 78 PHOTOGRAPHY BY THINKSTOCK W ith the anticipated late June opening of Champagne-centric spot Coco (the latest venture from TR Napa Valley's Andy Li) and the release of two new sparkling wines from local chef Jaime Laurita, it's shaping up to be the summer of bubbly in Chicago. Sparklings are getting more attention than ever nationwide: According to a Nielsen study, Prosecco alone saw a nearly 40 percent rise in sales last year, and Southern Wine & Spirits of Illinois Master Sommelier and Director of Wine Education Serafin Alvarado adds, "Sparkling wine is no longer [just] a special occasion choice; Americans are now more willing to explore and step away from the traditional use [of Champagne]." Sparkling wine's popularity peaks during the summer months, and with good reason, according to W. Craig Cooper, beverage director at local Pops for Champagne. "In the summer, people tend to do more daytime drinking, and Champagne is perfect for that—refreshing and quenchable." When it comes to food pairings, Cooper himself fancies a Gosset Grande Réserve Brut served with "anything fried, especially lighter things like shrimp," he says. "The acidity [of the wine] really cuts through the fattiness." With the recent openings of RM Champagne Salon and now Coco, Chicago Champagne lovers have more sipping options than ever. A 4,000-square-foot space on Hubbard Street, Coco features its own dedicated Champagne lounge, serving 10 to 15 fine bubbly labels by the glass and more by the bottle. "You see [these salons] in Paris—all over Europe— and New York," Li says. "We're trying to bring that concept to the Midwest and Chicago. It's a different type of lifestyle." It is a lifestyle that, for Li, is closely tied to fashion. "Coco sounds very sexy—think Coco Chanel," he says. "Champagne, fine wine, fashion—[these] are all parts of the world of luxury." After 10 PM, the bar will transform into a nightclub as local DJs replace the calming European soundtrack with the beats of electronic dance music. On the low-key side, RM's tucked-away alley entrance and lantern-lit cobblestone patio set the scene for a romantic evening; the salon offers nine sparkling wines by the glass and by the bottle. For Laurita, a celebrity chef and Chicagoan who has appeared on Oprah and cooked for entertainers from Aerosmith to Sarah McLachlan, the surge in popularity of sparkling wines isn't necessarily a trend: "I think it's that we've found them and we've discovered their greatness." Laurita has put his money where his mouth is, having just released two new bubblies, Chef Jaime Laurita Prosecco and, in tribute to his Italian heritage, Bello-Boy Moscato, which is infused with rose petals as an homage to Madonna's passion for roses in her dressing rooms. Says Laurita, "It's been a lifelong dream of mine to create these 'party' wines; for me, sparkling wine is all about celebrating and being thankful." MA MICHIGANAVEMAG.COM 078_MA_FLAVOR_Trend_Summer13.indd 78 6/18/13 1:38 PM