Sparkling wines for 17th of May

17th of May is quite a challenge when it comes to wine, basically because there are so many different types of foods involved. It is difficult to find one sparkling wine that works perfectly with everything. Fortunately, there are a couple of tricks that will help you succeed with just two types of sparkling wine throughout the whole celebration to mach with food ranging from scrambled eggs to sweet cake desserts.

For the food

People usually talk about Champagne for 17th of May breakfast, and there are several good reasons for it. 17th of May breakfast generally consist of bread with cold cuts and cheese, cold dishes and warm dishes, like scrambled eggs and pie. While the scrambled eggs and pie are bland hot dishes, the flavours of the other side dishes can vary considerably. Cold cuts of meat, smoked salmon and certain types of cheeses that have a very strong flavour. To avoid having the wine chosen overshadowed by the most powerful types of food, it is important to choose a wine with a rich taste.

In addition, it is common to find butter, mayonnaise, remoulade and sauces at the table, all of which have a thick consistency. It means that the wine should also have enough body to not feel weak in comparison.

When we mix bread with butter and smoked salmon plus scrambled eggs or roast biff with remoulade, pickles and onion; the result is a meal with complexity. This complexity should also be found in the wine, otherwise the wine will be overpowered byt the food.

In consideration of this, light and easy wines like Prosecco would only work as an aperitif or for the lightest dishes. Champagne has, however, enough body and complexity due to the second fermentation, when it is aged on the lees in the bottle. this helps champagne 'hold up' against the food. In addition, Champagne offers excellent acidity, which can counteract the fats found in smoked salmon, butter, mayonnaise, remoulade and sauces. This makes Champagne a great allrounder.

Champagne

Which level of sweetness?

Sparkling wines are produced in seven different sweetness levels. Choose among those that have some remaining sweetness after fermentation. You will need a little bit of sweetness to balance the saltiness coming from cold cuts and smoked salmon and the sweetness found in, for example, the fruits. Brut wines with a generous remaining sweetness after fermentation are a safe choice and, at the same time, dry enough for most palates; while extra brut and brut nature belong to the driest levels.

Sparkling wine sweetness levels

Sugar per litre:

The perfect scrambled eggs for the 17th of May breakfast

Ingridients (4 portions)

• 6 big organic eggs
• 5 tbs. heavy cream
• 2 tbs. dairy butter
• 2 tbs. fresh chive
• Freshly ground pepper
• Salt

Procedure

Whisk the eggs with the heavy cream, add a little bit of salt and freshly ground pepper. Melt the butter in a frying pan at medium heat. Add the beaten eggs and let them fry for a little while before you start to carefully stir with a rubber spatula. When the eggs acquire a velvety consistency, remove them from heat and sprinkle them with finely chopped chive. Scrambled eggs match nicely with smoked salmon and all kinds of cured meat which are usually found at a smorgasbords/buffet.

Read our wine guide

Alternatives

If you want to use something other than Champagne, there are various alternatives. Sparkling wines from Trento and Franciacorta in Italy are made using the same method as they do in Champagne and apply high quality requirements that guarantee both a good body and complexity. A premium Cava or Crémant can also work well, especially Crémants from Loire which can display quite the same acidity as Champagne.

For the sweets

No 17th of May is complete without cake and ice-cream. Cream cakes decorated with strawberries and blueberries; marzipan cakes and kransekakes/Wreath cakes with Norwegian flags adorn the table.

For desserts s such, we need to choose sweeter wines. Since the sweetness of the cake and ice-cream can overshadow the sweetness of the wine, it can result tasting sour and unbalanced. Do you want to continue with the sparkling wines? Then a sweet sparkling wine made with Moscato grapes is a great recommendation.

PAVLOVA for the 17th of May celebration

Ingredients:

For the meringue

• 4 egg whites
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 220 grams sugar
• 2 tsp. cornflour
• 1 tsp. raspberry vinegar

For the custard

• 4 yolks
• 3 dl milk
• ½ dl sugar
• 1 tsp. cornflour
• 3 gelatine leaves
• 3 dl heavy cream

For the decoration

• 1 packet of strawberries

• 1 packet of fresh raspberries

• 1 packet of fresh blueberries

• 1 packet gooseberries

Procedure

Preheat the oven to 120 degrees C.

Put the egg whites in a clean, dry bowl. Whisk them gently with a pinch of salt until they turn into a soft foam. Increase the speed of the mixing machine and add sugar, little by little. Mix until all of the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is white and fluffy. Be careful not to whisk it too much or the mixture will become granulated.

Sieve the corn flour and add it to the meringue together with the raspberry vinegar. Place a baking sheet on an oven tray. Spread the mixture, shaping it into a 2,5-3 cm tall circle. Bake the meringue for 1 ½ hours at the bottom rack of the oven until the surface of the meringue becomes crusty. Turn off the oven and leave the meringue inside until it is cool.

Put the yolks, milk, sugar and corn flour in a casserole dish together with chopped gelatine leaves. Heat the mixture while stirring until the cream thickens. Pour the custard in a bowl and let it cool in the refrigerator.

Once the custard chills, whisk it gently with a balloon whisk until it becomes smooth and all clots are removed. Whisk the heavy cream and add it to the custard. Place the meringue on a cake stand and spread the cream mixture over it. Decorate with the fresh berries. Read about sparkling cocktails as well

Read about sparkling cocktails as well