Park City • Don't wait for a wedding, anniversary or New Year's Eve to enjoy a glass of sparkling wine. Summer is reason enough for a glass of bubbly, says Ron Mumford, master sommelier and part-time Park City resident.

During the annual Park City Food and Wine Festival, Mumford talked about Champagne and other effervescent wines. His "Poppin' Park City" class was just 60 minutes, but Mumford could have talked much longer about this misunderstood wine.

"People only consider sparkling wines for special occasions and holidays," he said, "but it's much more versatile than that."

Food friendly • Sparkling wines are great with everything from fish and chips to spicy Thai curries. "The effervescent and high acidity in sparkling wines really accentuate the flavor of food," he said. And because it's light, it's a natural drink in hot weather.

Steven Kolpan, Brian Smith and Michael Weiss, instructors at the Culinary Institute of America, also like the "remarkable effect" sparkling wines have on food.

"Not only are they wonderful for heightening and then cooling down the flavors of hot, spicy dishes, but the effervescence cleanses the palate from fatty or rich foods," they wrote in Wine Wise: Your Complete Guide to Understanding, Selecting and Enjoying Wines.

Some of the author's food and wine pairing suggestions accompany this story.

The place • The most celebrated sparkling wine is, of course, Champagne. To carry that moniker, the wine must be made only from grapes grown in the Champagne region of France. With such an exclusive growing region and an intense production process, Champagne is considered the gold standard, and it often has a price to match.

No wonder most consumers think they can only purchase it for special occasions and holidays.

But Mumford said there are plenty of other sparkling wines produced in other notable regions of France —and the rest of the world — that offer quality at a more affordable price.

He said to look for French sparkling wines labeled Crémant , a designation that means the wine has been made using the same intense process as Champagne, but with grapes grown in different French appellations such as Alsace, Bordeaux and Loire. France also produces Mousseaux sparkling wines, which are less expensive because they are made using a different process than traditional Champagne.

Other European countries produce worthy sparkling wines, too. Two of the most notable are cava from northern Spain and Barcelona; and prosecco, a light, fruity offering from Italy's Veneto region.

"Prosecco is a fun little wine for a party," Mumford said. "It's meant to be drunk when it's young and fresh."

Italy's best-known sparkling wine is Asti — as in Asti Spumante —made from muscat grapes. It's produced in and around the town of Asti in the Piedmont region of northern Italy.

Finally, don't forget the United States, specifically California, which is the No. 1 producer of sparkling wines in the country.

No matter where they are produced, sparkling wines are made primarily with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes, Mumford said. However, winemakers sometimes use Muscat, Riesling and Shiraz.

With all these options, there's no excuse to save a bottle for a celebratory event, said Mumford. "To us, a special occasion is dinner."

kathys@sltrib.comfacebook.com/tribremixtwitter: kathystephenson —

Sweet sips

Champagne and other sparkling wines can range from dry — or no sugar added — to super sweet. Consumers can select a wine to suit their tastes by looking on the label for the following terms:

Brut zero • Super dry, with less than .5 percent sugar

Brut • Very dry with .5 to 1.5 percent sugar

Extra sec • Slightly sweet with 1.2 to 2 percent sugar

Sec • Medium sweet with 1.7 to 3.5 percent sugar

Demi-sec • Very sweet with 3.3 to 5 percent sugar (dessert wine)

Doux • Super sweet with more than 5 percent sugar (rare, not made since 1980s)

Two more terms to know:

Blanc de Blancs • Sparkling wines made exclusively from Chardonnay grapes. The French term means "white wine from white grapes." More expensive than a blend.

Blanc de Noir • Sparkling wine made from black grapes, either Pinot Noir or Pinot Meunier. The French term means "white wine from red grapes." More expensive than a blend.

Source: The New Food Lover's Companion —

Food and sparkling wines

Fish and chips • Spanish brut Cava

Linguine with pesto • Italian prosecco

Grilled salmon • California sparkling rosé

Lobster • French Blanc de Blanc

Thai and other spicy foods • Soft, sweet demi-sec dessert wine

Source: Wine Wise: Your Complete Guide to Understanding, Selecting and Enjoying Wines —

Bubbles for every budget

Canella Prosecco • Italy, extra dry, $17.99. Produced in Italy's Conegliano region, known for its excellent Prosecco. Serve with fish, white meat or cheese.

Segura Viudas Heredad Reserva • Cava, Spain, $17.99. Think rich Chardonnay with bubbles. Serve with roasted chicken or veal.

Jansz Sparkling Rosé, Blanc de Noir • Tasmania, $19.99. Delicate pink color with fruit flavors.

2002 Roederer Estate L'Ermitage • Anderson Valley, Calif., $43.99. Yeasty with green apple and cherry flavors. Serve with creamy seafood dishes.

Moet & Chandon Champagne Nectar Imperial • $49.99. Sweet with pear, vanilla and almond flavors. Perfect with wedding cake.

1998 Duval-Leroy Blanc de Chardonnay • $50.99. An elegant French wine for light and creamy seafood dishes.