| The Holidays are quickly approaching as we | | | | Cold Duck originated in Germany, where it can |
| speak. For many people, myself included, | | | | be traced to the common practice in Bavaria |
| memories of Thanksgivings, Christmases, and | | | | of mixing cold, sparkling Burgundy with |
| New Years Eves past cross their minds. Some | | | | bottles of previously opened Champagne. This |
| of those memories are of a certain sparkling | | | | mixture was knows as kalte ende (cold end). |
| wine, called Cold Duck. As the old familiar | | | | This custom kept the opened bottles of |
| songs play in the background, the winter | | | | champagne from being wasted, and it also |
| chill whips though us and nearby homes are | | | | provided people with a tasty beverage at the |
| illuminated in their bright, colorful holiday | | | | same time. Over time, the name became |
| glory, some of us will look back fondly on | | | | transliteraeed to kalte ente, which |
| this beverage, remembering it from many | | | | translates to cold duck. In 1937, the owner |
| special occasions such as birthdays, | | | | of the Pontchartrain Wine Cellars in Detroit, |
| Christmas and New Years Eve. You may even | | | | Harold Borgman, invented his own beverage |
| remember with nostalgia, the commercials from | | | | based on this Bavarian custom. |
| the 1970's, of a happy couple toasting the | | | | |
| holidays with a glass of Cold Duck, with a | | | | Cold duck experienced a sizable surge of |
| cheerful Christmas carol playing in the | | | | popularity in the early 1970s, being a very |
| background. | | | | popular wine for parties and gatherings. With |
| | | | it's soft concord grape base, Cold Duck is |
| You might think that Cold Duck sounds more | | | | mixed with a combination of sweet red and |
| like a dinner recipe than a beverage. Or, you | | | | white wines. The original American Cold Duck |
| may cringe at the thought of a bottle of Cold | | | | combined one part of a California red wine |
| Duck , since it is one of the cheapest wines | | | | with two parts of a New York sparkling wine. |
| on the market, at only a few dollars per | | | | This exact recipe varies today. One of the |
| bottle. Cold Duck doesn't carry the same | | | | best known brands of Cold Duck is André, |
| sophistication as some of the other sparkling | | | | from the E&J Gallo Winery, which uses Concord |
| wines on the market, such as Dom Perignon or | | | | grapes for their recipe. In 1971, only four |
| other champagnes. But Cold Duck was at one | | | | short years after André Cold Duck was |
| time one of the best selling and most popular | | | | introduced to the public, the E&J Gallo |
| sparkling wines in the United States. Cold | | | | Winery was selling two million cases of the |
| Duck is still readily available at your local | | | | wine every year. Like many white wines and |
| grocery store for only a few dollars a | | | | sparkling wines, and unlike most red wines, |
| bottle. Compare that to the hefty price of a | | | | Cold duck is best served chilled. It goes |
| bottle of Dom Perignon champagne, which can | | | | great with party hors d'ouvres, like cheese |
| be well over $100 a bottle. | | | | and crackers or olives in a pastry crust. |
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