When you want to bring a bottle to a holiday party, sparkling wine always is a smart move. No style of wine better signals a celebration, and it is a refreshing, versatile pairing with the fried, salty and cheesy appetizers that often serve as party fare.
The styles of sparkling wines available are more diverse than ever, as is the price range. To close out the year, here’s a roundup of some of our favorite sparkling wines, in a variety of categories:
HIGH-QUALITY VALUE: Pere Mata cava cupada rosé. When you’re on a tight budget, consider this offering from an outstanding producer of Spanish sparkling wines. Inspired by the techniques of growers in Champagne, Pere Mata’s organically farmed estate produces focused, elegant wines from the traditional grapes of the Penedes region. We love the texture and tart fruitiness of this bone-dry sparkling rosé, but seek out Cupada No.24 if you prefer a sparkling white.
CLASSIC PARISIAN COOL: Domaine Le Facteur extra brut Vouvray. Want to feel like you’re sipping bubbles in a chic Paris wine bar? This is your bottle. The Loire valley in France delivers diverse wines, and the sparkling varieties are some of the most expressive and elegant wines on the market for under $30. This one is dry, but with elegant notes of dried flowers, mossy stone and golden fruit.
TRENDY AND DELICIOUS: Carboniste brut rouge. Red sparkling wine, as a category, is growing in popularity, and the producers and styles are more diverse than ever. Carboniste is a California sparkling wine house that is determined to be defined on its own terms, not those of Champagne. The dry, yet juicy, wine is a blend of merlot and the white grape albarino. Enjoy this with a wide range of dishes, from a charcuterie platter to the Christmas goose.
FUNKY FUN: Bloomer Creek Auten Vineyard skin-fermented riesling pet nat. Fizzy, hazy-orange and delicious, this comes from one of the original natural wine producers in the Finger Lakes region of New York. Heady with tropical fruit aromas, it is surprisingly refreshing. You can enjoy it with dishes ranging from sushi to schnitzel
WORTH THE SPLURGE: Champagne Gamet Rive Droite blanc de noirs brut. Champagne Gamet is run by exciting fourth-generation producer Marianne Gamet, who focuses on the unique terroirs from the banks of the Marne River. This is a complex Champagne that is somehow both savory and fruity. For the serious wine lover in your life, this will be an exciting discovery.
The Slaters are beverage industry veterans and the proprietors of the Expat, Slater’s Steakhouse and the Lark Winespace in Athens.
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