Wine Splash!

New Years Eve is always full of confetti, loud horns, balloons, kisses, great food, and the clinking of champagne glasses! So have you decided what you will be filling your champagne glass with this year? Or the first sip of next year? There are a lot of quality bubbly’s out there but no one wants to choose a bad one. Who wants to say that 2017 left a bad taste in their mouth? Well, we sipped a plethora of sparkling wines this year and weeded out the bad ones so you wouldn’t have to. We kept our list simple and included the ones that you would most likely find at your corner wine shop or grocery store.

If you like the Brut style champagne’s or sparklers, try one of these:

1. Jaume Serra Cristalino Brut Cava – Spanish sparkler that has a toasty nose and flavors of bright citrus, green apple, mineral, and a clean finish. Received 87 points from the International Wine Cellar recently. Not bad for about $8 a bottle! The Cristalino Brut “Rose” Cava is also very good at $9 a bottle.

2. Korbel Brut – From California, this Brut is crisp and refreshing with notes of citrus and pear on the palate. It just received 88 points from the Wine Spectator and is a sparkler worth revisiting if it has been awhile. Usually priced between $10-$14 a bottle.

3. L. Mawby “Sex” Brut Rose – This is a bubbly that’s as fun to say as it is to drink! Pinkish in color and bursting with flavors of red fruit and yeasty notes. Soft and subtle over the palate. An arousing sparkling wine from Michigan! Priced between $14-$17 a bottle. You can say you had “Sex” on New Years Eve!

4. Mumm Napa Brut Prestige (black label) – One of our favorites for flavor and price. This is an elegant sparkling wine with flavors of stone fruit, citrus, melon, and a hint of vanilla. Creamy, balanced, refreshing, with a lingering finish. And Wine Enthusiast just rated this sparkler at 92 points! Usually between $16-$20 a bottle.

5. Gloria Ferrer Blanc De Noir – Flavors of black cherry, ripe strawberry, and subtle notes of vanilla. Soft, creamy, and lush with lively bubbles! From California and just received 90 points from the Wine Spectator. The $18-$22 price will make you want to celebrate!

6. 2009 Schramsberg Blanc de Blanc – Festive flavors of white peach, green apple, ripe pear, and citrus. Alluring yeasty notes marry with a long, creamy finish will make this sparkler one to remember from 2013. From the North Coast of California and rated at 91 points by Wine Spectator. Normally around $35 a bottle.

Veuve Clicquot

7. Veuve Clicquot Brut Yellow Label Champagne- You cannot have a list of sparkling wines without including a Champagne from France! This is our favorite affordable champagne and it always turns a party into a celebration. Beautiful flavors of stone fruit, pear, and freshly baked biscuits. Bright acidity with a splash of minerality. Creamy, focused, and elegant. This champagne is always consistent in flavor which is why it has such a large following. It received 92 points from Wine Spectator and is usually priced around $54.

For those who like their sparkling wines with some sweetness, “Extra Dry” is the next step up in the sweetness scale. Followed by Spumante which is considered one of the sweetest of the sparkling wines. We do have a few recommendations in this catagory.

1. Korbel Extra Dry – More delicate than the Brut with flavors of citrus fruits, sweet apple, spice, and toasty notes on the finish. 87 points from the Wine Spectator and is usually priced between $10-$14 a bottle.

2. L Mawby “Fizz” Demi Sec – Ripe red fruits, sweet citrus, and a soft finish. Easy to drink sparkler from Michigan and is priced between $14-$17.

3. Tosti Asti Spumante Sparkling Wine – From Italy where Asti Spumante was born and is one of the original sweet spumantes. Flavors of sweet apple, pear, and a hint of honey. Creamy and buttery. Usually $10-$12 a bottle.

Martini & Rossi Asti Spumante

4. Martini & Rossi Asti Spumante – From Italy. Delicate flavors of peach, melon, ripe apple, and grapefruit. Soft and creamy texture. Usually $12-$15 a bottle.

These are just a few choices to ring in the new year! We hope this list makes it a little easier in making that big choice when it comes to sparkling wines. We want you to spend New Years Eve with your favorite friends, family, and people closest to your heart. CHEERS to 2018 and we wish you all the luck and happiness in the world. WineSplashing!!