Popping open a bottle of bubbles is practically required of all New Year's Eve celebrations. But for those of us who don't buy champagne on the regular, choosing one from a liquor store's wellstocked shelves takes a bit of work. Whether you're searching for a budget-friendly bottle or a one-night-only indulgence, Linda Adams, a server at RM Champagne Salon, knows a thing or two about navigating the waters. Here are her tips for finding a winning sparkling wine.
GLOSSARY
Frizzante: slightly sparkling
Spumante: fully sparkling
Sekt: German for sparkling
NV: non-vintage; a blend of grapes from two or more harvests
Prosecco: an Italian sparkling wine
Cava: a Spanish sparkling wine
Champagne: a sparkling wine made from grapes grown exclusively in the Champagne region of France
Blanc de noirs: sparkling wines that are made only from pinot grapes
Blanc de blancs: sparkling wines that are made only from chardonnay grapes
HOW DO YOU LIKE YOUR BUBBLES?
Classic and straightforward: Try cava or prosecco
Fruity & aromatic: Try sparkling rosés, Austrian sparkling wines or wines with the Vouvray designation
Dry: Look for brut, extra brut, brut natural or brut zero
Sweeter: Try extra dry, sec or demi-sec
BOTTLES TO TRY
BUDGET
Scharffenberger "Excellence" Mendocino County Brut NV
Graham Beck Western Cape Brut Rosé NV
Gran Sarao Brut Cava NV
Nino Franco "Rustico" Prosecco NV
MID-RANGE
H. Blin Brut Champagne NV
Szigeti Gruner Veltliner Brut NV
Argyle Willamette Valley Brut 2008
Andre et Mireille Tissot "Indigene"
Crémant du Jura Brut NV
SPLURGE
Henriot Brut Rosé Champagne NV
Schloss Gobelsburg Brut Reserve NV
Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs 2009
Paul Goerg Blanc de Blancs 1er Cru Champagne NV