Rose bubbles...ahh

Chances are you are celebrating New Year's at home or with a company of friends. You won't come empty-handed. Because one of the best things to bring in this occation is a bottle or two of sparkling wine, you may need to do some last-minute shopping tomorrow. Bubbly flies fast this time of the year. You are probably poorer today than before the holidays, exhausted from gift-shopping and after-Christmas sales, so here are some suggestions for bubbly on a budget (and hassle-free--available in most liquor stores):

1. Codorniu Cava, Spain. $12. You can never go wrong with Cava--it's a perfect party wine. You can even buy more than a bottle and still have cash left - maybe to bring dessert? Look for it in most major liquor stores
2. Segura Viudas Brut Rose Cava, Spain. $14. Roses are generally more expensive and slightly more valued than their more limpid-looking counterparts. Like still rose wines, it's all about the color--it's a visual pleasure to behold in a glass.
3. Korbel Brut, California. $14. The Californian "Champagne", this one will please many palates in the same way an oaky California Chardonnay would. It's a mass-market thing, but great on a budget and for mixing to create cocktails. I found it at BLM, but it's hardly scarce. Most stores carry it.
4. Michele Chiarlo Moscato D'Asti, Nivole. Italy. $16. This is a small bottle of sunshine, starting from the label. Sold in 375ml bottle, it's low on alcohol but high on flavor. Makes a great dessert wine--light and refreshing.
5. Mionetto Il Prosecco, Venezie, IGT, Italy. $14. You will recognize the black bottle with a yellow cursive "I" on the label anywhere, anytime. Very widely available, this one is great as an aperitif or with slightly sweet desserts. And no doubt plesant on its own.
6. Santa Margherita Prosecco di Valdobbiadene, Prosecco, Italy. $17. You may be more familiar with Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio, which is a decent wine restaurants seem to collectively overprice. The Prosecco, however, is a fantastic find for the money.
7. Luis Roederer Estate Brut, Anderson Valley, California, NV. $25 (ok, $18 at Costco). California's answer to a full-bodied, rich, creamy style of sparkling wine, this one is one of the best for the price. It is very upfront in flavor and bubbles, but pleasantly so. Your guests will not be disappointed.
8. Domaine Chandon Brut NV, California. $22. Classic sparkler from Carneros. Stradding both Napa and Sonoma (on the south), Carneros' climate is auspicious for producing champagne-like bubbly.
9. Westport Rivers Brut Cuvee, Massachusetts. $25. Yes, Massachusetts. I was a skeptic when I first tried this wine, but a tasting of some older vintages later finally convinced me--our home state can grow some decent sparkling. It's worth an experiment.
10. Duval-Leroy Champagne Brut. $30. This is probably the threshold low price for Champagne, but it's not cheap in flavor--this Champagne has a very sumptious texture that will feel more luxurious than you'd think. Proves you don't need to overpay for more well-known brands to get the flavor and the status of drinking real Champagne.

Other inexpensive options include sparking wines from Alsace, France, called Cremant d'Alsace. Sparklers make up 18% of Alsace wine production--they are worthy of your drinking attention. Same story with sparklers from the Loire Valley, France. Not as well-known in the US, many AOCs in the Loire Valley actually specialise in bubbly. The result? You get quality on a budget.

Cheers!

Related articles:

New Year's Eve in Boston, Champagne Cocktails, Sparkling Wine at the Beehive - an Affordable Luxury