Although many people place among their New Year’s resolutions an ironclad desire to quit drinking, they tend to give alcohol one last taste on the night of New Year’s Eve. As the old year passes to the new one, it is all but customary to celebrate the transition with a raise glass of champagne and a toast to those in one’s company wishing everyone the best of health and expressing one’s optimism for the New Year. Although champagne is certainly enjoyed throughout the whole year, New Year’s Eve has given the bubbly drink a whole new meaning, making for a fun, effervescent way to bring on whatever the next year has to offer. As far as choosing the perfect champagne and spirits for the New Year’s Eve celebrations, though, it all depends on how much you are looking to spend on the bottle and what kind of sparkling wine you are looking for, as the various classifications of champagne make for a different taste and sensation in each different type.

“Champagne” is the term used to describe a specific type of sparkling wines. Although there is often confusion on the matter, champagne is a true wine, made from the same types of grapes used in other wines, such as Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier. As far as the delineation between champagne and other types of sparkling wine goes, it all has to do with the location in which the wine is made. Sparkling wine can only be called “champagne” if it was made in the Champagne region of France, an area known for its excellence in creating sparkling wines, to the degree that the wine from that region deserved its own name and classification. Bubbly drinks from any other part of the world are simply referred to as “sparkling wines,” although whether or not this discredits them from actually being suitable for New Year’s Eve celebrations is up to whoever is in charge of purchasing the wine. For what it is worth, sparkling wines produced in other parts of the world are starting to gain popularity and prestige for being comparable in quality to wines produced in the Champagne region of France. Furthermore, they are often much less expensive.

Sparkling wines and champagne are classified into six categories: extra brut, brut, extra dry, dry, sec, and demi-sec. These categories are based on the levels of sugar present in the sparkling wine or champagne. Extra brut wines are very dry, lacking in sugar, while demi-sec wines will have higher sugar content. If you are looking for the sweetest option, then, demi-sec will deliver. Brut, extra dry, and dry, then, range from almost-dry to semi-sweet. The sugar content of the wines can also affect how bubbly the wines turn out to be. During the second fermentation process is when the bubbly content of sparkling wine is added, as the yeast and the sugar mixes to form carbon dioxide bubbles and alcohol. If you opt for a drier wine, be aware that the drink may be less fizzy than if you were to opt for a sweeter bottle of sparkling wine, although the overall effect is widely the same across all forms of sparkling wine.

As far as sparkling wine goes, there are many different types besides champagne that will make your New Year’s Eve celebrations taste as authentic as possible. One of the most popular types of sparkling wine to serve during New Year’s Eve are Cava wines, which are white or pink sparkling wines made in Spain, mainly in the Penedes region of Catalonia. Although they are traditionally used in Spanish baptism ceremonies, Cava wines have become popular in other countries because of their similarity in taste to true champagne and their largely more affordable prices. Montsarra Cava is an imported wine made from a blend of Macabeo, Xarello, and Parellada grapes selected from the Montsarra vineyard in the Penedes region, and the optimal conditions that the wine undergoes during its fermentation are responsible for creating a truly delicious sparkling wine. Montsarra is consistently one of the highest-ranked Cava wines because of its high quality. At $16 a bottle, you will be hard-pressed to find a more affordable bottle of sparkling wine that tastes so similar to champagne.

Another hugely popular form of sparkling wine that is produced outside of Champagne are the Italian sparklers of Italy. The Piedmont, Lombardy, and Veneto regions of Italy are the most popular makers of Italian sparklers, offering up such world-renowned names as Asti DOCG, Franciacorta DOCG, and Prosecco. The latter wine is made using the Charmat method, one that is less expensive than other methods of wine production without sacrificing too much in the quality of the final product, making for an affordable and high-quality wine. One of the more popular New Year’s Eve libations is the Riondo Prosecco, which goes for about $12. Because of the abundant amount of drinking that generally takes place at many New Year’s Eve celebrations, the part where the champagne is consumed may or may not be lost in the shuffle. Riondo Prosecco is soft enough to fit perfectly into the night’s events, with abundant fruit and easier carbonation that makes the libation that much more enjoyable. The price of the bottle makes this Italian sparkler something to consider for your New Year’s Eve celebration.

If you are looking for a moderately-priced true Champagne creation, though, you cannot go wrong with spending about $20 for a bottle of Ariston Carte Blanche Brut Champagne. Lovingly crafted on an estate rather than mass-produced for vending through a grocery store, this champagne is known for being a fantastic deal, given the high quality and the affordable price. The winery, which is located in Brouillet, Champagne, blends Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Meunier in such proportions to make a wine that is both clean and powerful. Although there are plenty of wines that seek to replicate the feel and taste of a true Champagne wine, nothing beats the real thing, and if you are looking to get a taste of the real thing without breaking the bank, look no further than Ariston.

Serving champagne is an important part of the New Year’s Eve celebrations. First, carefully remove the cork as to prevent any injury, considering that there is an immense amount of pressure behind the cork. Easing the cork out and waiting for the pressure to disperse before popping the cork out of the bottle works the best, preventing any embarrassing mishaps from occurring. Fluted glasses are the best to use when serving champagne because they allow the bubbles and the aroma to rise to the top. Pour slowly and allow the glasses to settle for a moment before topping them off. You may also choose to pair up your champagne with an appetizer, such a strong or mild cheese or salty foods like chips, popcorns and nuts. Sparkling wines pair up more easily with foods than normal wines, making New Year’s Eve less difficult in the appetizer selection process than other holidays, but take some care to ensure that everything goes well together. All in all, though, selecting the right champagne or sparkling wine for your New Year’s Eve party can make all the difference.

photo credit: Patricia Figueira