On an annual basis, the vast majority of sparkling wines are sold and consumed between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day. I love the idea of using wine to commemorate an important occasion, but these wines are so celebratory, delicious, and food-friendly, they really deserve a regular place on everyone’s table.
First, we have to face some price issues. The cheapest sparkling wines are carbonated, just like a wine Coke. If you were ever at a party and were overserved and woke the next morning with a head from Hell, someone saved some money and served you one of these awful wines. If it’s under $5 a bottle, don’t drink it. Fair warning.
Of the drinkable wines, in general, the least expensive is Spanish Cava, followed by Italian Prosecco, then a very broad range of sparkling wine from all over the world, and finishing with the royalty of sparklers, French Champagne. Remember, Champagne is a place in France which just happens to be the home of some of the greatest sparkling wines on earth. Don’t be deceived by just any wine calling itself Champagne. It has to be from the appellation of Champagne, about 100 miles east of Paris.
Whole books have been written about the glories of this style of wine. Rather than creating confusion for readers who simply want to know what to buy, I have a list below of my favorites of each price range that are also easy to find. However, like any other wine, your best hope comes from a salesperson who understands what you like and how much you truly, perhaps secretly, want to spend. I always recommend finding this person and giving them 100% of your wine budget so they begin to recognize your tastes and your commitment to their store and to their fund of knowledge.