5 Sparkling Wines to Celebrate the New Year
What does New Year’s Eve mean? Parties, friends, family, and bubbles! You can’t celebrate the New Year without a nice bottle of sparkling wine. When you head to the wine store, you may be overwhelmed with choices. Don’t fret! With this list of 5 sparkling wines to celebrate the New Year, you will enter 2023 in bubbly bliss!
So, without further ado…
Here are the 5 Sparkling Wines to Celebrate the New Year
Prosecco
The classic, easy-going Italian aperitif – prosecco is quite the household name now for American sparkling drinkers. Yet, there’s more to know about prosecco (and also many more reasons that you should be sipping it on New Year’s!)
First and foremost, prosecco pleases all parties. Seriously, the variety of prosecco – from more fruity to floral dry – gives you plenty of wiggle room to try something new. You can find this sparkling in a range of dryness levels (Brut Nature, Extra Brut, Brut, Extra Dry, and Dry, in order of driest to sweetest.)
But, if you want to be a little fancier this holiday season, opt for a Prosecco DOCG. More specifically, a Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG. This Prosecco comes from the historical production area of Prosecco, a small subzone just north of Venice. The wine is made exclusively from grapes produced in only 15 comuni or municipalities.
Franciacorta
Want to sip Champagne at your New Years’ party? Why not switch it up with Franciacorta – one of Italy’s most seductive sparkling wines?
While some do call it the champagne of Italy, Franciacorta isn’t champagne (as French law protects the name itself and, plus, Italians are definitely the last to want to imitate the French…)
Regardless, Franciacorta wines are made with roughly the same grapes as Champagne (like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir – Pinot Nero in Italian). It is also made in the traditional sparkling method (called metodo classico in Italy) where the wine undergoes a second fermentation, and ages on the lees to develop more complex aromas, usually for at least 15 months.
The result? A complex and luxurious sparkling wine that can range from juicy and fruity to structured and floral. If you like the latter, aim for Franciacorta with more Pinot Nero. Or, if it’s the former, choose a bottle with more Chardonnay!
Southern Italian Sparkling
Now, Northern Italy is most famous for sparkling wines. However, there are producers in the south that like to spice things up by creating their very own bubbly that are surely sparkling wines to celebrate the New Year.
Let’s head to Campania, a region in Southwestern Italy home to the famous pizza margherita, Napoli, and the Amalfi Coast. It is also home to Historia Antiqua, a family-run winery producing exhilarating sparkling wines made with Campania’s historic red grape Aglianico.
Their HAQ Spumante Brut is dry, crisp, and floral – an easy intro to any of your friends who love Prosecco. And, for your ‘rosé all day’ friends – their HAQ Rosé Spumante will be eye-catching in the glass. Throw in some raspberries and you’ll sail brightly into the New Year.
Fortunately, Domenico Winery brings these wines stateside, so you don’t have to head to Italy for them (although, a trip to Italy is never a bad idea!)
Cremant d’Alsace
In the gorgeous French region of Alsace, a delicious cool climate sparkling wine is made. And, its name is Cremant D’Alsace. This sparkling wine stands out with its alluring creaminess complimented by its bright structure and elegance.
Fun fact – Cremant is a term that refers to any sparkling wine made with the traditional method in France that isn’t Champagne. But, what makes Cremant d’Alsace especially different from champagne is the place it’s produced (Alsace) and the grapes used. Unlike Champagne – which is produced from mostly Pinot Noir, Champagne, and Pinot Meunier – Cremant d’Alsace is made from mostly Pinot Blanc. This grape brings lots of zippy energy to this sparkling, along with the body.
The quite rigorous legal requirements for Cremant Alsace yield a wine of excellent quality. And, just because it’s French, doesn’t mean the price point is ultra-fancy, either. Cremant d’Alsace has a stellar price point that makes it quite the steal.
and of course, Champagne!
We have to finish with the classic, because why not? Champagne always knows how to make us feel like royalty. And, what is great about Champagne is it comes in a variety of styles, from super dry Brut Nature to the sweeter demi-sec. There’s something everyone will adore to ring in the New Year!
Did any of these sparkling wines to celebrate the New Year stand out to you? We hope so. And, if you ever have any questions, never hesitate to reach out to us at Domenico Winery. We are always here to help you in your wine-loving journey.
