New Year’s Eve is almost here. What country’s bubbly will you be sipping on to ring in 2012?
Here is a Bubbly Travel Guide for what to toast with at midnight:
Prosecco: Italian sparkling wine with sweeter notes than a champagne. Great for a mixer for New Year’s Day mimosas.
Sparkling Wine: Most bubblies from the US are deemed sparkling wine. Try Gruet 2007 Grand Rose from New Mexico or Townshend Cellar Sparkling Huckleberry wine.
Cava – Spain sparkles with Cava. It is made by the same process as French Champagne and a much better value. Freixenet Cordon Rosado is a readily available, affordable Spanish cava with a lovely blush color. To do it in true Spanish NYE form, have twelve grapes ready to eat with your toast at midnight!
Champagne – To be called Champagne, it must have been grown in the region of Champagne, France. If you want to go big for NYE 2011: Perrier Jouet 2004 Cuvee Belle Epoque or Louis Roederer 2002 Cristal Brut Millesime.
Cremant – Still want to sip the bounty of France but on a budget? Great Cremants come from the regions of Jura, Loire Valley, Burgandy and Alsace.
Sekt – Sparkling wine from Eastern & Northern Europe. Czech Republic’s Bohemia Sekt won 11 medals at San Fransisco International Wine Competition 2010.
Makkoli – A Korean milky rice-wine with a slight effervescence is a nice twist on traditional toasting beverages. Try Kooksoondang Sparkling Makkoli.
How to Open Sparkling Wine or Champagne
Popping is so not posh! When opening a bottle, you do not want it to pop. Follow the old adage of “The lady should sigh, not burp!” per champagne aficionado Lisane Lapointe, VP of Luxury Management Group.
To avoid the vulgarity, hold bottle at an angle propping on your hip for leverage if needed, loosen cage but do not remove it, and gently twist the cork counter clockwise.
Wishing you a wonderful 2012 filled with lots of wanderlusting!