New Year’s Eve is the ideal occasion to enjoy Champagne. Whether it’s the intriguing, elegant bubble in the glass or the romance of midnight toasts, it is unquestionably the drink of celebrations. Champagne adds traditional sparkle.
From Dom Perignon’s famous “Brothers, brothers, come quickly for I am drinking stars” to war-fueled discovery that coal burns hotter and thus produces stronger glass than wood, Champagne has held our fascination for centuries.
Champagne is made from a specific combination of grapes grown in France’s cool-climate vineyards. By law, only wine produced in the Champagne region of northeast France can be called Champagne. But many quality sparkling wines are made using the same combination of grapes and produced using the same method.
Pinot noir provides structure, body and a delicate fruit character while chardonnay contributes floral and fruit components. Pinot meunier is responsible for the hallmark aroma.
The complex process of producing sparkling wine is the main contributing factor when it comes to the cost of higher-quality bottles. The longer and slower the winemaking process, the more expensive and complex the final wine style will be. If you add the bubbles quickly by artificial methods, the result is a simple style, while adding them slowly, naturally and elaborately results in a more complex wine and a higher price tag.
For many of us, it simply isn’t New Year’s Eve without the famous sparkling wine.
So whether you are chanting the midnight countdown on New Year’s Eve or quietly celebrating with intimate friends, bubbly is perfect for toasting the beginning of a new year!
THE VALUE
- NV Piper Sonoma Brut, California (about $20 retail)
THE SPLURGE
- NV Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, Reims, France (about $65 retail)