Opinion: Festive sparklers to ring in the new year

Opinion

Open your fridge, shove those leftover holiday eats to one side and make room for some bubbly to help ring in the new year.

White, pink and red sparkling wine, festive brews, lower- and no-alcohol options, dry and sweet sippers, bargain bubbles and top-tier Champagne — here are a dozen fun fizzy drinks tasted over the last couple of months.

Sparkling crowd-pleasers

Cono Sur NV Chardonnay Brut (Bio-Bio Valley, Chile — $18.99, Liquor Marts and beyond)

There might be just a splash of Pinot Noir in this Chilean bubbly, which is otherwise all Chardonnay; it’s very pale straw in colour and brings green apple skin, lemon-lime zest and chalky aromas. On the mainly dry and light-bodied palate it’s lively and racy, with vibrant acidity and lively bubbles delivering tart citrus, green apple and chalky flavours with a hint of grassiness and a modest-length finish. A solid sparkling wine for the price, especially for fans of bone-dry Spanish cava. 3.5/5

Salentein NV Cuvée Exceptionelle Brut (Uco Valley, Argentina — $22.97, Liquor Marts and beyond)

A Chardonnay-Pinot Noir blend, this Charmat-method sparkling wine is pale pink in appearance, with lovely brioche, strawberry, peach, chalky and red apple aromas. It’s bone-dry, light-bodied and brings vibrant bubbles, with red apple, lemon zest, chalky, tart peach and crunchy red berry notes with moderate acidity and, at 12.5 per cent alcohol, a modest finish. Delicious on its own or would work well with hors d’oeuvres. On sale right now (it’s regular $25.97). 4/5

Fidora Tenute Civranetta Prosecco Extra Dry (Veneto, Italy — $24, Element Wine + Spirits)

This biodynamic Italian prosecco made from the Glera grape offers lovely pear, floral, chalky and red apple notes on the nose. On the mainly dry, light-bodied palate those flavours come through with medium acidity delivered with a lemony splash — it’s a vibrant, lean prosecco that’s tasty on its own but would work in a mimosa or French 75. 3.5/5

Benvolio NV Prosecco (Veneto, Italy — $20.99, The Pourium)

More prosecco, again made from the Glera grape; in this case it’s pale straw in colour and quite fizzy, bringing floral, pear, peach and ripe red apple aromas. It’s light-bodied and dry, with ripe red apple and peach flavours as well as a hint of lemon, very little in the way of sweetness and with hints of chalky, spice notes on the lean, clean finish. 3.5/5

Devaux NV Grande Réserve Champagne (Champagne, France — $39.99/375ml bottles, Liquor Marts and beyond)

A 70-30 blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes, this non-vintage champagne is made from 75 per cent freshly picked grapes and 25 per cent reserve wines aged in oak casks. It’s medium straw in colour, offering loads of bread dough, white peach, ripe red apple and lemon meringue aromas. On the dry, medium-bodied palate the brioche and apple flavours take charge, with secondary spice, peach and white pepper notes adding depth and complexity. The bubbles are fine but lively and the finish long and balanced. Also available in 750ml bottles and very much worth trying. 4.5/5

Not your everyday fizz

Nonsuch 2024 La Saison (Winnipeg — $25/750ml bottle, brewery)

Nonsuch has brewed its original-recipe saison from back when it first released it in 2016-17, albeit this time with the carbonation more under control. Pale gold and hazy with a white head, it brings a lovely nose of apricot, spice, tropical fruit (think papaya), bread dough and a hint of pepper. It’s mainly dry and medium-bodied, offering fantastic bread dough, spice, apricot, tropical fruit and yeasty flavours, with modest bitterness and a long, satisfying finish (it’s 8.4 per cent alcohol). Drink now or tuck some in the cellar to enjoy next New Year’s Eve. Outstanding. 4.5/5

Zeronimo 2023 Sparkling Select (Rust, Austria — $24.50/375ml bottle, The Søbr Market)

This dealcoholized (0.5 per cent) Austrian bubbly is made from Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc grapes. It’s medium straw in colour and aromatically offers lovely pear, lemon zest, bread dough and green apple aromas. The bubbles are bold and racy on the light-bodied palate, with lemon zest, green apple, chalky and tart lime flavours showing very well, while the racy acidity keeps things quite zippy. Very fun and festive stuff; also available in 750ml bottles. 4/5

Medici Ermete & Figli 2022 Concerto Lambrusco (Reggiano, Italy — $16.99, Liquor Marts and beyond)

This organic sparkling Italian red is made from the red Lambrusco grape — it’s inky purple in colour and aromatically offers deep brambly blackberry, blueberry, plum and violet notes. On the mainly dry and medium-bodied palate those dark berry notes show well, delivered with bright effervescence and medium acidity and wrapped in fine, dusty tannins. Will please the palates of both red wine and bubbly fans and is sure to be a conversation starter, especially with wine geeks. Very much worth trying while it’s on sale (it’s regular $19.99). 4/5

Think (and drink) pink

DeBortoli NV Petit Moscato Frizzante (Rutherglen, Australia — $16.99, Liquor Marts and beyond)

Made from the Muscat Rouge à Petits Grains grape, this fizzy wine is pale pinkish orange in colour and brings loads of sweet peach, apricot, floral and candied cherry aromas. It’s light-plus bodied and medium-plus sweet, with peach candy, crème brulée, dried apricot and orange sorbet flavours that are fun along with modest acidity, bright bubbles and a lower seven per cent alcohol level. Currently on sale (it’s regular $19.99). 3/5

Gouguenheim NV Malbec Bubbles Rosé Extra Brut (Mendoza, Argentina — $17.75, Liquor Marts and beyond)

Medium pink in colour, this bubbly made from Malbec grapes sourced from high-altitude vines offers raspberry, cherry and strawberry notes on the nose that are fun and fresh. It’s a light-plus bodied, slightly off-dry sparkling wine that offers loads of ripe red berry and cherry flavours along with lemon zest, delivered with fine bubbles and a dash of red apple on the finish. 3/5

Villa Conchi NV Cava Brut Rosé (Penedes, Spain — $19.99, Liquor Marts and beyond)

Medium pinkish-orange in appearance, this pink cava made from the indigenous Trepat grape offers red apple seed, strawberry and cranberry aromas as well as a hint of spice aromatically. It’s crisp and crunchy, with vibrant bubbles coming with the strawberry and apple flavours, medium acidity and a modest-length finish that comes with a tart cranberry note. Very tasty. 3.5/5

Ployez Jacquemart NV Extra Brut Rosé (Champagne, France — $106.99, Jones & Co.)

Pale salmon-orange in colour, this non-vintage pink champagne is a blend of mainly Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, offering gorgeous bread dough, herbal, raspberry, cherry and chalky aromas, with a hint of peach in there as well. It’s dry and light-plus bodied, with a nice creaminess on the palate that delivers ripe raspberry, cherry and red apple flavours and subtle bread dough and chalky notes, with medium acidity emerging on the palate and a long, lingering finish. Elegant and complex — treat yourself. (And if you want to treat your friends too, this one’s also available in 1.5-litre bottles.) 5/5

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