Good Champagne:

A Primer For New Year’s Eve And After

What is good Champagne? As with so many things in life, the answer is: it depends.

First allow me to take a quick diversion about terminology. In the wine community, Champagne refers only to the sparkling wine produced in the Champagne region of France from the Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay grapes. Everything else from around the world is sparkling wine.

In the US, the words champagne and sparkling wine are often used interchangeably. Brut is actually drier than Extra Dry. Spumante is the Italian word for sparkling wine. Many people speaking of Spumante actually mean Asti, which is a popular, sweet sparkling wine from the northern Italian town of the same name.

The choice of bubbly to toast the new year can meet any budget. The bulk method sparkling wines are the least expensive choice.

Moving up the price ladder will introduce you to Spanish sparkling wines known as Cava, which are often popular choices for Mimosas.

Prosecco from northern Italy is becoming more and more popular each year. It is available in frizzante or lightly sparkling as well as spumante or full sparkling.

Authentic Bellini cocktails are made with peach nectar and Prosecco.

Finally we come to the California sparkling wines. In addition to many home grown brands, most of the French Champagne houses also produce California sparkling wines bearing their name.

If you decide that New Year’s Eve calls for something French, you choices are still incredibly numerous. The basic style of a Champagne house is found in their brut non-vintage blends or cuvees. French Rose Champagnes are often delicate, elegant and quite lovely to look at as they bubble away in your flute.

In the best years, Champagne houses produce vintage Champagnes that are usually richer and age better than their non-vintage counterparts.

Finally, when price is no object, the tete de Cuvee Champagnes represent the pinnacle of the winemaker’s art for that particular Champagne producer.

The differences in taste between the numerous sparkling wines can be quite subtle. The prestige of a producer can also be very influential in one’s New Year’s Eve choice. Whatever you may be drinking, may I propose a toast to all: A healthy, happy and prosperous New Year.

(Newtown resident and wine enthusiast Steve Small is the general manager at Yankee Wine & Spirits on Queen Street.)