By Andy Hutchison

Corks will be flying in about a week. Business at liquor stores picks up this time of year as customers shop for bubbling beverages to celebrate at holiday parties, gift giving, and to ring in the New Year. Liquor store owners report noticeable increases in business beginning around Thanksgiving but, with the most significant turn of the calendar fast approaching, the busiest week for these stores is just ahead.

"The biggest time is going to come next week when everybody has to have a bottle of something sparkling to pop for New Year's," notes Brian Hutcheson, general manager and wine manager at Yankee Wine & Liquor in Queen Street Shopping Center.

Whether your budget is under $10 or over $200, there are options for a wide variety of sparkling wines, the most popular including Champagnes, Cavas, and Proseccos, notes Chris Van Steen, owner of Cork N Barrel Wine, Spirits & Liquor located at 228 South Main Street

.

These are all sparkling wines - Champagnes come from Champagne, France; Cavas from Spain; and Proseccos made in Italy. The bubbly beverages actually referred to as sparkling wines are made much closer to home - many in California wine country, and some in New Mexico, for example.

There are plenty of options in terms of types of wines, each offering different flavor characteristics, and some of the lesser expensive options are good for those who want to mix their own drinks, Mr Van Steen said.

According to

totalwine.com, Champagne and most sparkling wines indicate their level of sweetness on the label. Look for these key words, which describe wines from driest to sweetest:

Brut: This is a wine with no perceptible sweetness. It will go well with food, because of the low sugar level and bright acidity.

Extra Dry: Surprise! This wine is actually slightly sweet, not as dry as Brut. There is just enough residual sugar on the palate to make it noticeable, but not so much to be cloying.

Sec: This wine labeled with the French word for "dry" is sweeter than Extra Dry.

Demi-Sec: This is a fully sweet sparkling wine, often served with dessert.

Taste And Budget Factor In

So which one should you shop for?

"It's a matter of taste," points out Will Soto, Jr, owner of Premier Wine & Spirits, 125 B South Main Street

, which opened for business less than a month ago.

Budget is another factor, and liquor store owners note that less expensive does not always mean an inferior option.

"A lot of people gravitate to Prosecco just because of the value that you're getting for the quality of sparking wine," said Mr Van Steen, adding that Proseccos can cost under $10 up to about $20. He listed LaLuca, Mionetto, LaMarca, Riondo, Cupcake, and Santa Margherita as popular offerings.

Mr Hutcheson describes Proseccos as becoming popular in the last four years, thus bringing more people who once did not drink sparkling wines into the world of bubbly beverages.

"It's more refreshing and more versatile, and the price points are $10 to $15 for Proseccos as opposed to $30 to $60 for Champagnes," Mr Hutcheson adds.

Cavas, similarly, are a good value - at around $10 to $15 - consumers go for, Mr Hutcheson adds.

If you insist on just popping a bottle of sparkling wine for New Year's, Andre California Champagne can be had for $6 at Yankee Wine & Liquor.

"A lot of people come in and say they just need something to pop just because it's New Years, not to drink," Mr Hutcheson says.

There are some Champagnes available for approximately $15, but bottles can cost as much $200 or so at area shops. The lower-end priced selections include Nicolas Feuillatte and Canard-Duchene, which Mr Van Steen said are the number one and number two sold Champagnes in France, respectively. Another of the lesser expensive Champagnes is Veuve Cliquot, which Mr Van Steen describes as the most-marketed selection around. Mr Soto describes Veuve Cliquot as one that "sells itself."

Sparkling wines and Cavas are both priced under $10 up to $30 plus, Mr Van Steen said. For those willing to spend as much as $150 or $200 Moet Dom Perignon and Louis Roederer Cristal are higher-end options.

Peter Moeller, of the family-owned Fairgrounds Wine & Spirits in Sand Hill Plaza, said Perrier-Jouet Grand Brut, for $45, is a popular Champagne customers shop for. "It's just a flat-out recognizable brand," Mr Moeller said.

The meaning of Gruet Blanc De Noirs is a white wine made from dark grapes. Mr Moeller explains that the skin is what gives wine its color, and the skin is removed from dark grapes for this selection.

Moet & Chandon Imperial Champagne is around $42 at Premier Wine & Spirits. "That is your staple," Mr Soto said. Other examples of Champagnes that are popular, according to Mr Soto, are Roederer Estate for $25 and Baron Albert Brut for $40. Baron Albert Brut has a higher concentration of Pinot Meunier. Korbel is a popular sparkling wine from California, which can be used to mix drinks or consumed on its own, Mr Soto notes. Fila Dora is a Prosecco, for $14, that sells well, Mr Soto said. He adds that Proseccos are on the sweeter side and that Champagnes tend to be drier, with some exceptions.

Mr Van Steen said holiday sales range from "dinner wine parings, gift baskets for family and friends, and work colleagues, as well as business associates," and estimates that sales are up about 50 percent from the stretch between Thanksgiving and New Year's.

90 + Cellars, through the Latitude Beverage Company in Brighton, Mass., makes its wines a bit differently than some.

"They go to the vineyards, they buy the extra juice, and they bottle their own wine," said Mr Moeller, adding that other companies do this as well, but noting "They've taken it to the next level."

For those looking for nonalcoholic options, there are a variety of bubbly ciders and other beverages from which to choose. Fre Brut nonalcoholic sparkling wine and Martinelli's 100 percent juice sparkling ciders are two options widely available in area supermarkets.

Whether breaking the bank for a bottle of Champagne or looking for that bargain bubbly, there is no time like the holidays to celebrate with sparkling beverages. Get ready to pop into the New Year!