What better way to celebrate than with a little sparkle?
While it is encouraged to enjoy Champagne throughout the year, let’s focus on year-end/new year celebration wines that represent the entire “pop, fizz, clink” spectrum. Below are bubbles to add cool, classic, and interesting fizz to winter gatherings. Champers included!
Natural Bubbly
This traditional method sparkling wine is from Catherine Breton, an authority on biodynamic farming and natural winemaking from France’s Loire Valley. She produces this fine sparkling, bone-dry Vouvray, thanks to an extremely low dosage, a rich and complex re-fermentation in bottle, and mouthwateringly appeal from the flinty soil. This wonderful all-purpose, lightly- fizzy sparkler is crisp, dry, delicate, invigorating, and affordable
Catherine et Pierre Breton Vouvray Brut “La Dilettante”
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Jason James Pizza Pizza Bistro (& wine shop)
8680 W. Warm Springs, Las Vegas
$19
Pink Fizz
Bring Lambrusco to the party, and friends will be blushing with this sparkler made in a dry range with minimal detectable sweetness. Produced by the historic Cleto Chiarli winery from the lightest of Lambrusco grapes – Lambrusco di Sorbara – this festive, Italian, rose-hued wine is guaranteed to bring cheerful effervesce to all gatherings. Yes, Lambrusco lives!
Cleto Chiarli Lambrusco di Sorbara “Premium Vecchia Modena” DOC 2019
Where to buy
Website: la.eatalyvino.com
Where: Eataly Las Vegas – check for availability
Cost: $17.90
Women Championing Champers
This family-owned and -run Champagne house from the Montagne de Reims was established in 1942 by Jules Lasalle. Today, it is entirely women-led, driven by his daughter Chantal and granddaughter Angeline, who employ the same strict methods of production established by Mr. Lassalle. Their multi-decade tradition of “une femme, un esprit, un style” (one woman, one spirit, one style) holds true more than ever.
Using the same wooden basket press he installed in the winery over fifty years ago, they press and vinify individual plots separately. This is an overall crowd pleaser of a Champagne made of 60% Pinot Meunier, 20% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Noir (approximate)
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Champagne J. Lasalle Brut “Cuvée Préférence” 1er Cru
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What: Valley Cheese and Wine
Where: 1570 W Horizon Ridge Pkwy #140, Henderson
Cost: $54.99
Bubbles by the Box
Why not have a hand-selected box of six sparkling wines? This is a great value for interesting wines that are not only delicious, but are conversation starters. Owner Kelly Ford Lau is a Las Vegas-based sommelier and proprietor of KellySOMM.com who focuses on delivering small production, low-intervention and high quality beverages directly to your doorstep. Each box is personally-chosen and hand packed. The current Bubbles by the Box from Kelly SOMM.
is a holiday selection of six sparkling wines. “I want to really reward the customers who trust me to build them a high quality subscription style offering that is also educational & fun.” She also welcomes everyone with one-time purchases, but we all know, once is never enough!
The Box includes:
1). Col du Luna ‘Flora’ Prosecco NV – A crushable Prosecco to be enjoyed with food or by itself.
2) Jacky Blot ‘Taille aux Loups’ Brut Tradition NV – A dry and racy 100% Chenin Blanc that aims to shine along a home-made meal that is made in the richer (fattier) style, making it perfect for winter gathering.
3) Domaine Desire Petite Cremant du Jura Brut NV – Enter a biscuity and nutty zone for bubbles. This could very well be a door-opener for those who want to tread among developed palates. From Arbois, Jura, France, it’s 100% Chardonnay.
4) Christian-Etienne ‘Cuvee Tradition’ Brut NV – A boutique grower Champagne that “has a soul you can taste and feel in the glass.” Made with 75% Pinot & 25% Chardonnay.
5) Meinklang ‘Prosa’ Pet Nat Rosé Burgenland, Austria 2020 – A crushable patio wine that can be taken to the office party and fireside, too. The winemaker made this for her wedding so it’s a built-in celebration ready to be popped open.
6) Renardât-Fache ‘Bugey Cerdon’ Savoie, France 2017. A semi-sweet red vintage method ancestral sparkling is made from Poulsard & Gamay. Pairs great with a charcuterie board of aged cheeses & cured meats.
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Who: KellySOMM
What: The BUBBLES by Box (6 bottles)
Website: www.kellysomm.com
Cost: $200
Italian Blanc de Blanc
Finally, every sparkling fan knows that the world of bubbly doesn’t begin and end in the Champagne region. So, let’s go to Franciacorta, Italy. Like Champagne, Franciacorta can only be produced in a specific geographic region and only with particular grape varieties: in Franciacorta’s case, Chardonnay, Pinot Nero, and Pinot Bianco. Franciacorta undergoes the same process in which the wine goes through second in-bottle fermentation, leading to all those bubbles we love so much.
The Monte Rossa P.R. Blanc de Blanc, Brut Franciacorta DOCG is produced exclusively with Chardonnay grapes, harvested by hand, and is refined in the bottle for over 24 months before release. It is a celebratory wine on its own, as it was created to celebrate the winery’s 35 years and to honor its founders, who bear the same initials: Paola Rovetta and Paolo Rabotti. The wine conjugates the fullness, structure, and complexity of vintage wine (35%) and the charm and typical fineness of Chardonnay (65%) coming from the best cru. Pop it open for a fine and elegant celebration that pairs with virtually everything and everyone.
Monte Rossa P.R. Blanc de Blanc, Brut Franciacorta DOCG
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What: Garagiste Wine Room + Merchant
Where: 197 E California Ave Suite 140, Las Vegas
Cost: $96*
*Remember! Champagne Sundays – Half price bottles