I am excited to share that this year’s Sparkling Wine List is fun and unexpected. As someone who loves celebrating mainly with Cava and Prosecco, I expanded my horizons this year. I highly recommend considering all of the Sparkling Wines below as your holiday wine hoices.
To be true to my work as the Cava Ambassador this year, I had the opportunity to taste many styles of Cava, and I am happy to recommend some of my favorites at a great price point. Revist my Prosecco DOCG recommendations and be surprised by the choices of Unexpected Sparkling Wines from different regions of the world.
Holiday Sparkling Wines from WineDivaa’s List are perfect for sharing with friends and family. I suggest getting more than one bottle to celebrate with your loved ones.
Loimer Extra Brut is a Sparkling wine from Austria that hits just right and over-delivers when paired with oysters. This wine is perfect for seafood lovers! It goes well with raw oysters and halibut crudo. It has a refreshing taste with hints of apple and lemon and a dry finish. It’s a great choice if you like your wine to be crisp and lively. You’ll love the long-lasting lemony aftertaste. Loimer Extra Brut is a great wine you can enjoy with appetizers to start the party.
I have been to Rome twice, but the third time, I will visit Abbruzzo to visit Cantina Zaccagnini. Zaccagnini is an iconic producer well-known in the US for their Pinot Grigio. Having tasted their Sparkling Wines for the first time this year, I knew from the first sip that I had to include them in the Sparkling Wine List. Their great value and super distinctive flavor profile is truly Italian, artistic, always young and unique. You will not expect such notes from an Italian Sparkling Wines, both style are very gastronomic.
The Cantina Zaccagnini Rosé Brut is a wine crafted with a blend of Montepulciano and Sangiovese grapes. The wine boasts a beautiful pink color that will catch your eye.
The wine’s aroma is filled with the sweet and fruity scents of cherry, strawberry, and watermelon, an aromatic one. It will surprise your palate with a delicate balance of red berry flavors complemented by a dry and light-bodied taste.
This wine is perfect for various dishes, including sea scallops, cured meats, and fruit tarts. Its light and refreshing taste makes it ideal for a warm summer day or a cozy evening indoors.
This wine is an excellent choice if you enjoy wine with a savory, herbal flavor profile. Unlike some other wines that rely on fruit notes, this wine has a more subtle fruity taste, with a stronger emphasis on the herbal notes. Furthermore, it’s a sparkling wine crafted to be a perfect gastronomic pairing with food, making it an excellent choice for a special occasion like Christmas Brunch or New Year’s Eve.
Their Brut style goes particularly well with charcuterie and olives, which makes it a perfect choice for a party or gathering. It also pairs beautifully with salads or sushi, as the herbal notes of the wine complement the freshness of these dishes. If you’re a fan of seafood, you’ll be happy to know that this wine also pairs exceptionally well with other seafood dishes.
Available here.
In October, I joined the Milano Wine Week 2023 event remotely in the New York Hub at Gato Pardo Italian Restaurant. While walking I Avenue towards the masterclass, I thought, what else can I learn from Prosecco? I had tasted over 70 Proseccos to date. To my surprise, there it was Masottina. Masottina portfolio tasting to remind me that the next wine is the next one you have, and you start to get more specific about terroir. Hence, I am relieved that I keep getting impressed, and this time by Masottina Prosecco Superiore Rive di Ogliano DOCG R.DO. Ponente Brut.
What is unique about this particular Prosecco? This wine is special because it comes from a vineyard that faces the southwest. The place where the grapes grow is called Ogliano, which has a unique character . The wine taste floral as the typical notes of a Prosecco but with a steady finish that expresses finesse that you will not expect. The wine is made from carefully picked white grapes and ages for a few months before it’s ready to drink. It has a slightly spicy taste that gets stronger as it ages.
I got very particular about tasting more Prosecco DOCG this year. Therefore, I am reminding you of Valdo, one of my all-time favorite producers, recently released Valdo Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Brut. Their launch back in June was a grand celebration, and I was thoroughly impressed by the persistent bubbles and elegant finish. If you come across this Prosecco on the shelves, I highly recommend getting multiple bottles for your upcoming Holiday Celebrations.
A few years ago, we discovered the Carneros Sparkling by Excellence, Gloria Ferrer Sonoma Brut, during a trip to Maine. Since then, we have been purchasing it from Total Wines every time we visit. It has a classic taste and is widely available. Whenever I find myself in an unfamiliar liquor store with limited options, I know that if I come across Gloria Ferrer Sonoma Brut, I will be satisfied.
Fast forward to this year, and we discovered that we loved this Sparkling because it is part of the Ferrer Family, the founders of Freixenet Cavas in Spain. Hence, Gloria Ferrer has a significant Spanish influence, and if you know, I am a Cava Ambassador. I love Cava in a big way. Therefore, we accepted the samples and can’t help ourselves ( I am speaking in plural because Luan has become my tasting partner, of course, in Sparkling Wines) to be amazed at their vintage Sparkling Wines, but first, let’s discuss the Rosé Brut.
We tried the Brut Rosé for the first time, and it was amazing! It has a lovely pink color and a unique fruity taste that goes well with different types of food. The wine is made mainly from Pinot Noir grapes, which gives it a strong flavor, and a little bit of Chardonnay is added to make it taste even better and last longer. This will pair deliciously with Cranberry brie bites.
Ten years in the making, Carneros Cuvée is the ultimate expression of Gloria Ferrer’s winemaking expertise and the exceptional quality of the 335-acre Carneros estate. This distinctive blend is a true masterpiece, crafted with precision and care and reserved only for the finest vintage years. After aging for eight years and resting on the cork for no less than six months, this ten-year-old wine boasts an incredibly crisp and complex character that is truly unparalleled.
The 2013 Carneros Cuvée is a stunning example of the beautiful complexity of extended tirage aging. From the very first sip, it is clear that this is a wine of great depth and structure. Moreover, is perfectly balanced by a bright and lively freshness. The palate is alive with zesty citrus notes, complemented by hints of red apple and warm cinnamon spice. It is a remarkable wine embodying the elegance and excellence of Gloria Ferrer Carneros estate vineyards. Such unique wine will carry over the entire Christmas dinner or make it a special moment to toast to 2024!
I enjoyed Champagne Piper Heidseick many times this year. If I had to pick one Champagne to celebrate this year, it would be that one. However, I am not picking Champagne on purpose for the Sparkling Wine List to accomodate space for other Sparkling Wines. But what I am telling you all these?
Getting back into the Holiday Wine List I have been preaching about the American Sparkling for some time. Hence, I had to include Piper Sonoma! Piper Sonoma is the American arm of Piper Heidseick, crafted in Sonoma with Bubbles of excellent quality that are amazing for your cocktails.Check the holiday sparkling wine cocktails suggestions and surprise your guests. But if you prefer to sip it as it is, get a couple of bottles of the versatile Piper Sonoma Blanc de Blancs NV as I describe below it over’delivers.
The winemakers carefully handpicked small blocks of Chardonnay (90%) and Pinot Blanc (10%) grapes and brought them straight to the crush pad. Each parcel was pressed and fermented separately, resulting in a wide range of base wines. After that, the cuvée matured for 36 months before being disgorged. A small amount of older reserve wine was included in the dosage to add a unique touch. The result is a beautiful Blanc de Blanc with a pale straw color and tiny bubbles dancing on your tongue.
Indulge in the exquisite taste of this unique Cava, crafted from the finest autochthonous grape of Catalonia, Trepat, as you take a sip, delicate aromas of juicy peach, succulent nectarine, refreshing watermelon, and a zesty hint of citrus. The moderate stone fruits on the palate and the refreshing citrus notes make it a perfect choice for a celebratory toast over a platter of crunchy nuts. This Cava pairs exceptionally well with rice-based dishes such as the classic Spanish paella or creamy risotto, making it an ideal choice for a first course or a celebratory toast.
Ars Collecta, a wine brand from Codorniu, has been making waves in the New World for almost a year now. With nearly five centuries of winemaking expertise, Ars Collecta has become a symbol of a classic yet modern approach to Cava Rosé. For instance, the base grape for this Cava Rosé is Pinot Noir. Second, is blended with Trepat and Xarel·lo to create a unique and delicious taste.
If you’re looking for the perfect pairing, Ars Collecta Cava Rosé tastes great with camembert, goat cheese, or brie. However, to make it a truly memorable experience, pair it with croquetas españolas, fried fish, or vegetable tempura. The combination of flavors will leave a lasting impression on your taste buds at the end of the year.
Pares Balta Bianca Cuisine 2013 is not your average Cava or sparkling wine; it has been aged for ten years, and the result is truly remarkable. The aging process has given this Cava a unique character that is not for everyone but only for those who appreciate the complexity of a well-aged wine.
When you take a sip of Pares Balta Bianca Cuisine, you will be greeted with a burst of flavors that will tantalize your taste buds. The accentuated brioche notes, dried fruits, and fine bubbles will dance on your palate, leaving a lasting impression. The finesse of this Cava is unmatched, and it is a testament to the winemaker’s skill and dedication.
This is not a Cava that you would want to share with just anyone. It is a wine that deserves to be savored with your favorite friends or, even better, with your wine friends or connoisseurs who will appreciate the aging notes and the complexity of this remarkable Cava. So, if you are passionate about wine and enjoy exploring new flavors, then Pares Balta Bianca Cuisine is a must-try. In New York is available at DESPANA VINOS Y MÁS.
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