There is probably no holiday period more inviting to popping a bottle of bubbly than the end of the year.  The great thing about sparkling wines is that there is so much diversity in style and price, there’s something for everyone, from the classic Champagne to the Cremant (French sparkling wine made outside the Champagne region) to the non-French style of sparkling wine. 

Sparkling wine, however, is not just for celebratory occasions.  It's lively personality is refreshing and cleansing when paired with spicy and fried foods.  Want to try a fun combo?  Try sparkling wine with egg dishes for brunch.  The Blanc de Blancs will tease your palate with aromas of brioche, vanilla, caramel, cinnamon and citrus notes while its sibling, the Blanc de Noirs, will inject some raspberry and cherry.  The Rose style offers a little lighter palate, often with strawberry, cherry and fresh baked bread nuances alongside apple, fig and ginger.

One of the best quality for values going in domestic sparkling wine are those from Gruet in New Mexico (www.gruetwinery.com).   They offer non-vintage styles from Blanc de Blanc to Blanc de Noirs, Rose, Demi-sec and more.  Pricing starts in the teens for non-vintage with the vintage and reserves running between $25 and $45.   I have written about Schramsberg in the past (www.schramsberg.com).  From California, these are just delicious wines and usually range from the mid $20’s for the Mirabelle to ~$40 for the Blanc de Blanc.  Simply stated, you can’t go wrong with this storied producer.  Other names to look for are Mumm, Gloria Ferrer, Moet & Chandon, Roderer Estate and Korbel.