Ring in the New Year by toasting with top Champagnes, sparkling wines

Drink Great Wine

By: Mark C. Johnson | For The New Mexican
Published online: Tuesday, December 27, 2011

This is my holiday hope for all of you in the coming year. This month, we dive into what are considered by many to be the most luxurious wines in the world. Regardless if it's Champagne, Cava, prosecco or some other bubbly, wines with bubbles and effervescence accentuate celebrations and special moments.

While there is no way to pinpoint when the Champagne toast became the second most common tradition associated with New Year's (next to smoochin'), both the drink and the holiday share a long and illustrious history. Celebrating the new year dates back 4,000 years in Babylonia. The idea of having bubbles in white wines began to gain popularity during the 18th century in the Champagne region of France, and by the 19th century, advances in the production of sparkling wine made it more widely available, and this wine became popular throughout Europe. Many of the great Champagne houses we know today were established during this time.

By the start of the 20th century, wines with bubbles were produced all over the world under the name "Champagne." This new plethora of sparklers made it difficult to determine the quality of the wine, and in the 1980s, laws were passed to restrict the name "Champagne" to that particular region in France. That's why today we call wines from any other region or country, "sparkling."

So, for that matter, does a glass of the good stuff taste sweet or dry? In Champagne's early days, sweetness was in vogue. It wasn't until Perrier-Jouet introduced a sparkling wine with no added sugar in 1846 that the first "brut" Champagne was born. The critics panned it for being too aggressive and, well, "brut-like," but the name — like the style — stuck.

Mont Marcal Brut Reserva

Region: Cava, Spain M.V.
The first of our three Spanish Cavas has a light straw color and tiny bubbles. The aromas don’t jump out of the glass, but invite you in with poached pears, citrus and a hint of dried straw. It’s a bit waxy in the mouth with riper fruits and a touch of nuttiness. This is followed by notes of macadamias and apples, which both linger on the finish.

Marqués de Gelida Brut Exclusive Reserva

Region: Cava, Spain
Year: 2007
This wine, which hails from a region near Barcelona, shows a light yellow color. On the nose, you are assailed by red pears, candied lemons and fresh brioche. It’s a bit fuller on the palate and has both fruit and bread flavors. The bright, medium finish closes in on the lemons.

Gramona Gran Cuvée

Region: Cava, Spain
Year: 2008
Another vintage Cava, and this one is more yellow in color. The aromas start off with vanilla and lemon custard and includes a bit of nuttiness. The same aromas translate to flavors in the mouth, but it’s lighter in body compared to the Gelida. The finish also has a sharper focus on those flavors.

Cleto Charli Brut de Noir

Region: Italy M.V.
Our only rosé shows off a light cherry blossom pink color. On the nose, there are lovely cranberries, wild strawberries and rose hips. This follows through in the mouth with bright red fruits, burnt orange and a juicy, lingering finish. This might be the perfect by-the-fireside-with-that-special-someone wine.

Canella Prosecco

Region: Italy M.V.
This wine has just a touch of straw color with a nose that hints of bright citrus, green apple and candy circus peanuts. In the mouth, it’s clean and refreshing. The finish is quick and simple — save a bottle to go with OJ and eggs in the morning. This bottle comes in at a price point that will allow you to serve it to a large party of friends at the stroke of midnight.

Gloria Ferrer Sonoma

Region: California Brut M.V.
As one of the first domestic sparklers, this sparkling wine starts off with a light color that barely reveals a hint of lemon yellow. The nose leads with stone fruits, kiwi and overripe lemon. It’s a bit heavy in the mouth with peaches leading the way, followed by lemons that dominate the finish.

Chandon Brut M.V.

Region: California M.V.
This wine starts off with a light straw color and has a greenish hue on the rim. The floral nose is accented with aromas of clementine and almond. It steps gingerly on the tongue showing orange blossoms and meringue, finally settling in on a candied citrus finish.

Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Champagne

Region: France M.V.
This is one of my personal favorites from a smaller house in the Champagne region. The wine has a pale yellow color with very small beads of bubbles that rush to the top of the glass. Granny Smith apples and a touch of toasty toffee nuts highlight the nose. It’s crisp but mouth-filling on the palate with pear and toast flavors.

Duval-Leroy Brut Champagne

Region: France M.V.
This Champagne starts off with a more yellow color and an aggressive mousse foaming at the top of the glass. There’s a strong presence of lemon sorbet, almond and fresh bread. It’s filling in the mouth and follows the same pattern of citrus, nuts and pastries all the way through the finish.

Ruinart Blanc de Blanc Champagne

Region: France M.V.
For the pièce de résistance, we have this 100 percent Chardonnay wine with a luminescent yellow color and the most persistent bubbles of the day. The nose is a mix of poached pears, French toast and brioche. It’s surprisingly full on the palate for a blanc de blanc, with honeyed apples and lemon zest. The finish is sharp and focused on a myriad of flavors without losing balance.