Bubbles are always particularly appreciated on festive occasions and are a must on 31 December, at the moment of transition between the old year and the new one. However, among so many choices, it may not be easy to find your way around: Champagne, Prosecco or Cava? Here's how to choose the best sparkling wine for New Year's Eve!
Prosecco: the Italian sparkling wine that brings everyone together
Territorial identity is a trait that characterises almost all wines, but in the case of Prosecco it is so relevant that it has given rise to something unique, often referred to as a separate product from the rest of the bubbles. Prosecco is a specific denomination of sparkling wine that takes its name from the small Trieste municipality of Prosecco, but which today can be produced in several areas between Veneto and Friuli Venezia-Giulia. The method used for sparkling wine is Charmat (with first and second fermentation in an autoclave) while the grapes used must belong to the Glera variety.
Its uniqueness compared to other sparkling wines - especially the Metodo Classico - is expressed above all in its delicate aromatic profile that is not very complex to interpret. This wine is also an excellent choice for those seeking quality without spending too much, making it an excellent choice among all possible sparkling wines for New Year's Eve.
'Arzanà' Prosecco Cartizze Superiore DOCG
From the prestigious sub-zone of Cartizze, in the province of Treviso, comes an unmissable Prosecco for New Year's Eve, fresh, lively and with a surprising aromatic charge: 'Arzanà' Prosecco Cartizze Superiore DOCG.
Its versatility makes it perfect for many contexts, but it is above all tasty appetisers and aperitifs that create the right occasion to uncork it (at a temperature of 8°C), such as seafood salads, fried chicken, nachos with various sauces, cauliflower croquettes or tasty pigs in blankets: the limit is the imagination!
Characterised by an elegant, clear straw yellow colour, it displays in the glass a riot of aromas ranging from hints of white flowers to fruity notes of peach, apple, banana and lemon, with soft hints of hazelnut and bread crust.
On the palate, it offers sweet confectionery flavours, nicely counterbalanced by an acidulous, almondy note.
'Il Fresco' Prosecco Doc Rosé Millesimato
Delicacy and simplicity are central elements in Prosecco, even in its pink vinified counterpart. In a goblet of 'Il Fresco' Prosecco Doc Rosé Millesimato, characterised by its rosy-pink colour, one can enjoy a bewitching aromatic charge of red fruits, pomegranate and rose, while on the palate it is velvety and persistent, with a fine perlage that tickles the mouth and invites one to take another sip.
Excellent for both the start and end of the evening, this excellent New Year's Eve wine can be paired with an aperitif of not-too-flavoured cheeses or with a rich tray of pastries to celebrate the arrival of the New Year. To be served at 10°C.
Cava: the energy of Spain directly in the flûte!
While Italy and France take the lion's share of the international bubbly scene, Spain is also busy with its Cava.
This sparkling wine owes a great deal to the French méthode champenoise - from which it originated, following its importation to Spain in the 17th century - but over time it has taken on a unique territorial identity, starting with the decision to use the indigenous Macabeo, Xarel-lo and Parellada grapes.
Produced almost everywhere in the country, with a predilection for a small area in Catalonia, Cava has different organoleptic characteristics depending on the degree of ageing, offering the senses fresh fruity and citrus notes in the younger specimens and deeper, more complex and structured notes in the longer-aged products.
'Masia Salat' Cava Brut Nature Organic
A New Year's Eve based on sushi and sashimi may not respect tradition, but it turns the New Year's eve into an elegant and original evening, to be savoured bite by bite. In the face of this gastronomic choice, an excellent sparkling wine is needed for the New Year's toast, to accompany uramaki and nigiri without overpowering their rather delicate flavours.
The ideal candidate is a 'Masia Salat' Cava Brut Nature Organic, characterised by a straw-yellow colour tending towards greenish and a delicate bouquet of white-fleshed fruit, with notes of apple and pear, softened by hints of dried fruit, fresh bread, citrus fruits and Mediterranean herbs. The taste reveals a surprising balance between sweetness and acidity, and a persistence that accompanies the entire tasting, traits that can be enhanced with a low serving temperature, between 6°c and 8°c.
Cava Gran Reserva Brut Nature 2015
It would be a shame to experience Cava without at least once trying a Gran Reserva, one of the varieties subjected to a longer period of ageing, which in the case of the label proposed by svinando - the Cava Gran Reserva Brut Nature 2015 - is at least 48 months.
So much patience is rewarded with an aromatic identity that does not leave you indifferent and that puts the scents of dried fruit, peach, apple and apricot in the foreground, deep and powerful. The same energy can be perceived on the palate, through hints of thyme, rosemary, coffee, bread crust and a hint of spice that makes the taste even more special.
How, however, should this excellent sparkling wine be paired to best celebrate? Served at around 8°C (or after chilling for a maximum of 24 hours) it goes well with a variety of recipes, from full-bodied meat pies in the Anglo-Saxon tradition to baked fish fillets, and is also suitable for winter desserts such as gingerbread men, spice cakes and puddings.
Which bubbly to choose for a luxurious New Year's Eve? A Champagne!
The name Champagne is often accompanied by a kind of reverential awe. Luxurious, elegant and famous both at home and abroad, this French wine was born in the 17th century from what was to become the reference method for the finest sparkling wines: the méthode champenoise, whereby the fermented wine undergoes a second fermentation in the bottle in contact with carefully selected yeasts, giving the product its typical bread and brioche aromas, more structured and complex than Charmat Method sparkling wines, but still delicate and refreshing.
However, the production specifications are not limited to cellar processing, but touch on precise identity issues: only sparkling wines produced within the borders of the Champagne region can be defined as Champagne.
This rigidity protects the ancient territorial identity of this sparkling wine, creating an image of prestige suited to the most demanding palates and those who are not afraid to spend a little more on their purchase.
Champagne Bruno Paillard Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut Grand Cru
With Champagne Bruno Paillard Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut Grand Cru, one immediately realises that one is in front of a precious wine, as soon as it is poured into the glass and one's eyes rest on the refined pale golden yellow colour. Of unparalleled elegance, this excellent wine to pair with New Year's Eve offers the senses a fresh, mineral bouquet, with a savouriness that is almost reminiscent of the sea. And in the sea it indeed seeks its ideal pairings, going well with crudités of fish and shellfish, lobster among them.
So anyone looking for a good sparkling wine for a New Year's Eve dinner will be on the safe side with this!
The iodine scents are accompanied by aromas of white flowers and lemon, which evolve - when the product is allowed to breathe - into hints of toasted bread and almonds. The sip is equally surprising, fresh and mineral, with notes of white-fleshed fruit and citrus fruits, which linger in the glass when served at a temperature of around 10°C.
Champagne Bollinger PN VZ19 Blanc de Noirs Brut
Blanc de Noirs are sparkling wines made from the white vinification of red grape varieties, according to a production process that does not give the product a pink colour, but is reflected in its more complex structure and red fruit aromas.
This is the case with Champagne Bollinger PN VZ19 Blanc de Noirs Brut, in which the characteristics of Pinot Noir - used in purity - give rise to lively primary aromas of gooseberry, followed by hints of quince, citrus and a sweet hint of honey. The taste is rich and satisfying, characterised by a softness that caresses the palate, surprising it immediately after a citrus note and a touch of bitterness.
This Champagne lends itself well to the role of sparkling wine for celebrating New Year's Eve, accompanying festive stuffed turkey, stews, casseroles, sausages, roast beef, roast pork and many other recipes suitable for the winter period. Serve at an ideal temperature of 10°C.
Is choosing the right wine for New Year's Eve making you confused? Explore the Svinando catalogue to clear your head!