New Year’s Eve at home? 5 sparkling wines to welcome 2022
So you’ve decided to stay home this New Year’s Eve. Now what? Make it special. Treat yourself. Cook your favorite foods and drink your favorite drinks and watch your favorite movies.
And of course, there must be bubbles. I like to think of sparkling wine as not just a celebration drink but also a comfort drink. It’s fitting to pop open the bubbly to welcome 2022, a year we hope will be brighter, but we know better than to count on it (ahem, 2021).
Here are five recommendations for interesting sparkling wines — including Champagne, Lambrusco and a nonalcoholic option — and where to find them in Houston.
And please make sure to pair your bubbly with a big pot of black-eyed peas this year. Gruet Brut Méthode Champenoise ($13)
New Mexico’s Gruet winery has become one of the most reliable bargains when it comes to domestic bubbly. It hits the spot on its own and makes a great mimosa if you have leftovers the next day. “Méthode Champenoise” means it was made with the same technique they use in the Champagne region of France, a rigorous method that adds more complexity to the wine. Where to buy it: Spec’s Lini 910 Lambrusco Rosso ($16)
Through her Lini 910 winery in northern Italy, Alicia Lini set out to prove that Lambrusco doesn’t have to be an overly sweet, frothy beverage. Lini’s wines are elegant yet easy-drinking. They also pair very well with food — especially this fruity, spicy red Lambrusco. Look out for the rest of Lini’s lineup, including her white and rosé Lambruscos. Where to buy it: H-E-B or Central Market Vallformosa Nonalcoholic Cava ($22)
Not drinking alcohol this New Year’s Eve? No problem. More shops and even major retailers are carrying booze-free drinks; Houston even has a new nonalcoholic bottle shop. This bubbly, made by Cava producer Vallformosa, is one of the more successful I’ve had so far. Where to buy it: Sipple , 2410 Quenby Nicole Chanrion Brut Effervescence ($33)
You likely know Beaujolais as a fruity, quaffable red wine. But producers in this southern France region sometimes think outside the box. Nicole Chanrion makes a delicious, fleshy, refreshing sparkling wine from Gamay, the red grape that Beaujolais is known for. This bubbly is also made in the Champenoise method. Where to buy it: The Heights Grocer , 4525 N. Main Pierre Peters Champagne Brut Blanc de Blancs Cuvée de Réserve ($65)
Sometimes, only Champagne will do. Pierre Peters is my go-to producer when I want to splurge on the real deal but can’t justify the $100-plus sticker price of some Champagnes. “Blanc de blancs” means the wine is made with 100 percent Chardonnay, giving it a leaner, crisper profile. Where to buy it: Houston Wine Merchant , 2646 S. Shepherd