Henkell Trocken 1

The Top Ten Champagnes to Ring in the New Year

New Year’s Eve is quickly approaching and the best drink to serve at your party is the classic wine that is used to celebrate special occasions: Champagne. Whether it’s the “true” Champagne from France or a delightful sparkling white wine from one of the other superior wine producing regions of the country, if you choose one of the bubblies from our list, your selection is likely to be a hit with all of your guests.

There are a few things to keep in mind when serving Champagne: it’s best served at about 460F or 7.50C and should be poured in tall flute shaped glasses so that it keeps as many of its delicious bubbles for as long as possible. Furthermore, it should be opened gently so that it keeps as much of its characteristic fizziness; popping the cork will make the beverage lose its bubbles. Finally, glasses should not be chilled; the subtle flavours will be eliminated if it gets too cold.

So, without any further ado, here are the Top Ten Champagnes for New Year’s Eve; we’ll start our list with sparkling white wines.

Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut
Price: About $10 USD
Type and Country of Origin: Sparkling white wine, Spain
Character: Dry and crisp, with citrus flavors
Serve with: Alone as an apéritif or with appetizers and seafood.

Just because this sparkling wine is inexpensive doesn’t mean it’s cheap or of inferior quality; Freixenet is a real crowd pleaser that will make wine novices and experts alike very happy.

Cordoniu Cava Brut Anna de Cordoniu
Price: About $18 USD
Type and Country of Origin: Sparkling white wine, Spain
Character: Clean, “biscuity” flavor, with a very light sweet note, yet still dry. Fruity notes.
Serve with: Alone as an apéritif or with a sweet dessert.

As far as reviews go, if you’re looking for a nice inexpensive sparkling wine that’s superior in quality to others in the same price range, you cannot go wrong with a bottle of Cava Anna.

Henkell Trocken
Price: About $10 USD
Type and Country of Origin: Sparkling white wine, Germany
Character: Crisp, with light melon and apple notes
Serve with: Alone as an apéritif cocktail or as the toasting wine to be used at midnight

A classic German sparkler that’s popular in restaurants in Canada and the U.S. when milestone events are held, if you’re looking for something affordable yet special, Henkell Trocken is a solid choice.

Hillebrand Trius Brut
Price: About $20 USD
Type and Country of Origin: Sparkling white wine, Canada
Character: Fruity aroma reminiscent of citrus with a nice long finish
Serve with: Appetizers, especially seafood or alone as an apéritif

While most wine connoisseurs may think of Canada as a producer of the heavier, sweeter ice wines, this almost surprising entry in the Top Ten list proves that this northern wine producer can more than hold its own in the sparkling wine industry.

Jansz Premium Cuvee Brut
Price: About $30 USD
Type and Country of Origin: Sparkling white wine, Australia
Character: Dry, clean, with an intriguing complexity consisting of the merest hint of fig.
Serve with: Alone or as the wine to toast the New Year at midnight.

Australia is another country that is making surprisingly good sparkling white wines. Usually known for big reds such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz, this southern hemisphere nation is giving traditional French Champagne some big competition.

And now, the French Champagnes. While they are more expensive, bottles of Champagne from the famous French wine producing region really do make special occasions even more memorable.

Krug Grande Cuvee Champagne Brut
Price: About $200 USD
Type: Champagne (white)
Character: Velvety, with hints of vanilla and exotic touches of ginger and coconut
Serve with: Food that is lighter in texture or as a sipping wine for the entire evening

In this case, price does reflect the quality; Krug Grande Cuvee Brut is perhaps THE all-round classic Champagne that is the preferred choice of wine experts. If you really want to splurge on New Year’s Eve, this is the beverage you want to serve to your guests.

Veuve Clicquot Brut
Price: About $60 USD
Type: Champagne (white)
Character: Nicely balanced and dry, with citrus and fruit notes and a delightfully unexpected soupçon of bread dough.
Serve with: Alone as a beverage before a meal, with seafood or with savory pastries.

While this drink is often served as an apéritif, there are those who claim that pairing Veuve Clicquot Brut with quiche or a pastry-based main course such as Salmon Wellington is simply divine.

Perrier Jouet Grand Brut
Price: About $50 USD
Type: Champagne (white)
Character: Golden straw color with a subtle taste and aroma of freshly cut apples; crisp on the finish.
Serve with: Alone as a sipping wine or as an accompaniment to main courses consisting of seafood or chicken.

If you want to keep your wine list simple for your New Year’s Party, then Perrier Jouet Grand Brut is the Champagne you’re looking for. Incredibly versatile, if can be an apéritif or can be paired with an incredible variety of appetizers and main courses.

Louis Roederer Brut Rose 1998
Price: About $65 USD
Type: Champagne (rosé)
Character: Flavors of plum, strawberries and cherries, very full bodied; deep golden salmon color and “biscuity” texture, lots of fine bubbles
Serve with: Salmon, lamb, veal, game, soft cheeses, and desserts featuring red fruit; can also be served as a crowd-pleasing sipping wine.

If you need a wine that will please a diverse crowd, this rosé Champagne, which is the only one on the Top Ten list, will certainly fit the bill. Like Perrier Jouet Grand Brut, it’s versatile and presents a lovely twist on the classic Champagne.

And the top Champagne to serve on New Year’s Eve…

Moet & Chandon Dom Perignon
Price: About $175 USD
Type: Champagne (white)
Character: Beautiful mineral flavors with hints of citrus; a long finish that connoisseurs describe as “toasty”
Serve with: Seafood, especially oysters or serve alone as an apéritif

If you’re going to go all out this New Year’s Eve with an exquisite meal consisting of the finest oysters and seafood delights, then you simply must have this classic French Champagne. The oldest brand of Champagne on the market, this is truly the beverage you need to drink in order to “taste the stars.”