Some of the sparkling wines and Champagnes recommended this week. (Photo by Ken Ross)

This time of year, one particular type of wine often takes center stage – sparkling wine.

From holiday parties to New Year’s Eve toasts, family gatherings to other celebrations, many people will be raising a glass of sparkling wine this month.

This is why I have made a point about writing about sparkling wine this time of year since I first started writing this wine column 11 years ago in 2012.

Let me add that I’ve been urging people to drink sparkling wine throughout the year for even longer as well. Why just wait until now to enjoy something that tastes so good?

So which sparkling wines should you serve? And what’s the difference between Champagne, Prosecco, Cava and other popular sparkling wines?

This week, you can find the answers to all these questions, along with recommendations for several sparkling wines from around the world.

Some of these sparkling wines cost under $20 a bottle. Others cost a lot more. But all of them have one thing in common. They all taste terrific!

Hope you enjoy.

HISTORY OF SPARKLING WINE

First, it’s important to understand that sparkling wine is made with grapes just like any other wine. More in a bit about which grapes are used to make sparkling wine, but just wanted to clear up any possible confusion, which is easy when it comes to wine, which can often be overwhelming. References to sparkling wine with bubbles date back to ancient Greek and Roman times, when people reportedly thought the bubbles were due to other-worldly factors, including the phases of the moon and good or evil spirits. Modern sparkling wine dates back to the 1660s, when a monk named Dom Perignon created Champagne. Thank you, Dom!

WHERE BUBBLES COME FROM

Three crucial constituents contribute to the fizziness in sparkling wine – sugar, yeast, and time. Various elements are mixed with wine during the fermentation process, among them sugar and yeast. However, time is equally influential. A significant number of sparkling wines are aged for extended periods, typically months or even years, in the wine producers’ storage areas or extensive caves located beneath the earth’s surface. Generally, vintners develop sparkling wine by introducing yeast and sugar to the wine that’s already bottled. These bottles are then systematically rotated for a span ranging from several months to a good couple of years before they can be made available in the market. Sparkling wine production is achieved through various methodologies. Nevertheless, this specific process is a preferred method by many and appropriately labeled the ‘traditional method.’

KEY REGIONS FOR SPARKLING WINE

A widespread misconception about sparkling wine is that its name is derived from its place of production. Contrarily, not all sparkling wine can be classified as Champagne. The term ‘Champagne’ represents a distinct geographical location where this particular beverage is produced, that being the Champagne region in France.

Furthermore, two other types of sparkling wines are also designated based on their areas of production. Prosecco is a form of Italian sparkling wine that originates from the Veneto region, close to Venice in Italy. Conversely, Cava is a type of Spanish sparkling wine, primarily sourced from the Penedes region in proximity to Barcelona, Spain.

So in short, Champagne, Prosecco and Cava only come from specific places and nowhere else. You can also find many great sparkling wines from other parts of France, California, Argentina, Canada and practically anywhere in the world.

DRY VS. SWEET SPARKLING WINE

Perhaps more than any other wine, sparkling wines cover a huge range – from very sweet to very dry. What makes sparkling wine so confusing is some so-called “dry” wines are actually quite sweet.

The more sugar there is in a sparkling wine, the sweeter it tastes. There are six basic levels of sweetness. From sweetest to driest, the six different sweetness levels for sparkling wines are:

SPARKLING WINE GRAPES

Winemakers use many different types of grapes to make sparkling wine. Some of the most common grapes, particularly in France’s Champagne region, include:

Certain grapes are also often used to make other types of sparkling wine. Prosecco is made with glera grapes, which used to be called prosecco grapes. Cava is generally made with macabeo, parellada and xarello grapes but can be made with other grapes as well.

VINTAGE vs. NON VINTAGE

Occasionally, you might notice that some sparkling wines have a year marked on the label. This refers to the specific year in which the grapes for that wine were harvested. If so, this indicates that the sparkling wine comes from a specific Vintage. However, the majority of sparkling wines are Non-Vintage, implying that the grapes originate from more than one year.

SPARKLING WINE TASTING NOTES

UNITED STATES

Gruet Brut Rose ($17.99 at Table & Vine in West Springfield and various other locations)

(New Mexico, USA)

New Mexico isn’t a place you’d expect to find a great, dry sparkling wine. But Gruet has been defying expectations for decades, making crisp, delightfully dry sparkling wines like this rose of the desert.

J Vineyards Cuvée 20 ($40 Suggested Retail Price)

(Russian River Valley, California)

Created in the cool, coastal climate of California’s Russian River Valley, this delightful sparkling wine has a rich blend of subtle flavors, including hints of raspberry, cherry and peach, along with toasty, nuttier notes as well. Absolutely delightful.

SOUTH AMERICA

Domaine Bousquet Charmat Brut ($13 SRP)

(Mendoza, Argentina)

Another home run from one of the world’s best producers of consistently good, affordable, dry wines. This sparkling wine made with a blend of 75 percent chardonnay and 25 percent pinot noir grapes has a crisp, light, delicate finish with hints of lemon, apples and lime. Truly refreshing.

SPAIN (CAVA)

Segura Viudas Brut Cava ($9.99 at Table & Vine)

(Catalonia, Spain)

This delicious, affordable, reliable sparkling wine from Spain has long been one of my go-to wines over the years, especially when I’m looking for something crisp, dry and refreshing on a hot summer day or with oysters and other shellfish. Definitely one of the best wine values around.

Dibon Cava Brut Reserve ($12 SRP)

(Penedes, Spain)

Another one of my favorite, affordable Spanish Cavas, this wonderful, dry sparkling wine has a clean, crisp taste. I especially love this sparkling wine’s well-balanced finish. By well-balanced, I mean that the Dibon wasn’t too overpowering or underwhelming. It tasted just right.

ITALY (PROSECCO)

Zardetto Prosecco Brut DOC NV ($14.99 at Table & Vine)

(Veneto, Italy)

Made with a blend of glera grapes and a dash of pinot bianco and chardonnay grown in the hills near Conegliano, this crisp, dry Prosecco from one of the most consistently great wineries in Italy has a slightly citrus-like finish with hints of lemon, apricot and ripe blood oranges.

Altemasi Trentodoc Millesimato Brut ($20 SRP)

(Trento, Italy)

Elegant, refined sparkling wine made with 100 percent chardonnay grapes from the Trento region in northern central Italy. Flavors range from toasted almonds with a hint of honey to melted butter and a dash of hazelnuts. Perfect on cold winter nights before or after dinner.

FRENCH SPARKLING WINES

De Chanceny Cremant de Loire Brut ($17 SRP)

(Loire Valley, France)

Made with a blend of three grapes (70 percent chenin blanc, 15 percent chardonnay and 15 percent cabernet franc), this crisp, dry, sparkling wine has a wonderful, slightly nutty, clean finish with hints of toasted almonds, melted butter and rye toast. Simply wonderful.

Le Grand Courtage Brut ($19 SRP)

(Burgundy, France)

Made in Burgundy with grapes from several French wine regions, this crisp, flinty refreshing sparkling wine more than held its own against many higher-priced wines. Love the finish on this great, affordable wine.

CHAMPAGNE

Chateau de Bligny Grand Rosé (SRP $59)

(Champagne, France)

A lesser-known Champagne producer that’s part of the smaller, grower Champagne trend, this delicious Champagne made with equal parts chardonnay and pinot noir has a wide range of wonderful, refreshing flavors, including hints of fresh strawberries, raspberries and orange zest.

Moet & Chandon Brut Imperial Champagne ($54.99 at Table & Vine)

(Champagne, France)

Another consistently great Champagne house, Moet & Chandon (which I visited earlier this year in France) excels at producing dry, crisp, refreshing Champagnes – many of which cost just over $50 a bottle. Their flagship Champagne, I am constantly impressed by the quality and consistency of the Brut Imperial Champagne, which is filled with fascinating flavors and enticing aromas, including roasted almonds, fresh peach and a hint of cherry mixed with honey.

Laurent Perrier Non Vintage Brut ‘La Cuvee’ Champagne ($64.99 at Table & Vine)

(Champagne, France)

One of my favorite champagne producers, Laurent Perrier has been making great champagne since 1812. I could have easily picked several other Laurent Perrier champagnes (including their “Brut Nature,” another outstanding one) but I decided to recommend this one since it’s affordable, readily available and delicious. Its flavors are crisp, dry, slightly nutty (think roasted almonds) and refreshing.

Perrier-Jouet Grand Brut ($64.99 at Table & Vine)

(Champagne, France)

Another one of my favorite Champagne producers which I visited earlier this year, this non-vintage Brut Champagne will appeal to traditional Champagne fans. Here, you can practically taste the chalky, limestone walls in this crisp, toasty Champagne with hints of roasted almonds, melted butter and an unexpected dash of apricot.

Taittinger Brut La Francaise Non Vintage Champagne ($49.99 at Table & Vine)

(Champagne, France)

Along with Laurent Perrier and Perrier Jouet, Taittinger produces several outstanding champagnes at a wide range of prices. Honestly, I have never had a bad bottle of Taittinger champagne. They’re all dry, crisp, refreshing and bursting with flavor. Its Brut La Francaise champagne has a wonderful, crisp, refreshing finish with toasted nut flavors, along with a dash of melted butter. Great Champagne produced by true artists since 1734.

Cheers!

Wine Press by Ken Ross appears on Masslive.com every Monday and in The Republican’s Weekend section every Thursday.

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