Add A Sparkle to Your Holiday Party With This Delicious, Bubbly Wine

Authored by Matt Check, Head Winemaker and Co-Founder of Cellar Beast Winehouse. With extensive experience in winemaking and a reputation for producing award-winning wines.

It’s all about special occasions during the holidays, themed events, and family and friends’ dinners. For us, that means pouring the bubbly! A Sparkling Rosé isn’t only an excellent choice for cocktails at the beginning of the new year but also great for serving every one of your favorite holiday dishes.

We discussed red wines to pair with your Thanksgiving turkey last month, but it’s all ham this Christmas. Like Thanksgiving, having a wine pairing for every item on your holiday table is difficult. Fine bubbles, red fruit notes, a vibrant acidity, and a refreshing mouthfeel make our Sparkling Rosé an ace with any season meal, from fresh seafood to smooth scalloped potatoes to gingerbread!

Sparkling Rosé from 100% Pinot Noir grapes. Its recognizable bubbles are produced through the méthode champenoise, an old, labor-intensive bottle fermentation. Methode champenoise: The wine then goes through a second fermentation in the bottle to produce carbon dioxide - giving you a fresh, champagne-like mouthfeel. Méthode champenoise is a French technique from Champagne, where, for centuries, the world’s finest and most enduring sparkling wines were produced.

The History of the Méthode Champenoise

The méthode champenoise, or traditional method, originated in the late 17th century in Champagne in France. While the process for making sparkling wine changed over time, the name best associated with its birth is that of the Benedictine monk Dom Pérignon. He refined techniques that would ultimately allow for greater control over fermentation, from blending grapes to knowledge of carbonation. It was an art form, and Champagne vintners mastered the laborious procedures, yielding a bottle that could be enjoyed as a luxury object. Even now, the méthode champenoise is a hallmark of fine sparkling wine and represents centuries of experience.

Areas of the World Best Known for Méthode Champenoise Wines

Though the master of méthode champenoise winemaking, or Champagne Style, is in Champagne in France, most regions have utilized this method to produce great sparkling wines. Cava is made in Spain using this ancient process, with bright, fruit-forward profiles and fine, persistent bubbles. Methode champenoise sparkling wines from Italy’s Franciacorta are equally rich, graceful palates. Napa Valley and Sonoma County in California make sparkling wines on the other side of the Atlantic fine New World. MCC in South Africa and Yarra Valley in Australia symbolize the méthode champenoise’s versatility and adaptability, each region carving its terroir into the end product.

Similar But Different Styles of Sparkling Wine

Methode champenoise, in all its depth and complexity, is one way of introducing bubbles to wine, but there are other ways. The Charmat process — typically applied to Prosecco — involves a secondary fermentation in a giant stainless-steel tank, producing fruit-forward sparkling wines with finer bubbles. Another ancestral technique, the pét-nat, involves wine fermenting in a single fermentation. Since it is unfiltered, the result is a cloudy appearance and a more rustic, natural style of effervescence. This type makes raw, uncorked sparkling wines that give the impression of effervescence. Finally, the carbonated process, where carbon dioxide is added directly to still wine, offers cheap, essential solutions that are usually vivid and refreshing.

Blanc de Noir vs. Blanc de Blanc: What's the Difference?

The Blanc de Noir and Blanc de Blanc are two different grape varieties, each with a unique aroma and taste.

• Blanc de Noir means "white from black" because the wine is produced solely with dark-skinned grapes such as Pinot Noir or Pinot Meunier. Despite being made from red grapes, the wine appears white because the skins are separated from the juice during pressing to minimize color extraction. Blanc de Noir wines are typically riper and more intense in flavor, with red fruits such as cherries and raspberries and a soft mouthfeel. Pinot Meunier can add a brighter, fruitier character to the wine, while Pinot Noir's acidity lends complexity and aging potential.
• Blanc de Blanc: This style is called "white from white," it calls for solely white grapes, and the primary varietal is usually Chardonnay. These wines are prized for their light and elegant flavors and can contain and sometimes even floral or toasty aromas. Blanc de Blanc sparkling wines are typically lighter and more delicate than Blanc de Noir, and their acidity is refreshing.

The Science Behind the Bubbles

Sparkling wine is all about the bubbles, but what’s so special about them? Sparkling wine’s bubbly comes from dissolving carbon dioxide (CO2), which forms during secondary fermentation. In méthode champenoise, this happens spontaneously in the bottle as sugar and yeast interact. This fermentation generates pressure as high as 90 psi, three times the pressure in a car tire!

The shape and size of the bubbles influence the wine’s sensory experience. Tiny, continuous bubbles, sometimes called a fine "mousse," are characteristic of sparkling wines. These tiny puddles of liquid do more than enhance the aesthetic value: they alter the wine’s aroma and texture.

Bubbles break at the top and emit aromas in the air, giving the wine a pleasant fragrance. That’s why sparkling wines smell like ripe fruit, flowers, or brioche. On the tongue, bubbles bring a bright, tingling feeling to the wine, balanced by its acidity and effervescent character.

Curiously enough, the glass you use also affects the bubbles. Large, narrow flutes are popular because they preserve carbonation and show off the bubbles, while a conventional coupe dissipates more quickly, often dulling the sparkle but amplifying the smell. If you want something in between, tulip glasses are perfect because they provide a larger surface area for scents while maintaining effervescence.

So the next time you open a glass of Sparkling Rosé, admire the tiny bubbles. They’re not only a pretty sight but a scientific invention that makes every drink a little better!

Variations based on Sweetness Levels

1. Brut Nature (Zero Dosage): Brut Nature Champagne (Zero Dosage) is the driest champagne in the market, and the residual sugar concentration ranges from 0 to 3 grams per liter. No added sugar means that this Champagne is extremely crisp and bone-dry, highlighting the most natural expression of the wine and its vineyard. Think thin, fine-grained flavors like citrus, green apple, and chalky minerality. It’s perfect for bone-dry wine enthusiasts and goes well with delicate seafood such as oysters or sashimi.
2. Extra Brut: Extra Brut Champagne contains between 0 and 6 grams of residual sugar per liter, which renders the champagne very dry but slightly rounder and more balanced than Brut Nature. This style is acidic, with notes of ripe fruit and toast. Due to its versatility, it is an excellent accompaniment for more decadent seafood, like lobster or crab, and fried appetizers.
3. Brut: Champagne's most widespread variant, Brut, has as much as 12 g of residual sugar per liter. The combination of dryness, light fruitiness, and toasted undertones works well with most people. It usually has green apple, lemon, and brioche flavors and is an easy meal to make any time of the day. Brut Champagne can be paired with cheeses, fish, salty snack foods, and delicate poultry.
4. Extra Dry (Extra Sec): Even with its name, Extra Dry Champagne tastes slightly sweeter than Brut, leaving between 12 and 17 grams of residual sugar per liter. This style retains a sharp acidity, adding fruity flavors and subtle honey sweetness. It works equally well as a celebratory drink or with appetizers such as soft cheeses, pâté, or light desserts.
5. Sec: Sec Champagne has between 17 and 32 grams of residual sugar per liter and is very sweet and tart. It often has notes of juicy stone fruits and a smooth, creamy finish. The moderately sweet variant is a good choice for desserts made from fruits or creamy panna cotta and is perfect for those who love sweet things.
6. Demi-Sec: If you’re looking for a sweet wine, Demi-Sec Champagne delivers a full-bodied experience with between 32 and 50 grams of residual sugar per liter. It has an earthy, nutty flavor of candied fruits, honey, and caramel. Demi-Sec Champagne works well with tarts, macarons, and spicy foods like Thai or Indian.
7. Doux: Doux Champagne is the sweetest, containing over 50 grams of residual sugar per liter. Even now, it is uncommon; it is syrupy with honey, fruit, and toffee. Doux Champagne is a sweet delight that can be served alongside decadent desserts or enjoyed as a rich, celebratory drink.

These varietals showcase the traditional method's versatility based on sweetness level, having something for every taste and every occasion. From Brut Nature's zesty acidity and refreshing finish to Doux's intense fruitiness, there is a Champagne for every palate and occasion.

Sparkling Rosé: A Holiday Essential

So, whether you’re celebrating Christmas dinner or the new year, our Sparkling Rosé is ideal for substituting a glass of champagne and complementing oysters or other party nibbles, like shrimp cocktail, smoked salmon, or cheese boards. On New Year's Eve, you can use it as a cocktail mixer to add depth and effervescence to any aperitif or cocktail!

Our sparkling rosé is bright, bubbles perfectly in the glass, and goes well with many holiday treats. For a stunning bottle of bubbly to end your holidays and start your New Year, check out cellarbeastwine.com today!

References:

1. Champagne Bureau USA. (n.d.). Understanding the Méthode Champenoise.
   • A detailed overview of the traditional sparkling wine production process, its origins, and significance.
2. Wine Enthusiast. (n.d.). What Makes Sparkling Wine Sparkle?.
   • Insights into the production methods and characteristics of sparkling wines worldwide.
3. Decanter. (2024). Perfect Pairings: Sparkling Wines and Holiday Foods.
   • Expert advice on pairing sparkling wines with festive dishes.
4. Food & Wine. (2024). A Guide to Sparkling Wine Pairings.
   • Practical tips on how to pair sparkling wines with various cuisines, including creamy cheeses and savory appetizers.
5. Wine Folly. (n.d.). How to Pair Sparkling Wines with Food.
   • A guide to understanding sparkling wine flavors and how to match them with complementary dishes.
6. Washington Wine Commission. (n.d.). Washington State Sparkling Wines.
   • An exploration of Washington’s contributions to sparkling wine production.