I know Christmas celebrations are in full swing, but I am making sure I’m ready for New Year’s celebrations too! This year has been a tough one for many, and I for one am looking forward to ringing in 2022 in style – also with plenty of bubbles!
There’s plenty to celebrate with Christmas coming up, and New Year’s Eve next week! So here are some ideas of Sparkling Wines perfect for celebrating to help get your festivities into full swing!
Rather than look at some of the usual celebration suspects like a good bottle of Champagne, I’ve decided to champion Australian wines in this list. We have so many great Sparkling Wines perfect for celebrating with, so I hope this list inspires you to look to our locals this year. You might find something different that you really love (without the Champagne price tag too!)
Vibrant and refreshing – Primo Estate Primo Secco
The Primo Estate Primo Secco is a standard celebration wine at my family’s house, so I’m sure we will be enjoying a bottle or two over the holidays!
Prosecco is a great option for celebrating throughout the festive season. It is quite affordable as far as Sparkling Wines go so is great for stocking up with. What I love most about Prosecco however is how refreshing it is. It’s perfect for hot summer days and for enjoying no matter what the occasion. You don’t even need a celebration to enjoy these thirst-quenching bubbles.
This prosecco is fresh, crunchy and zippy. I love how dry this wine is with hints of pear and apple on the palate. It’s perfect for warmer weather and celebrations of any kind!
Something fancy – Clover Hill Vintage Release 2016
If you want to take your celebrations up a notch, why not try a Vintage Sparkling Wine from Australia instead of heading for a typical Champagne. There’s a reason Tasmanian Sparkling is becoming world-renowned, and it makes for the perfect fancy bubbles for the holiday season.
It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of Clover Hill Wines. Their Sparkling Wines are premium and absolutely delicious. They have a range of Sparkling Wines to choose from at different price points, so if you don’t want to spend too much you don’t have to. But if you want something a bit fancier, why not try the Clover Hill Vintage Release 2016?
This wine displays a bouquet of complex layers of lemon, ripe apples and honey, with toasty, nutty yeast characters. It retails at about $50 a bottle and delivers those Champagne flavours with a minimum of three years aging on lees.
Grab it here or at retailers nationwide.
Single varietal bubbles – Taltarni Blanc de Blancs
The Taltarni Blanc de Blancs is an old favourite of mine (read the full review for the 2016 here and the 2015 here). So I felt no list of perfect bubbles would be complete without the latest vintage of this delicious bottle of bubbles. We enjoyed a lot of this wine when we were celebrating our engagement, and at under $30 a bottle, I think you can’t go wrong!
I don’t normally drink a lot of 100% Chardonnay sparkling, but I’m also not one to pass up a glass of any kind of bubbles if it’s on offer.
This wine is the perfect blend between an easy-drinking and refined wine. The balance of flavours between a subtle fruit front and crisp acidic finish make for a delicious drop that’s perfect for those occasions that need a bit of extra sparkle. I found this wine to be super refreshing and zippy – everything you want in a Sparkling wine for Summer!
The Taltarni Blanc de Blancs did not disappoint with its flavours once again. It had beautiful notes of green apple and cinnamon with a hint of toastiness from the traditional method of production. This means you’ll find notes of brioche, which goes oh so well with the green apple!
Something unique – Vino Intrepido ‘Cold Fusion’ Col Fondo Prosecco 2021
If you’re after something different for your celebrations, then have I got the wine for you! I absolutely adore the wines from Vino Intrepido, and was recently sent something a little different from James: A Prosecco that’s bottle-fermented! Col Fondo is a term used for bottle-fermented Prosecco that is not disgorged. The lees stays on the bottom of the bottle to continue the development of flavours. So if you are after something a little funky and unusual, give this wine a go!
I’m not usually a fan of these styles of wines but the wines from Vino Intrepido always nail it for me and this one is no different. It’s a really unique Prosecco so don’t expect what you’d usually get. But instead, there are those classic flavours of apple and pear with a hint of biscuit from the lees. I really enjoyed the texture of this wine – it was crisp and dry and oh so refreshing.
Find out more here.
Midnight bubbles – 2019 Blue Pyrenees Midnight Cuvee
There’s something perfect about sipping on a glass of bubbles called Midnight Cuvee on New Year’s Eve. So this bottle from Blue Pyrenees would be the perfect pairing for the countdown! It is a traditional method sparkling wine from the Pyrenees wine region which so produces great sparkling. The story behind the name is that the Blue Pyrenees team picks the grapes at night to optimise fruit condition and temperature.
This wine is really delicious and perfect for toasting. Flavours of lemon and apple get a creamy pastry treatment from the traditional method. Think lemon curd and apple pie. This wine is creamy yet super refreshing. It’s complex yet refined and absolutely delicious!
Find out more here.
In summary – 5 Sparkling Wines perfect for celebrating
I hope this list helps you kick off your celebrations this year. These bottles of bubbles are absolutely delicious and each offer something unique. But they are all at home with celebrations of all kinds. Whether you’re after a classic or something different, I hope these wines inspire your celebrations.