Best local sparkling wines for the holidays

Posted: 10:30 am, November 26, 2015 by Publisher Scott Brennan

Click here to check out our current 2016 recommendations

With the holidays just around the corner we put a call out to local wineries for their top holiday wine recommendations. They did not disappoint. When you celebrate this season, throw holiday parties, and plan your Christmas dinner consider pouring some of our tasty local wines.

We are beginning our series today with our sparkling wine recommendations. Champagne has always been a popular choice for kicking off a holiday party or toasting to the new year. California’s Champagne-style sparkling wines make for excellent choices. From the several sparkling wines submitted, here are the ones we recommend. They are in alphabetical order. Serve them chilled.

Top sparkling wines for the holidays

Clautiere 2013 Sparkling Viognier Brut – $32
This has some sparkle to it! It’s a celebratory bubbly which is just as great, at the beginning of the evening as it is at the end. Crisp and not too sweet, it pairs well with salads, fruits and desserts.

Laetitia 2013 Brut Rose – $30
This deliciously dry brut rose delivers lush berry flavors. It was aged in mature French oak barrels giving it a soft yet still fruity character. A great sparkling wine to toast with at any holiday occasion.

Laetitia Non-Vintage Brut Cuvee – $25
This light, effervescent sparkling wine is light and easy to drink. Tiny bubbles and a crisp finish make this sparkling a real crowd pleaser. Would pair well with a dessert or a fruit and cheese course.

Pomar Junction Sparkling White – $25
This Methode Champenoise brut is made from 60-percent chardonnay, and 40-percent pinot noir grapes. This wine is not sweet, nor is it dry, but rather is very well balanced with a round finish. Notes of citrus, grapefruit, and a uniquely light effervescence makes this sparkling a perfect match to a light meal pairing or a celebratory toast.

Additional wine recommendations

Publisher‘s note: For the second year in a row we thought it would be a great idea to recommend local wines for upcoming holiday parties and dinners. Once again, I had no idea how much participation we would receive from our local wineries. Over the last few weeks we received more than 100 entries. I was originally planning a list of 10 or so of the best wines, but after tasting and tasting and tasting, there were just too many solid, well-made wines to recommend. So we decided to break up the list of top local wines into categories. The recommended wines are in alphabetical order.