New Years Suggestions À votre santé

As is our tradition, we left a good bottle of wine on the mantle for Santa just in case with all of his work he had done that night, he may have needed a bit of fortification. Usually it is not taken, or even opened but this year the bottle was gone so we assume that either Santa was tired of the milk and cookies and he has joined the ever growing number of people who enjoy wine or Rudolf needed some fuel for his nose.
With Christmas now past, and we hope you all received the gifts that you may have wanted, we now concentrate on the upcoming New Year’s celebration. It is customary to celebrate the coming of the new year with Champagne or other sparkling wine. As a personal note, we celebrate the new year by enjoying a sparkling wine, fresh fruit and a fine cheese, usually brie at midnight.
There are many sparkling wines on the market, some for a little as $3, but we ask you not to skimp that low to celebrate the new year. We also know that these are hard times and any saving of money is appreciated so, as is our custom, we present to you some fine quality but affordable sparkling wines for your celebration.
We start our recommendations with the sparkling wines of Barefoot Cellars. These are well made wines whose quality far exceeds there very affordable price. Although Barefoot produces a whole series of sparkling wines, two of our favorites are the Barefoot Bubbly Brute (that mean dry) cuveé ($9.99) and the Barefoot Extra Dry($9.99). A bit of explanation is definitely needed here. The term Extra Dry was coined by the French to indicate a wine that was somewhat sweet; not super sweet but a fruit-like sweetness. These wines can accompany almost anything from “pigs in a blanket” to filet mignon. Barefoot also produces a knock out sweet wine for those who prefer their wines sweet; the Barefoot Cellars Bubbly Moscato Spumanti ($9.99). If you like the Italian Asti Spumanti or the muscat wines, wait until you taste its California cousin; outstanding.
Korbel Sweet Rosé ($12.99) is no slacker either. The wine is a bounty of fruit flavors and aromas along with a sweetness that is just perfect; not too sweet and not too dry. This is a wine that can expand any celebration. It does not end with the sweet wine; Korbel make a full line of sparkling, which they call California Champagne, to get around the French not permitting the single name Champagne on any wine not produced in the Champagne district of France Some of these other wines, which by the way are worth far more than their price tags indicateare the Korbel Natural California Champagne ($15.99), Korbel Brut Rose California Champagne ($13.99) and Korbel Natural California Champagne ($15.99).

Yellowtail Sparkling White Wine and Yellowtail Sparkling Rosé Wines ($9.99) are Australian sparkling wines that are worth far more than their very affordable price indicates and bespeak the elegance and thoughtfulness that a good sparkling wine represents.
There are however occasions where a real French Champagne is called for. Most French Champagnes are in the higher price range but there are some that can easily compete with the best of them and yet are affordable; Billecart Salmon Brut Reserve ($45) is one of these. Champagne Billecart Salmon is one of our favorites and there will always be a bottle of it in the fridge just in case royalty or even the President should happen by.
Another affordable French gem that is far better than its price might indicate is Pommery Brut Royal ($39.99). This Champagne is made by one of the top producers in France and is guaranteed (by us) to please one and all.
We hope that these suggestions have been useful and informative and wish all of our readers a wonderful, prosperous and safe New Year and to one and all, À votre santé (to your health).