Champagne, Cava, Prosecco, Cremant: Whatever your favourite sparkling wine, we can all agree that it will make an occasion of any moment. The effervescence, the glassware, the celebratory pop of the cork: love it all!
Here, a roundup of my top 10 sparkling wines to gift and sip:
1. The fancy one
Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut Champagne
So elegant with its fruit, brioche and hazelnut notes. Spied as a go-to by one of the sommelier’s at Langdon Hall in Cambridge, Ont.
Perrier-Jouët Grand Brut Champagne
$79.95 at LCBO
2. The local one
Henry of Pelham Cuvée Catharine Carte Blanche Estate Blanc de Blancs
An award-winner with elegance; crisp with lemony and fresh-baked bread notes.
$49.95 at LCBO
3. The classic one
Veuve Clicquot Brut Champagne
Fruity, creamy, bright and crisp. The orange bottle is always a stylish choice. In this edition’s flame-coloured jacket, it’s always an impressive gift.
$77.70 at Henry of Pelham and LCBO
4. The lesser-known one
Mausberg Brut Crémant d’Alsace
Love Champagne but not its typical price tag. Go with Crémant, another French sparkling wine made in the traditional method but hailing from outside of that other iconic region.
This one is lovely: a bit floral, a bit lemony with fresh apple, citrus and spice.
$18.95 at LCBO
5. The Italian one
La Marca Prosecco DOC
Notes of nut, pear, honey and the sea: No wonder this is so often named as one of the top Prosecco by insiders.
$18.95 at LCBO
6. The pink one
Saintly The Good Sparkling Rosé VQA|Easy, breezy, dry and subtly Provencal-style pink, this is a choice bottle that’s lovely on its own or all of your casual get-togethers.
$19.95 at LCBO or Wine Rack
7. The glitzy one
Freixenet Italian Rose
An irresistible (and affordable) bottle and a reliably tasty, crisp sparkler with fine, delightful bubbles.
$21.95 at the LCBO
8. The red one
Pelee Island Bella Sparkling Red 2019
Deeply red-purple, spicy and with a bit of sweetness. Awesome with a cheese board.
$18.95 at Pelee Island Winery or LCBO
9. The Spanish one:
Segura Viudas Brut Reserva Cava
Dry, light with a nice long creamy finish. An affordable one to have on hand, always.
$16.95 at LCBO
10. The cheeky one
Pink Poodle Sparkling Wine
Try it in a pretty sparkling wine cocktail or with weekend brunch.
$14.95 at Wine Rack or LCBO
Deborah Fulsang holds a WSET Level 3 certification in wines and spirits.
PHOTO: Alexander Naglestad on Unsplash
