Great Sparklers And A Pairing Guide

As we head into the holiday season, no table would be complete without a good bottle of bubbly. And with so many great choices, you won't have to go far to find a great bottle.  I've listed a few crowd pleasers at various prices, along with a paring guide.

Sparklers differ from dry to sweet, so each will taste better with different types of foods. Experiment and have fun with the pairings, as there are no hard rules! The holidays are a great time to open many bottles and sample with many foods to find what pairings you prefer. Wishing you a wonderful holiday and best wishes in 2017!

NV Laurent-Perrier Brut, France Smooth, round and sexy with lemon, kiwi and pear. Nice acidity with a hint of smoke. Great long finish. Drink now through 2018. Rating: Excellent| $40 | 12.5% ABV

2004 Laurent-Perrier Brut Millésimé, France An equal blend of Pinot noir and Chardonnay; the Pinot noir is sourced from the Montagne de Reims: Verzy, Mailly, Verzenay, Ay, Bouzy; and Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs: Avize, Cramant, Oger, Mesnil sur Oger, Chouilly. It's a very round and complex sparkler with peach and pear notes followed by a tinge of minerality on the finish. Crisp and well-balanced. Rating: Excellent | $100 | 12.0% ABV

NV Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé Brut, France Delicate and bright Rosé made from 100% Pinot noir grapes sourced from Grand Cru villages. Lovely cherry and raspberry flavors carry through to the finish. Good acidity and well balanced; finish is long and racy with a slight smokiness. Rating: Excellent | $65 | 12.0% ABV

2000 Krug Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne Clos du Mesnil, France Stand up and take notice! This charismatic Blanc de Blancs really likes to take center stage. Its expressive flavors will keep you coming back for more. It is a spectacular sparkler with layered, mineral driven sensations of peach, graphite, hazelnut, brioche, coffee, honey and a tinge of candied fruit, which really stands up against its competitors. It's the best sparkler I've had to date. Rating: Superior | $859 | 12.0% ABV

NV Krug Grand Cuvée, France This Cuvée is the archetype of Krug's philosophy of craftsmanship and savoir faire: A blend of around 120 wines from ten or more different vintages, some of which may reach 15 years of age. Bright and fresh flavors of hazelnut, apple, and white flowers lead to a touch of honey and brioche in the long finish. Simply lovely. Rating: Excellent | $160 | 12.0% ABV

NV Candoni Prosecco DOC Brut, Italy A fun light sparkling brut with aromas and flavors of lemon-lime citrus and white flowers; Good acidity and nicely balanced. Rating: Good | $14 | 11.0% ABV

NV Roederer Estate Brut, Anderson Valley, California This multi-vintage (MV) cuvée is vibrant and crisp with apple and vanilla that finishes with mineral and almond flavors that dance in the glass. This is a great value sparkler with lots of personality. Rating: Very Good | $20 | 12.0% ABV

NV Roederer Estate Brut Rose, Anderson Valley, California A round, smooth vibrant sparkler made of 60% Pinot noir and 40% Chardonnay. Strawberry and cream flavors finishes clean and fresh. Rating: Excellent | $28 | 12.0% ABV

2004 Roederer Estate L'Ermitage Anderson Valley, California L'Ermitage, Roederer Estate's special Tête de Cuvée, is a sparkling wine made only in exceptional years from pre-selected, estate-grown grapes. Layered and elegant style with apple, ginger and raspberry notes leading to an almond and brioche finish. Rating: Excellent | $47 | 12.0% ABV

J Vineyards Cuvee Brut 20, California The grapes that make up this lovely and lively Cuvee come from a cool-climate vineyard in the Russian River. The bright acidity and honeysuckle notes take center stage with pretty yeast and hazelnut and macadamia playing in the background. Rating: Excellent | $25 | 12.5% ABV

J Vineyards Brut Rosé, Russian River Valley, California Winemaker Melissa Stackhouse really pulls out all of the stops with this rose producing a flirtatious sparkler with exuberant personality. Tangerine cream and maraschino cherries carries the flavor profile to a backdrop of crushed raspberries leading to a crescendo of layered deliciousness on the finish. Rating: Excellent | $38 | 12.5% ABV

François Pinon Vouvray Brut, Loire, France François Pinon's main focus is "to keep the typicity of both the appellation and the vintage" in all his wines and with this in mind, he certainly met that goal with this sparkler. This creamy Vouvray Brut is nutty with apple and pear notes; medium-bodied with light effervescence. Grilled or fried shrimp would work well with this as well as Chef Greenwald's Prawn, Celery Root and Apple Spring Rolls. Rating: Good | $21 | 12.5% ABV

NV Ferrari Brut, Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy This sparkler consists of 100% Chardonnay sourced from various communes of the Province of Trento in the Val d'Adige, Val di Cembra and Valle dei Laghi. It is stunningly clean and dry producing lively aromas and flavors of citrus and white flowers. Rating: Very Good | $25 | 12.5% ABV

NV Ferrari Rose, Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy This is a blend of 60% Pinot noir and 40% Chardonnay. The aromas are lively and fragrant, with flavors of almonds and raspberries. Its great acidity plays center stage with notes of musk finishing long and strong. Rating: Very Good | $37 | 12.5% ABV