There is a sparkling wine for every occasion and at every price point. Here is a list of sparkling wines that I have tried over the last 12 months for you to enjoy in the New Year. 
FIOL Prosecco DOC Extra Dry Made from 100% Glera using the Charmat Method. The winery has access to the best growers. Fruit is selected from about 2,300 farmers, accounting for a combined 6,000 hectares (upward of 14,800 acres) of vineyards and terroirs to achieve the perfect blend. Fermentation lasts for 40 days. “FIOL” means “son” in the Venetian dialect, but these days is more commonly understood to denote a natural leader or friend within a group who happens to stand out. The drive behind FIOL was to produce Prosecco in the authentic style, from the Prosecco heartland in Treviso. The wine has hints of acacia, crab apple and pear with a touch of spice and a note of lemon. Residual Sugar 16 g/l. Alcohol 11% $19
Note: The FIOL label was named “Coolest Wine Label in the World” by Forbes.com in 2015. Designed by FIOL co-founder Gian Luca Passi, it features five vertical lines, both a stylized nod to the poles used to support the vines, and a reference to tradition and modernity.
Valdo Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG Brut made from 90% Glera and 10% Chardonnay from the Valdobbiadene hills at 200 to 300 meters with a southern exposure. There is a soft pressing followed by fermentation with selected yeasts at a controlled temperature. Produced using the sparkling process know as the Martinotti-Charmat method at a controlled temperature of 61-64F, with subsequent aging on the lees in autoclave for a total of 5 months. Alcohol 11.5 %. The wine has hints of pear, golden delicious apple and floral notes. $24
Berlucchi ’61 Extra Brut made from 85% Chardonnay and 15% Pinot Nero. Harvest is from the middle ten days of August to the first ten days of September. There is a gradual pressing of clusters with fractioning of the must. Alcoholic fermentation takes place in steel vats. The Cuvee is assembled in the spring following the harvest and undergoes a second fermentation in bottles. The wine is aged for a minimum of 24 months on the lees followed by 2 months after disgorgement. The wine has hints of citrus, apple, pear, peach with a touch of brioche and zesty acidity. $38
Note: It all began when Guido Berlucchi asked Franco Ziliani for help. Ziliani suggested they make sparkling wine as the French do. In 1961 they produced the first vintage Pinot di Franciacorta. It was the first Metodo Classico sparkling wine produced in Franciacorta. The “61” line is a tribute to the “birth” of Franciacorta. The winery is now run by Ziliani’s three children.
Berlucchi ’61 Rosé Brut NV made from 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay from the best vineyards in the 19 municipal areas of Franciacorta. The harvest takes place from the middle ten days of August to the first 10 days of September. There is a gentle, gradual pressing of clusters with fractioning of the must; alcoholic fermentation in steel vats. A few hours’ maceration of the Pinot Noir on the skins (rosé maceration) to emphasize the aromas and hue of the grape assemblage. The assemblage of the cuvée is in the spring following harvest with the contribution of 5% of reserve wine consisting of the previous year’s cuvée aged in stainless steel for one year. Second fermentation takes place in the bottles and maturation sur lie for a minimum of 24 months followed by an additional 2 months after disgorgement. Residual sugar 6.5g/l. The wine has hints of citrus fruit, cherry, strawberry, brioche and a touch of spice.” $48
Trento DOC Ferrari “Perlè” Methodo Classico 2017 made from 100% organic Chardonnay from vineyards at 300 to 700 meters with a southeast or southwesterly exposure. The soil is loose, not too deep, and made of volcanic and glacial deposits. There are 4,500 to 5,500 plants per hectare. Harvest is by hand from the middle of September. Fermentation and aging is in stainless steel and the wine remains on the lees for 6 months. This is an elegant well-balanced wine with hints of apple, almonds, and a touch of brioche. I was very impressed by this wine. Residual sugar is 6g/l. $49
Dosaggio Zero Cantina Isera 907 made from 100% Chardonnay. The vineyard is at 500 to 600 meters and the training system is pergola/espalier. The soil consists of glacial deposits of various origin, mainly carbonatic with basalt compounds and local basalt. The soil is tendentially deep, with sandy loamy texture, and diffused skeletons mainly consisting of gravel and mostly loamy sands. Training system is simple Pergola Trentina/ Guyot and the harvest is by hand in September. White wine vinification with soft pressing of the grapes and subsequent fermentation in steel and barrel. Partial malolactic fermentation takes place. After a least six months of aging with yeasts in the cellar, the bottle fermentation takes place. The wine ages on the lees for 40 months. Disgorgement takes place takes place and the bottle is refilled without sugar fully respecting the character and expression of the cuvee. $40
Champagn
Charles Heidsieck Brut Resere made from 40% Pinot Noir, 40% Chardonnay and 20% Meunier from 50% reserve wivnes. Of the 60 Champagne crus chosen to produce this cuvée, 3 are pillars of the Réserve style. Oger: (Grand Cru Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs) gives it its fleshy and generous notes. Ambonnay: (Grand Cru Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims) is synonymous with power, structure and fruity notes. Verneuil: (Meunier from the Vallée de la Marne) ensures its balance and smooth texture. Vinification varietal by varietal in stainless steel vats with 5 to 10% of the wine vinified in old Burgundy barrels. It has hints of freshly baked brioche, mango, apricot, plum, dried fruits with a touch of pistachio and almond. $69
Krug Grande Cuvée 170 EME Edition Champagne made from 45/55% Pinot Noir, 15/20 Pinot Meunier and 25/35 Chardonnay–the percentage depends upon the vintage. The blend is made from 195 wines from 12 different vintages, the youngest from 2014 and the oldest from 1998. It is aged for seven years in the cellars. All Krug Champagnes are aged in used small oak barrels. They are all prestige cuvees made from Grand Cru and Premier Cru villages and are aged longer before release. The overall rating for the vineyards is 98% with Krug’s own vineyards rating 100%. This is a Champagne with hints of dried citrus fruit, gingerbread, hazelnuts and almonds, a note of honey and a touch of brioche. It has a long finish and a wonderful aftertaste. Fantastic! This is Michele’s favorite Champagne. $289
Moscato D’Asti “Nivole” DOCG 2022 Michele Chiarlo The vineyards are in the historical area most suited for Moscato Bianco. The soil is of sedimentary marine origin, white and sandy. Training system is guyot and the exposure is south-east/southwest. Manual harvest. There is a soft pressing of the entire grape and the must is stored in a tank at 2 degrees C followed by a slow fermentation in an autoclave at a controlled temperature until a 5% alcohol level is achieved. During this process, a part of the carbon dioxide developed during fermentation remains entrapped, giving the wine its mild, natural effervescence. Before bottling, the wine undergoes a process of microfiltration to give the wine its clarity, purity, and to stop and further fermentation of the yeasts. It is creamy with hints of subtle tropical fruit, peach and apricot with a very pleasing finish and long aftertaste. Residual sugar 120 g/l. $16 half bottle
Reggiano Lambrusco NV “Concerto” 2019 Medici Ermette (Produced at Tenuta La Rampata in Modena) Red wine, dry and lightly sparkling and fermented naturally. Made from 100% Lambrusco di Sorbara. The training system is cordon speronato and the soil is clayey. The wine is certified organic. It has hints of red fruit, strawberry, raspberry and cherry. The wine is dry and fruity with a clean finish and pleasing aftertaste. Concerto is the world’s first single vineyard vintage Lambrusco. It is served lightly chilled. $26
Happy New Year to All!