2013 has been a roller-coaster year - economically, politically, socially and even in the wine department, with the ascension in popularity of sweeter wines.
We look ahead to 2014 with both great anticipation and trepidation questioning what is in store for us. May we suggest some wines for your New Year’s libation with the hope that a good wine will usher in a better year.
Biltmore Estates Blanc de Blancs Sparkling Wine ($25) Blanc de blancs translates as white of whites, or a sparkling wine made from white grapes (in this case, chardonnay).
The aromas of citrus and toast are very typical of any chardonnay-based sparkling wine. The flavor continues with the citrus and also shows significant amounts of apricots and honey.
Biltmore Estates Blanc de Blancs is an imperial wine with great depth and charm and everything that one seeks in a sparkling wine.
Mumm Cuvee Napa Blanc De Noirs Non-Vintage ($17)Made in California with mostly pinot noir grapes and using the classical champagne method, this pale-pink-colored wine has the full depth of fruit flavors California sparkling wines are famous for. There is a berry and bread aroma, which heralds a berry and wild cherry flavor.
Ballatore California Moscato Rose ($9)This is a classically styled wine from California that displays the positive berry flavors of a red wine. This sweet sparkling wine can serve as a great way to impress your guests or the ones you love.
The flavor is sweet, accenting raspberries, cranberries and raisins, which are accentuated by the carbonation. In touch with the modern trends in wine, the Ballatore California Moscato Rose's alcohol content is a respectable 8 percent.
Barefoot Cellars Bubbly Moscato Spumanti ($10)We found the California version of this wine, as made by Barefoot, to be a fruit-loaded extravaganza.
This wine is full of the aromas of orange blossoms and honey, while the flavor is sweet, accenting honey and raisins - all of which is enhanced by the carbonation.
This is a wine that can brighten up a New Year’s celebration without introducing too much alcohol.
Korbel Non-Vintage California Brut Champagne ($11)This is a dry wine with a lot of fruit flavors to choose from. There is no strong, dominating flavor to this wine; rather, there is a fruity sensation that seems to capture the flavor of all summer fruits.
This wine may be inexpensive but it can stand tall with any of the more-expensive sparkling wines.
Champagne Billecart Salmon Brut Reserve ($45)If a French champagne is the order of the day, may we suggest Champagne Billecart Salmon Brut Reserve?
It is an exceptional champagne that costs about half of that of the others which, for the most part, we have found not to be worth their outrageous price tag for what they deliver.
Berlucchi Franciacorta Brut ($35)Take a walk on the wild side with a dry champagne-like sparkling wine from Italy.
It is a bold, medium-bodied wine, accenting the aromas of apple and pear. The flavor is complex, consisting of many layers of fruit and ending in a toasty finish.
The Berlucchi Franciacorta Brut is not a champagne look-alike, but an adventure into a new world of sparkling wines. When looking for a wine that bespeaks elegance and strays away from the rest of the pack, Berlucchi Franciacorta Brut is for you.
We wish one and all a very healthy, happy and prosperous New Year.
Nixa resident Bennet Bodenstein is a wine columnist and manages ArticlesOnWine.com. He can be reached at frojhe1@att.net.[[In-content Ad]]
