"Sparkling wine" news and stories

If you love Champagne and want to keep it flowing all night, mix up a punchbowl along with your naked bottles of bubbly. This recipe brings pineapple juice, Cointreau, brandy, and seltzer into the mix for a lively, refreshing drink that screams "festive"! Of course, you might not want to use the extra-special Taittinger Champagne for a punch; less expensive sparkling wines will do just fine. (For sparkler recommendations, see Bargain Bubblies.)

Champagne Punch Recipe

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It wouldn't be a proper hello to 2011 without a glass of sparkling wine in your hand as the clock approaches midnight. But French Champagne can be pretty pricey.

We've got five bubblies to recommend, a mix of Cava, Prosecco, sparkling wine and sparkling Rosé, none of which cost more than $22 a bottle. Cheers!

Domaine Chandon Extra-Dry Riche, California ($22)
If you're not a fan of sweet sparkling wines then give this one a whirl. Touted as "extra-dry," we found that it actually was on the drier side. Floral aromas deepen into a palate with rich apricot notes before wrapping up in a finish accented by lemon.
Suggested pairings: Extremely versatile, it can match with just about anything.

Reginato Winery "Celestina" Rosé of Malbec 2008, Mendoza, Argentina ($20)
Notes of baked strawberries and rhubarb cascade into a complex, spicy sparkling wine with good mouthfeel and a clean finish. In the glass, this wine is a deep pink, a cross between fuchsia and garnet.
Suggested pairings: Spicy foods

Cupcake Vineyards Prosecco, Italy ($10)
Notes of creamy nectarines and melons produce a sparkling wine that's sweet on the palate but coasts into a smooth, clean finish.
Suggested pairings: Nonchocolate desserts, such as cupcakes, cookies or layered cakes

We're not ready to say good-bye to summer just yet -- and not quite ready to switch over to red wine. In fact, we hear the best way to say hello to autumn is to pour a glass of sparkling wine into a flute and hang out on your porch, savoring the warm nighttime air.

Here are seven sparkling wines that we recently fell in love with and want you to try.

Bisol Spumante Cartizze Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Superiore, Veneto, Italy ($45)
A very nice floral scent eases into a light, delicate Prosecco that's simply delightful and full of fruit flavor (apples and peaches). If you're balking at the higher price on this wine, that's because it's very balanced and a consistent high scorer from wine critics.

Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi Sparkling Brut, California ($10)
A light citrus aroma, followed by apple and creamy lemon flavors. This is a very fresh, light sparkling wine that would be appropriate for most palates. It's made from 100% Chardonnay grapes. At this price point, it's a value practically unheard of for sparkling wine.

Mumm Napa Brut Rose, Napa Valley, California ($22)
A pale salmon color in the glass, this sparkling wine's appearance is deceiving because the palate is anything but delicate. Instead, it's got bold plum, cherry and wild strawberry notes in a crisp, refreshing structure.

While spending Valentine's Day with your sweetheart, odds are pretty good you'll be opening up a bottle of bubbly to celebrate that through the craziness called dating you've found each other. Finding someone trustful and loving that make you laugh is no easy task, that we know. Can't the same be said for scoring the perfect bottle of wine?

Here are three sparkling wines that, when poured into the glass, produce a beautiful pink color and come pretty darn close to being perfect. What would go well with these wines? The good news is that there are not a lot of foods that won't. Sparkling wines are very food-friendly, whether that means pairing with a slice of cheesecake at the end of a meal or cradling a flute in one hand while eating spiced nuts with the other.

After the jump, our three favorite pink sparklers...

The sparkling wine we drink on New Year's Eve is not the stuff we drink at other times of the year. Beyond marking the end of the year, Dec. 31 also caps the end of holiday season, a last gasp of celebration -- and provides a ray of hope for what lies ahead. People want to party, not reflect. Chug, not sip.

Circumstances dictate that the sparkler you give or receive will likely be consumed by many mouths -- some quite inebriated already -- and not just by an intimate group of two or four. These factors influence what you buy.

Generally speaking, the ideal bottle will be inexpensive, widely available and fairly dry. The guide below walks you through New Year's Eve options, from fancy French Champagne to an international stable of less expensive, lesser-known alternatives.

Learn How to Open Champagne