ADVERTISING: Advertorial — Pop, fizz, clink! A bubbly guide to holiday bling for your flute

Ho ho ho, wine lovers! 'Tis the season for popping corks. With party season upon us, our glasses will be filled with lovely bubbles from Champagne to Prosecco and more. But before filling your glass, let’s explore the foundation — the grapes — behind the bubbles. For it turns out, the base wine makes all the difference in the world for the personality of your sparkling sipper. As your friendly neighborhood wine columnist, let me be your guide to the wonderful world of sparkling wines!

The likes of Champagne and Prosecco may dominate our bubbly notions. However, effervescence extends across liquid varieties around the globe. Each region boasts unique conditions and signature grapes that leave their mark through flavor, body, and verve once twice-fermented in bottle. Let’s uncork some of those vinous building blocks!

Starting with the gold standard, true Champagne comes exclusively from chalky soils northeast of Paris. By law, these French sparklers get their finessed complexity from just three grapes. First up: zingy Chardonnay, which thrives in the coolest sites of Champagne. Base wines with steeliness and pure citrus set the foundation for precision bubbles with delicate biscuit character. Next comes Pinot Noir, which develops body and cherry aromas under these marginal, continental climes. Bubbly made predominantly from Pinot can take on hints of red berries and toasted nuts. Finally, Pinot Meunier plants plenty of vineyards where few other vines survive, giving softened fruit with floral accents. Top Champagne houses blend across villages and vineyards to create their signature cuvée style year after year.

Beyond true Champagne, Crémant de Bourgogne utilizes the grapes that excel throughout Burgundy for 100% varietal base wines. Hence, expect racy, mineral Chardonnay or Pinot Noir bubblies boasting subtle complexity. Over in Alsace, aromatic Pinot Blanc, floral Pinot Gris, and zippy Riesling all make captivating Crémant styles. Loire Valley Chenin Blanc is another French darling for honeyed, round yet crisp Méthode Traditionnelle sparklers. With many options and unique terroirs, Crémants deliver quality bubbles that over-deliver at almost every price point.

Hopping to Italy, light and frizzante Prosecco charms thanks to one playful variety. Glera grapes grown in the Veneto and Friuli boast tantalizing stone fruit flavors and lemon-lime verve, hitting all the easy-drinking pleasure buttons. Meanwhile, Franciacorta Bresciano bubbles based predominantly on Italy’s white favorite, Chardonnay, gain additional concentration and savory depth from extended lees aging.

And no celebration is complete without popping a paella-perfect Spanish Cava! These wallet-friendly bubblies allow three white grapes in the blend: Fruity Parellada, floral Macabeo, and sturdy Xarel-lo that contributes weight and structure. With 5-15 years aging underground at many top houses, flavors of toasted almond and orchard fruit feel positively luxurious. Keep an eye out for single vintage wines or Reservas for a splurge-worthy treat!

Even New World regions are clamoring on the bubbles bandwagon from South Africa to Australia. Alongside familiar Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, regions down under are having luck with spicy Pinot Meunier and even Syrah for uniquely fruity, red-wine-styled sparkling. Outlier grapes like Muscat add floral aromatics while Sauvignon Blanc ramps up the acid for a crisp, invigorating pop of bubbles.

As you explore the myriad sparkling options this season, remember that characterful base wines underpin the very best bubbly. Single grape varieties and even single vineyards can make for profound expressions. So, for your holiday hap-fizzy-ness, pop artisanal Crémant, grower Champagne, vintage Prosecco, or single estate Cava with unique stories to tell. The right grapes in gifted winemaking hands lead to memorable moments that those big brand mega-producers simply can’t match. We’ve gotten some amazing new bubbles in over the past few weeks, so stop by The Dinner Party and let us take you on a tour of some unique, bottle popping-worthy finds. Cheers to elevated bubbles and a New Year on the horizon!

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Laura Olson is co-owner of The Dinner Party along with her partner, Joe Petersen. You can also follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/#!/dinnerpartyshop or visit www.thedinnerpartyshop.com.