AMARILLO, TEXAS -- New Years Eve is Friday night, and if you want that traditional toast to ring it in, you need a bottle of champagne. It's the anticipation of the evening to the count down of the clock. Now we'll count down ways for you to pick that perfect bottle of bubbly.
3. Know where your bubbly comes from
Champagne is made exclusively in the Champagne region in France. If it's made anywhere else, the label will say sparkling wine.
We spoke to Brian Singleton, a co-owner of the Crush Wine Bar & Deli and he said other parts of the world use the same methods to making champagne, they just don't come from that region. If you don't want to pay extra for the champagne name, Singleton recommends Prosecco, an Italian sparkling wine.
2. Understand sweetness
Champagne can range from sweet to very dry. Singleton said sugar is added to the champagne to convert the yeast into alcohol. That adds to the natural sugars in the grapes. He continued saying this also aides in the dryness of the various champagnes; the dryer the champagne, the less sugar it will have.
"Brute champagne is a little drier. The yeast helps the flavor become somewhat like a hazelnut, just a more toasty, nutty flavor," said Singleton.
If you like a sweeter toast, he said a rose champagne or sparkling wine is the way to go. The process involves leaving the skins on the grape. Its what gives the drink its signature pink color. The sweetness varies between extra Brut, Brut, and Demi-sec, which is a sweeter wine.
What about bubbles? Is it the more bubbles the better? Singleton said it's really all a matter of personal taste.
1. Chill the champagne before serving
Don't forget to pop it in the fridge before you open the bottle, some say it enhances the taste. Finally, buy a champagne with a cork top, not twist off top. (That's actually not his suggestion, but mine.) That way you will get the traditional popping off the cork effect at midnight.
Clearly this isn't a comprehensive look at champagne, but just some tips to get you started. For a more in-depth look, you can click here, here, and here.
