Bubbly to Take us Into the New Year

Glass in Session® has dropped 13 bubbly episodes on sparkling wine over the nearly five years we’ve been “in session”. *insert half-caffeinated giggling at pun here*

If you were to open a bottle from one of these episodes every day for nearly the next two weeks starting today, 18 December, you would float gently (mind, responsibly) into 2024 on a raft of a variety of bubbles.

Many of these selections are bit off the beaten path, as is the podcast from whence they came. However, many are easy to find and are all great options for celebrating during a reasonably festive time of year. Or hell, just about any time of year, if you ask me. Sparklers covered thus far hail from Italy, Argentina, France, US, England, Tasmania, Spain, South Africa, and in the case of Pét-Nats, just about anywhere.

The styles are just as diverse! They range from bone dry to dessert style sweet; from frizzante or pétillant (lightly sparkling or crackling, as mentioned in the American Sparkling Wine episode) to full on spumante (fizzy AF); and from white, to red and every shade and hue of pink or rosé in between.

While I don’t often make brand recommendations as: 1) this is not sponsored content, and 2) your market may be different than mine, I can guide you toward a style, region, or variety. You and/or your hopefully reputable local wine merchant can take it from there, I’m sure.

Need a crowd pleaser for a party? Hell yes there are good quality off-dry to dry, full-bodied Lambrusco styles. A quality Grasparossa di Castelvetro will challenge everything you ever thought about Lambrusco ~~and the wine your aunt carried in her handbag~~.

Something for appetizers to Christmas cookies at your pot luck? Bugey baybee! Dark pink, delightfully sweet, but not cloying, Bugey Cerdon from Jura, France makes milk and cookies look like child’s play. Wait. You know what I mean. It’s also lower in alcohol, so bonus.

Formal dinner? Franciacorta from Italy or English fizz makes a great host/hostess gift as well as a great story. Hey, it’s made like champagne, same grapes (almost), and equally entertaining stories.

Ringing in the New Year? Asti DOCG brings the delicate balance of slightly sweet with the tingle of tiny bubbles. But you couldn’t go wrong with classic method sparkling from California or New Mexico, Tasmania or South Africa. Pink Prosecco you say? Yes, yes I did. Unexpected, yet equally festive.

You get the picture. Show up with something from any of these bubbly episodes, complete with a nugget of history, pop culture or back story – or just name the grape, as in the case of Txakolina‘s Hondarrabi Zuri – and bingo-bango you are the party super hero. Or resident cork dork. Either way, take the win and high five yourself in your head.

If you’re thinking, “Wait Val, where’s the Champagne?” That episode will be kicking off Season 15 of Glass in Session® in January 2024! I was just in the region in October, and am already plucking juicy bits from Champagne’s long, storied tale to bring to your ear holes.

In the meantime, I hope you have a corkdorkalicious, wonderful winter holiday season, however and wherever you celebrate. Just for fun, I linked up all the sparkling wine episodes for your listening pleasure while you’re taking a walk ~~or scooping litter boxes and cleaning cat food off the wall.~~

Please remember to share these bottles AND episodes responsibly. Also, remember to subscribe to all this fun, free content, and maybe treat yourself to some Glass in Session® merch.

Cheers ~

Val

Argentina’s Sparkling Wine: https://glassinsession.libsyn.com/website/argentinas-sparkling-wine-s14e1

American Sparkling Wine: https://glassinsession.libsyn.com/website/american-sparkling-wine-s13e1

Bugey from France: https://glassinsession.libsyn.com/website/and-a-bugey-bubbly-new-year-s12e1

Tasmanian Sparkling Wine: https://glassinsession.libsyn.com/website/s11e1-tasmanian-sparkling-wine-history-devilish-deets

South African Sparkling Wine: https://glassinsession.libsyn.com/website/s10e1-cap-classique-a-south-african-sparkling-wine-story

Franciacorta from Italy: https://glassinsession.libsyn.com/website/s9e1-franciacorta-docg

Txakolina from Spain: https://glassinsession.libsyn.com/website/s7e1-txakolina-near-and-far

Prosecco Rosé from Italy: https://glassinsession.libsyn.com/website/s6e1-prosecco-doc-ros-plus-some-sweet-corkdorkery

Pétillant Naturels from just about anywhere: https://glassinsession.libsyn.com/website/s5e1-a-pt-nat-chit-chat

English Fizz: https://glassinsession.libsyn.com/website/s4e1-english-fizz