A bottle of bubbly is the quintessential holiday gift. Whether you’re attending a festive dinner party or adding to a friend’s carefully curated collection, you can’t go wrong with a special sparkling wine. Crisp, effervescent and fizzy, this light-bodied beverage sets the tone for any celebration.
Champagne, which is exclusively made in France’s namesake region, is known for its traditional methods and strict production parameters. Typically, Champagne is composed of chardonnay, pinot noir and meunier grapes, yielding a textured palate that is bright, refreshing and acidic. However, these same characteristics are a hallmark of most sparkling wines, and though Champagne is the most famous of the bunch, California wine country is known to produce some premier bubbly.
While popular brands like Veuve Clicquot and Korbel are readily available and easily recognized, other high-end purveyors showcase the exclusivity of this timeless tipple. If you’re looking to impress the most selective of collectors, limited releases and customized bottles are the perfect alternative to your standard bottle of brut.
From a special edition Dom Pérignon to bottles engraved with personalized messages, these are the best sparkling wines to gift this holiday season.
Happy International Champagne Day — discover fun facts, history, and expert tips to drink it right.
Not matter what you think of the state of the world, there is a reason to celebrate – Happy International Champagne Day! Today, champagne lovers around the world are raising a glass. The the annual celebration of the world’s most iconic sparkling wine — and a perfect excuse to toast life’s bright spots, big and small.
International Champagne Day falls every year on the fourth Friday in October. The celebration started in 2009 when wine educator Chris Oggenfuss launched a simple online campaign encouraging champagne fans to connect and share their love for the drink. The idea fizzed — literally — and quickly grew into global tastings, parties and social media cheers from New York to Nice.
But the story of champagne stretches back much further. Bubbles first appeared in French wine cellars during the 1500s, when monks in Limoux noticed a naturally sparkling wine forming in barrels. By the 17th century, the vineyards of Champagne, France had perfected the art — though early winemakers considered those bubbles a mistake. Thankfully, the world disagreed.
From royal coronations in Reims to red-carpet movie premieres, champagne has long been synonymous with success. By the 1800s, French houses like Moët & Chandon and Veuve Clicquot turned sparkling wine into a global luxury symbol — one standing for joy, elegance, and a little bit of rebellion.
Marketers helped, too. The 20th century saw champagne splashed across everything from Formula 1 podiums to wedding receptions, cementing its reputation as the go-to drink for life’s milestones.
If you’re celebrating today, serve your champagne right:
Chill, don’t freeze. The sweet spot is 45–50°F — cold enough to keep the bubbles fine and lively.
Ditch the flute. Experts now favor tulip-shaped glasses which capture aroma while keeping the fizz.
Ease, don’t pop. Gently twist the bottle (not the cork) until it sighs, not explodes.
Sip soon. Once opened, champagne loses its sparkle quickly — a good reminder to savor the moment.
And yes, it pairs with more than caviar. Try it with salty chips, sushi, or even fried chicken — the crisp acidity cuts through rich flavors perfectly.
Not every bubbly is champagne. The name is legally protected: only sparkling wine made in France’s Champagne region, under strict rules, earns the title.
That’s why prosecco comes from Italy, cava from Spain, and sparkling wines from California or Oregon proudly bear their own regional identities. All share the sparkle, but only one can claim the Champagne name — a mark of geography, heritage and meticulous craft.
So whether you’re brunching with friends, toasting a promotion, or just surviving another workweek, today’s the day to pop something special.
Champagne isn’t just for the rich or famous — it’s for moments worth remembering. And if there’s one thing millennials know well, it’s how to make even an ordinary Friday sparkle.
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If anything can bring about decision fatigue, it’s the holidays. This is why I recommend choosing a “signature wine” for the season that you use for neighborhood parties, last-minute gifts, New Year’s Eve mingling, and drinking out of a reindeer mug at 1 a.m. on Christmas Eve while wrapping all the gifts you procrastinated for weeks. This year my go-to has been Cleto Chiarli Brut de Noir Rosé, a fun, punchy pink bubbly from Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region.
What’s So Great About Cleto Chiarli Brut de Noir Rosé?
When people shop for wine, they often feel under informed, intimidated, and pressed for time (51% of Americans open a bottle of wine within three days of purchasing it). This leads people to grab something that looks familiar, like Champagne or Prosecco from a famous brand. So lesser-known regions and styles of wine that don’t have that immediate shelf appeal are often amazing values.
The wine-growing regions in Emilia-Romagna that make Lambrusco are one such area — especially because even people who do know about Lambrusco often have a negative association with it. (This region became known for sweet, one-note sparkling reds in the early 1980s.) But these regions and their signature grape varieties (there are a few different Lambrusco varieties) make a whole range of delicious sparkling wines, from bone-dry to sweet and from dark purple-red to rosé or even white.
Cleto Chiarli is one of the oldest and most established Lambrusco producers in Modena, the commune in Emilia-Romagna famous for its balsamic vinegar, and its Brut de Noir Rosé is full of zingy fruit flavors like tart cherry, raspberry, and watermelon. The texture is almost a bit creamy, and the finish is clean and mouthwatering.
Like Prosecco, it’s made using the charmat method, which tends to bring out bright, fresh, crowd-pleasing flavors. It’s made with 85% Lambrusco Grasparossa, the boldest of the Lambrusco varieties, so just a short amount of skin contact is enough to give the wine a bright pink color and lots of flavor, while the balance is Pinot Noir that brings a little acidity and aromatic intrigue to the party — and at under $20, you can afford to stock up! (Maybe just don’t mention the Lambrusco bit to older relatives unless you want that Riunite jingle stuck in your head until New Year’s.)
What’s the Best Way to Drink Cleto Chiarli’s Brut de Noir Rosé?
While this sparkling rosé is great on its own, like other wines from this part of Italy, it shines with food as well. (Emilia-Romagna is known for cured meats, Parmigiano Reggiano, and rich pasta dishes.) It’s got a little more body and tang than a lot of other sparkling rosés I’ve tried, so it’s great as an aperitif or stand-alone glass of bubbly; it would also be amazing with a charcuterie board or any of those delicious cheese-heavy appetizers we tend to make around this time of year (think: Aunt Kim’s port wine cheese ball or sweet and savory baked Brie).
Weddings, birthday, boat launches and business deals all celebrate with it. It is the signature drink of New Year’s Eve and it is a vital part of the whole holiday season. Let us share everything you need to know about champagne. From rock stars, to Elizabeth Taylor to royals around the world, champagne has been a staple. The late queen mother loved Bollinger and it was the first champagne to receive the royal stamp of approval.
In 2022, 326 million bottles of Champagne were shipped globally. The US cemented its status as the top export market for Champagne as sales soared by 19.4% in 2022. Producers sold 33.72 million bottles in the US market throughout the year, according to new figures released today (6th April) by the Comité Champagne.
“Champagne, as the supreme wine of celebrations, has been the natural choice of the world’s consumers as they rejoiced at the end of lockdowns and rediscovered a taste for parties, for going out and for traveling.” added David Chatillon, president of the Union des Maisons de Champagne and co-president of the Comité Champagne.
Where Was Champagne Developed?
The oldest recorded sparkling wine is Blanquette de Limoux, which was invented by Benedictine monks in the Abbey of Saint-Hilaire, near Carcassonne, in 1531.They achieved this by bottling the wine before the initial fermentation had ended.
Dom Pérignon (1638–1715) was a monk and cellar master at the Benedictine abbey in Hautvillers. He pioneered a number of winemaking techniques around 1670, being the first to blend grapes in such a way as to improve the quality of wine. He also introduced corks (instead of wood), which were fastened to bottles with hemp string soaked in oil in order to keep the wines fresh and sparkling. The famous French champagne is named after him.
Where Do The Bubbles Come From?
They tickled your nose, but why does champagne have bubbles? The answer is simple: fermentation. There are several different methods for trapping the carbonation, but in all cases the carbon dioxide is a byproduct of fermentation. Only in really cheap sparkling wines will you find artificial carbonation, and those are wines to avoid.
What Is Champagne?
A place, and a way of making wine. The place is in northeastern France, and is the only region in the world legally permitted to label their wine “Champagne.” The method involves making a still wine (or many of them and then blending them), bottling it, and adding more sugar and yeast.
This second fermentation happens in a closed bottle, meaning the carbon dioxide stays trapped until you open it. This method is now used around the world, and is more commonly called the “traditional method,” or “method traditionelle.”
Wait, What Else Do They Do?
Well, there’s this thing called the Charmat method, where larger vessels are used for secondary fermentation, and then the wine is bottled. This is how most Prosecco and Lambrusco is made, which is why it typically those are slightly less carbonated than most other sparkling wines. The other method involves bottling the wine before the initial fermentation has finished, resulting in a mildly effervescent wine typically called “petillant naturel,” or pet nat if you’re feeling frisky.
Are There Other Champanges?
Champagne wine is protected by an European regulation called Protected Designation of Origin (PDO). This european law protects the names of local products made in Europe.
This law has been accepted recently by the American administration. However traditional makers of sparkling wine in the US who made this kind of wine before the administration accepted the European law can still call their wine Champagne. But new sparkling wine in the US cannot wear the name Champagne on the label any more.
What About Other Bubbles?
Cava, especially at the Reserva and Gran Reserva level, can also be a great option. Prosecco can really run the gamut from cheap and banal to less cheap and really tasty, so it’s harder to offer a blanket statement.
Should I Drink From Flutes?
Through the 1960s, the coupe was the glass for bubbles. Lately, coupes have fallen out of favor with wine experts as a champagne glass alternative. The almost unanimous recommendation these days is to use wine flutes (or tulip glasses) to drink champagne.
But flutes are only good for one thing, and that’s showing off the bubbles. Just use a regular old wine glass, and you’ll actually be able to smell the wine, which is part of the appeal. Plus, you can fit a whole lot more wine in those glasses.
Sparkling wine, be it Champagne or otherwise, is one of the most amazing and versatile wines on the planet. Try having a bottle with dinner the next time you dine out or cook at home, and you’ll be amazed at just how well it pairs with almost anything you throw at it. Cheers!
Highland Imports has committed at least $100,000 to GLAAD from the first year of sales of True Colours Cava
Press Release –
updated: Nov 15, 2018
NEW YORK, November 15, 2018 (Newswire.com)
– Highland Imports is very excited to bring the True Colours Cava product to the U.S. market. Highland Imports is constantly searching for unique wines and spirits from around the world. When Highland Imports discovered True Colours Cava, they immediately noticed the colorful bottle and enjoyed the bright, crisp and dry finish to the cava. The message behind the bottle is what really attracted Highland Imports attention and made the decision easy to bring this product to the U.S. market.
Altia Sweden, the creator of True Colours Cava, recognized the growing consumer interest in products that support social issues and decided to join the movement. They created True Colours Cava in support of the social movements within the European markets for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendar and queer (LGBTQ) communities. They developed a fun product that promotes and promises “Love is Sparkling…and Social!” Altia Sweden took it one step further and a portion of the proceeds from the sales of True Colours Cava, support The Rainbow Foundation and their efforts to the LGBTQ communities within Europe. Altia Sweden believes in doing good and having fun while doing it. When Highland Imports heard this message, the decision was easy to bring True Colours Cava to the U.S. market to continue doing good while having fun and keeping the promise that “Love is Sparkling….and Social!” True Colours Cava is from the Penedes region of Spain and produced using a blend of Macabeo, XAREL.LO, Parellada, and Chardonnay grape varietals. It has an aging process of 14 months.
Making the decision to bring True Colours Cava into our portfolio was an easy one. The cava is outstanding and the packaging is brilliant. Selecting GLAAD to be an integral part of our program was also an easy decision. GLAAD embodies the very essence of Alita’s efforts to support human rights and social awareness. We are very excited to introduce True Colours Cava to the U.S. and continue the momentum started in Europe.
Oliver MacKinnon III, President of Highland Imports
Highland Imports committed to bring the momentum of True Colours Cava from the European markets to the U.S. market and continue the support to the LGBTQ community. Highland Imports is proud to announce our strategic alliance with GLAAD and keeping the “Love is Sparkling…and Social!” promise. A donation will be made for every bottle of True Colours purchased in the U.S. Highland Imports has committed a minimum donation of $100,000 to GLAAD within the first year of True Colours Cava being sold in the U.S. market. This commitment will support GLAAD and their continued efforts to accelerate acceptance for the LGBTQ community.
“Highland Imports is boldly displaying their support for LGBTQ people at a time when the community needs brands to stand up proudly and loudly,” said Zeke Stokes, GLAAD Vice President of Programs. “This generous commitment to GLAAD will help accelerate LGBTQ acceptance as we work to create a world where LGBTQ people can let their true colors shine brightly.”
