Say Bye-Bye To 2020 With A Bottle Of Bubbly

Miami FL

31 December, 2020

9:22 AM

Description

the Miami Times By Jacqueline Coleman Miami Times Contributor Dec 30, 2020 December usually means holiday parties and plenty of hugs, kisses, clinking glasses and otherwise non-socially distant activities. This year's festivities look different. Due to the ongoing global pandemic, we may simply be seeing our loved ones as pixelated faces on a screen, rather than enjoying their company at actual in-person get-togethers. In the most devestating of circumstances, some of our loved ones may not have survived to see 2021. But regardless of how the season typically unfolds for us, the end of the year almost always means taking a moment for reflection. Maybe the extra time at home was a welcomed reprieve from a busy schedule, or perhaps the year brought learning opportunities, positive professional changes, an opportunity to reconnect with cherished solo hobbies, or – sadly – unexpected pain and loss. One thing though is certain – 2020 was the year of the virtual experience and exploring new ones. If you haven't selected your New Year's Eve bottle yet, then we're just in time to help you welcome 2021. As we close out this year and look forward to the next (what is next?), let's raise a glass as we usher 2020 into the past and say "bye-bye" with these bottles of bubbly from downtown Miami's 305wines.com. We'll start our sparkling wine journey by pointing out the obvious: None of these wines are Champagne. Why is that? Arguably the most iconic bubbly in the world can only come from the region of Champagne, France, and none of these bottles are from that region. Though they are all made in the traditional method, or "méthode traditionnelle," the same way that Champagne is produced, true Champagne can never come from any other place. With that important sparkling wine fact out of the way, let's get into value sparklings, starting with the imported Casteller Cava Brut NV. Cava is almost always a sparkling wine category that provides quality wines at great prices, like this bottle for under $20. Fresh and zesty on the nose, with lemon-lime citrus aromas along with a bit of savory almond and light cheesy biscuit, no doubt from some time the wine spent on "lees" – a minimum of nine months is the requirement here. Casteller Brut is delicate and easy drinking with a refreshing citrus fruit finish that is perfect for our warmer winter days here in South Florida. For a made-in-the-USA option check out the Piper Sonoma Blanc de Blancs NV out of Sonoma County, California. The term "Blanc de Blancs" on a bottle of sparkling means that the wine is a white sparkling wine made from white grapes, usually chardonnay. Whereas the alternative, "Blanc de Noirs" is a white sparkling wine made from black grapes, such as pinot noir. This Blanc de Blancs is made predominately from chardonnay with a bit of pinot blanc in the blend. The bottle is a fully textured bubbly and the finish is long, with a reserved elegance that lingers as long as it's invited but doesn't overstay past its prime fruitiness. Not a casual sparkling, Piper Sonoma's "BdB" is perfect for that pre-dinner aperitif or to dountdown to midnight. When most folks think of sparkling wine from Italy, prosecco is likely to be the number one wine to come to mind. However, the light northern Italian bubbly may not be strong enough to ring in this new year! But one perfect example of this wine, also made with the same production method as Champagne, cava, and our above-mentioned California sparkling, is the Ca'del Bosco Franciacorta Cuvée Prestige Extra Brut NV. Ca'del Bosco's "Cuvée Prestige" is labeled this way because it is one of the best wines in this producer's range. On the nose, complex aromas of citrus, pear, marzipan and fresh biscuits dominate. Smooth and creamy like a velvet blanket for your mouth, with bright lemon and ripe green apple that add to the allure of this invigoratingly "extra brut" sparkling wine. To be labeled extra brut, a wine can only have up to six grams per liter of sugar, whereas a brut sparkling wine can have up to 12. This bottle will complement any celebratory gathering. Serve well chilled and enjoy the remaining moments of this year in style. The Miami Times is the largest Black-owned newspaper in the south serving Miami's Black community since 1923. The award-winning weekly is frequently recognized as the best Black newspaper in the country by the National Newspaper Publishers Association.