4 ITALIAN BUBBLES THAT WON’T BREAK THE BANK FOR NYE 2022

Champagne and New Year’s Eve go together like peanut butter & jelly. In fact, it’s almost sacrilegious I dare suggest you try any other type of bubbly on such an occasion. Now don’t get me wrong, I love Champagne just as much as the next person - it is my love language after all. But here’s my number one beef with the bubbly stuff:

That shit’s expensive af.

Not only that, but a lot of the Champagne houses over the years have fallen victim to rampant commercialization. And with commercialization comes the inevitable corner-cutting. Because of this, the good stuff - and I mean the really good stuff - is often… well… out of the Thurstqueen price range.

I mean, don’t get me wrong, if I had enough dough where I could cough up $150.00 on a bottle of Champagne without hating myself or having some sort of mild anxiety attack for spending so much money on a bottle of bubbly, I would totally do it.

But if you’re anything like me, do you really want to be that person who drinks their glass - or if you’re extra like me coupe - of $150.00 Champagne and has the following internal monologue racing through your head?

“Gosh. I spent $150.00 on this. Does this Champagne taste like it’s worth $150.00? Could I have gotten a nice dinner with this money? What about that pair of shoes I’ve been lusting after on zappos.com? Or that dress from Reformation! Who am I? Am I really the person who spends upwards a nice haircut on Champagne??? I am. Dear god, I am an asshole. Not only am I an asshole, but I am THAT asshole!”

If you are like me, and you want to get the best bang for your buck bubbly wise - why not take a trip down to Italy and explore some of their super affordable sparkly offerings? Without further ado, let’s get into it.

ITALIAN BUBBLY 1:

FRANCIACORTA -

FOR A CLASSY NYE

If you want an Italian bubbly that’s the closest to actual Champagne because oooh you fancy, then look no further than Italy’s premiere sparkling beverage of choice - Franciacorta.

This sparkling wine is made the exact way Champagne is - in the traditional method. This means that Franciacorta - like Champagne - experiences a secondary fermentation process in bottle. The typical grapes used in making Franciacorta are Chardonnay, Pinot Nero (Pinot Noir) and Pinot Blanc.

Franciacorta has all the prestige of Champagne. It is made in Northern Italy — more specifically Lombardy. When you have a glass of Franciacorta, expect to get similar aromas to Champs such as lemon, almond and toast. You can expect to spend $25-$30+ for a bottle of the good stuff.

ITALIAN BUBBLY 2:

MOSCATO D’ASTI -

FOR YOUR SWEET TOOTH

I know this suggestion is going to raise some serious eyebrows within the wine community. There are some Somms out there who throw some mad shade at anything Moscato related.

That’s fine. You can hate on Moscato all you want - and you definitely have the right to hate on Asti. But do NOT come at me about Moscato d’Asti, that shit deserves a little respect.

Sure, Moscato d’Asti can be a little sweet - it typically is just a tad less sweet than Sprite or Coca Cola - so if you’re looking for a more bone dry sparkler to enjoy this year, Moscato d’Asti is not going to be your bubbly of choice. Moscato d’Asti often comes in bright blue bottles and has the coveted Italian DOCG Classification.

Moscato d’Asti is great if you’re looking for a sweet, low alcohol - most are 5.5% - wine to enjoy with your pick of dessert this New Year’s Eve. You can expect flavors of honeysuckle and ripe pear, complemented by a delightful, lightly fizzy sparkle. Expect to spend around $10.00 - $15.00 on a bottle.

ITALIAN BUBBLY 3:

LAMBRUSCO -

FOR YOUR NYE DINNER

Why not try something different this year and step outside of your sparkling comfort zone? Why not try something RED? That’s right. Lambrusco is a sparkling red wine - and one of my favorite bubbly wines from Italy.

Lambrusco is a fantastic wine to pair with your New Year’s Eve dinner. With its complex and dry style, this wine begs to be enjoyed with food. If you’re doing some kind of roast, charcuterie board, or even appetizers - Lambrusco is the perfect sparkling red wine to drink during New Year’s Eve.

Typically, a blend of hearty, ancient, indigenous Italian red grapes go into Lambrusco. Some of the varietals are Brachetto, Refosco, and Ancelotta. The flavor of Lambrusco is difficult to describe - and there are many different quality levels of Lambrusco. For me, I typically get lots of herbs and spices, intermixed with red fruits like cranberries and currants. Lambruscos done in a lighter style tend to have a distinctive floral component to them.

If you’ve had the super sweet, insipid Lambrusco of yore and are unsure of my suggestion - fear not. The Lambruscos coming out of Lombardy have had a major quality shift - yet are still fairly priced. You’re not very likely to get some sort of super sweet, Coca Cola-tasting Lambrusco anymore. Expect to spend $10.00 - $20.00 on a bottle.

ITALIAN BUBBLY 4: PROSECCO -

FOR PARTIES & SHIT

I knew someone was going to read this blog and think - WHEN IS SHE GOING TO TALK ABOUT PROSECCO?!?!?!

Of COURSE I was going to discuss this sparkling Italian wine, typically made in the Charmat Method from the Glera grape. If you’re wondering what the Charmat Method is, that’s simply when the secondary fermentation process occurs in a tank instead of in the bottle like Champagne and Franciacorta.

You can get some pretty darn good Prosecco for cheap. If you’re looking to level up your Prosecco game, I suggest getting Prosecco from the prestigious Valdobbiadene Region - as that’s where most of the good shit is. This is the most prestigious zone for the Glera grape, with its temperate climate.

Prosecco is great. With its creamy, floral aromas and freshness, Prosecco is versatile as all get out. This sparkler plays really well with mixers (New Year’s Day mimosas, anyone?) and is also great for soaking gummy bears.

A great brand to look out far that I used to sell is Canella Prosecco. It typically falls in the under $20.00 range. You can get away with spending $5.00 - $10.00 on a bottle.

Find the recipe at teaspoonofgoodness.com

PICK OF THE WEEK: Zanasi Lambrusco di Sorbara DOP $18.90 @ Eataly

For those in the Los Angeles area, this wine is available for purchase in person at Eatily in the Century City mall, and it is well worth the trek.

This fresh, high-toned, floral sparkler is a great alternative if you want to try a different kind of bubbly this NYE. I mean, sure, I love Champagne as much as the next person, but if I want a wine that is versatile enough to go with appetizers, a main course, and dare I say it - dessert? The Zanasi Lambrusco di Sorbara it will be.

First off- check out the color on this beauty - it’s got the color of a vibrant pink sapphire or watermelon tourmaline:

In addition to that, this effervescent elixir has loads of white flower aromas. Like Gardenia blossoms. There’s a beautiful quality of wild strawberry to this wine on the palate, kissed with basil leaves and just a teeny tiny bit of bubble gum. I hate to gender a wine, but this wine is girlish, playful, and hyper feminine.

Lambrusco di Sorbara is considered the highest quality Lambrusco because the aromas are highly concentrated and vibrant. Lambrusco di Sorbara often has a distinctive floral quality, and is typically a pinkish color. There are other types of Lambruscos out there, such as Lambrusco Maestri, Lambrusco Grasparossa, and Lambrusco Salamino.

The Zanasi Lambrusco di Sorbara is the perfectly affordable, yet classy and elegant way to kick off your 2022 celebrations. You can pair this wine with a cheese and charcuterie board, any type of plant-based dish because of its freshness, and it’s effervescent and just fruity enough to go beautifully with dessert. Try pairing this wine with a Tres Leches cake garnished with strawberries - the Lambrusco will emphasize those fruity aromas beautifully. The minerality in this wine will cut through all that creamy, custardy richness and this pairing is sure to be a match made in heaven!

Well Thurstqueens, I think I’ve left you with a good selection of Italian Bubbly Wines for you to enjoy this New Year’s Eve. It’s crazy to think we’ve been together for almost a year! And what a year it has been. I am always grateful for you all. Your comments, your suggestions, your questions, you sharing your wine journeys with me - all of it. This New Year’s Eve, I know I’ll be raising my glass to you!