glass of bubbles, christmas fizz

Christmas fizz which isn’t prosecco or champagne!

Prosecco and Champagne can take centre stage at the office Christmas party, family gathering or girlie night  – but here’s some other Christmas fizz ideas which will fit the bill.

Provetto Spumante Bianco Brut (10.5% abv £4.99, Bargain Booze) This wine achieves the wow factor when used as a cocktail mixer. It’s a great way to add some festive sparkle to party drinks such as bellinis and mimosa-style creations. It’s not over-complicated but for a fiver it can be a fizz that gets the party started.
Christmas fizz score: 2/5

SPAR Cava Rosado (11.5% abv, £6) When you’re in a rush and you need a pink fizz you won’t go far wrong if you pick up this in your travels. It’s a pretty little thing, a strawberry pink, with soft aromas of fresh strawberries and just an edge of complexity which a cava brings to the party. In fact, why not take it to a party. For £1 more, buy SPAR’s Perlezza Rosé, which is a blush of pink bubbles to please any hostess.
Christmas fizz score: 3/5

The Society’s Cava Brut Reserva (12% abv, £8.25, www.thewinesociety.com) One of my friends said this wine was her “new fave”. You can’t beat cava. I love it. This crisp appley number is made from the traditional cava grapes parellada, macabeo and xarel-lo with a touch of chardonnay. It is rounded, squidgy and scrumptious – and at the same time remains elegant, in balance and with long-lasting flavours.
Christmas fizz score: 5/5

Codorniu Gran Crémant Vintage Brut Cava (11.5% abv £9.99 the Co-op) This wine has been developed exclusively for the Co-op. The label shouts class – then it has a complex, soft, fruity character which just can’t be mirrored by a simple prosecco. A fleck of toast nudges past pears and stone fruit on the nose, and to taste apples, lemons and stone fruit are soft but vibrant.
Christmas fizz score: 4/5

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Langlois Brut Crémant (12.5% abv, £13.50, winetrust100.co.uk) A wine with mmmmm factor.  This bottle of bubbly heaven is better than many of the champagnes on the market and costs a lot less, so you could even be cheeky and treat yourself to two bottles. It has a lovely creamy taste that will pop your cork. The label is owned by Champagne Bollinger.
Christmas fizz score: 5/5

The Chalk Valley English Sparkling Wine (12% abv, £14.99, aldi.co.uk and selected Aldi stores) This is an exclusive blend developed between Aldi’s wine team and Denbies’  winemakers. It has good citrus and apple aromas with a hint of spring flowers and a crumble of brioche; to taste it is tongue-tingling dry with a hint of creamy texture and apple flavours balance well with a shiver of acidity.
Christmas fizz score: 3/5

Montes Sparkling Angel (12% abv, £15.50 www.oddbins.com) This is the first sparkling wine made by Viña Montes and they’ve used the traditional techniques which create champagne. It is a blend of pinot noir (70 per cent) and chardonnay it spends 36 months on the lees to create complexity. It’s a wine of two halves – the nose has the dry intensity of walnuts and toast; then to taste it is much lighter, with fresh citrus and subtle stone fruits.
Christmas fizz score:3/5

First published in Raise a Glass, Trinity Mirror regionals December 2016

Liverpool Echo – South Wales Echo – Daily Post Wales – Huddersfield Examiner – The Chronicle, Newcastle – Teesside Evening Gazette – Birmingham  Mail – Coventry Telegraph – Paisley Daily Express 

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