Which kind of wine or champagne for new year eve?

Question

Some friends have invited us for new year eve , which kind of wine or champagne will be suitable to take with , I do not usally drink alcohol but my friends who I will visit are very familiar with all kind of wines, so I do not know what should I buy?( It should not be also very expensive)

Answer 1

For New Year's champagne/sparkling wine is the tradition. Since you want "not very expensive" (price range?) then to get decent quality you'll probably want to pick a better sparkling wine than a champagne (sparkling wine is champagne which is made outside of the champagne region in france).

For sparkling wines on a budget:
Mumm's cuvee napa brut (black label)
Mumm Cuvee "M" (blue label)
Domain Chandon Blanc De Noir (peach label)
Domain Chandon Brut (white-ish label)

All of them should run you about an average 15-20 dollars, depending on if you catch a sale or not. In a pinch and depending on the tastes of your host you could go with a "cheap" sparkling wine like korbel or asti... but i never drink the stuff.

A note on opening champagne (because you'd be surprised at the potential for injury here):
1) Remove any foil from the top of the covering.
2) Grip solidly around the kneck of the bottle and PLACE YOUR THUMB OVER THE TOP OF THE COVERING (the gold wired part over the top of the cork). A bottle of champagne is contained at ten atmospheric pressures, your thumb makes sure the cork doesn't accidently slip and shoot out.
3) With your thumb on the top of the covering, fully untwist the wire which secures the covering to the lip of the botttle. The cork is now vulnerable to popping out.
4) Without moving your thumb from the top of the covering, wrap your hand around the cork. With a gentle rotating and pulling motion, lift the cork up slowly and in a controlled manner. Be carefull not to let the cork shoot up out of your hand either. Also, be ready, the bottle might over flow a little bit (also be careful not to shake before opening, because then it really will overflow)

Answer 2

Great Champagne: Champagne Veuve Clicquot
Good Champagne: Champagne Mumm

Sparkling Wines: Freixenet ( From Mexico)
Sparkling Wine: Henkel Trocken


Enjoy, but Remember it is Champagne if it is made in the French Region of Champagne
It is Sparkling wine if it is made like Champagne but not from that Region.

All have bubbles so they get to your head faster ! Enjoy with moderation

Answer 3

If your friends are wine drinkers, I probably wouldn't recommend bring wine, unless you know the brand/type that they drink.
you could bring a bottle of champagne and I would recommend
Asti Gancia, which is very flavorful, a bit sweet and not dry.
It's also usually $10 - $15, so it's a great bargain and great taste.
Some of the other brands that were mentioned from others are good as well, but this is a favorite of mine and everyone that has tried it. Hope my suggestion is helpful.

Answer 4

Mumm Cordon Rouge is very reliable and moderately priced - it's often on sale at liquor stores too. Make sure to chill it before you take it with you to the party.

Also a good white wine, such as a chardonnay or sauvignon blanc is good for parties. The staff at the liquor store can help you pick one out - aim for something at least $20 per bottle. Anything less than that is usually not very good, especially among people who drink a lot and know their stuff. New Zealand wines have been particularly good, so anything from New Zealand is a good choice.

Answer 5

Best thing is to go to a good wine store and let the sales people help you find something. Set yourself a budget and they will be able to find something in your price range. I would either go with a decent Brut champagne or a decent white wine. A Reisling is a nice choice (they range anywhere from sweet to dry and have a nice fruitiness to them) if you don't want to do champange. Figure that you'll spend about $25-30 for something drinkable. You don't have to spend a fortune for a good bottle.

Answer 6

Lanson Black Label Champagne, great value, true french champagne. $40 in Canada, if you are in the US probably around $20, I've noticed prices are usually 1/2 what there are here.

89/100 Lanson Black Label Brut N/V
Champagne, France
Produced By: Champagne Lanson
Distributed By: Mark Anthony Wine Merchants



Persistent mousse. Good continuous mousse. Very mineral, green apple skin, pear, toasty, floral aromas. Round, soft, fresh style with good mousse but a bit warm. Nutty, toasty, green apple, mineral, citrus flavours with a fairly crisp, dry finish. Very solid, consistent style. Lanson Black label is a blend of 50 per cent pinot noir, 35 per cent chardonnay, 15 per cent pinot meunier.


FYI: FREIXENET is from Spain not Mexico.

http://www.bcliquorstores.com/en/products/88591

Answer 7

Ballatore is a decent champagne that is cheap (around $6 a bottle or so).
You could ask your friends if they prefer red or white wine. A good white is Fetzer Riesling (around $10 a bottle).

Answer 8

Personally cheap champagne gives me headaches.. So I would then go with wine, and just about everyone loves a Zinfandel, and it is not on expensive.

Answer 9

For new years pretty much any champagne will work, but if you are not sure then ask your friends what they would like they may like one thing over another. If they are no help then just get something you would like to drink, soda or whatever.

Answer 10

An interesting and good champagne that a lot of people don't know about is Gruet, from New Mexico of all places. It tastes great and is not too expensive.