Highly Rated Sparkling Wines to Pop on New Year's Eve

Our wine experts started out strong and swanky with their first New Year’s Eve pick: Charles Heidsieck Brut Rosé Réserve is one of the most awarded Champagnes in the world. The label has earned over 20 industry medals since 2012 and pulled a 97 rating from Decanter. This wine is the pick for New Year’s Eve.

If the ratings and recognitions don’t impress you, the flavors and mouthfeel will. This reserve rosé is rooted in Reims Champagne-making tradition and expresses with a trio of ripe berries and whipped cream on the palate. The extended aging helps produce a delicate, yet lively effervescence, resulting in an elegant, voluptuous Champagne.

Next on the list, our experts opted for a Grand Cru selection for celebratory sipping. This designation, meaning “great growth,” indicates the highest quality terroir and promises a sensational drinking experience. A Grand Cru wine is vinified from grapes grown in the most ideal conditions, from the amount of sunlight, to the age of vines and the depth of the roots along with strict growing and fermenting practices. All environmental elements must be in harmony to earn this sought-after status and the wine must also pass a 20-point blind tasting quality test.

Charles Mignon’s Grand Cru Brut Champagne is a striking representation of this recognition with a rich texture, delicate flavor and crisp finish. This prestigious (93 points from Wine Enthusiast) Champagne is a black tie choice for your evening.

Wine expert Janessa Schuster revealed that all of ABC’s knowledgeable wine experts, herself included, concur that you won’t find a better vintage Champagne for under $50 than Haton Noble Vintage Brut Champagne.

She added that Haton is a value vintage Champagne that doesn’t compromise on quality or integrity. Haton is a famed and family-run Champagne house in the Marne Valley of France. If you geek out over wine regions, this is a name to drink, Janessa shared. You’ll find peach, apricot and plum aromas that lead to dry fruits and almond on the palate. The quality for the price point is phenomenal. A must-pop for New Year’s Eve!

This wine could make the list for its exquisite golden bottle alone, but the juice inside is also unparalleled. Beyond the aesthetics, the Champagne itself is one-of-a-kind, which makes it an ideal choice for midnight toasting. It is made with six grapes (versus the traditional three) and uses two almost extinct varieties: petit meslier and arbane. These rare grapes contribute to the Champagne’s complexity which many other producers have tried to recreate with their own cuvées. Imitation truly is the best form of flattery!

Our first sparkling wine selection on the list is an absolute stunner. Veuve’s Crémant de Bourgogne Brut is not only highly-rated, but value-driven. This is the perfect label to purchase if you need several bottles for your New Year’s Eve fun.

Sparkling wines produced outside of the region of Champagne are known as Crémant wines and are labeled by region. Crémant de Bourgogne sparkling wines are the most like true Champagne and boast aromas of apple, grapefruit and pear. They are made from the same grapes, grown in closest proximity to Champagne, and vinified using the same fermentation methods while costing less. Janessa shares that no bottle of Champagne is going to be less than $30, but you can find a comparable Crémant under that price point.

If you are looking to save on several bottles – Veuve Ambal is fruity, floral and a fantastic choice to fill your flutes.

Our wine experts had to include a wild card in honor of 2023. Let’s hope it brings the best for us all!

This lambrusco is distinctive in flavor, fizz and bottling. Unlike traditional lambrusco, which is sweet, Cleto Chiarli’s wine is very dry. It is a red frizzante (semi-sparkling wine) and vinified entirely from the Lambrusco di Sorbana grape. Janessa shares that this wine is a personal favorite of hers and that it brings a bright, Rainier cherry flavor.

The dark glass and unique metal closure add to the wine’s character as well. This label is lovely and offers a unique drinking experience if you are looking to pop something different this New Year’s Eve. Just remember, Janessa adds, that this non-conventional closure is best popped with a butter knife. Don’t let the clip intimidate you; it is so worth it!

Collalto’s Italian prosecco is a crowd-pleasing sparkling wine styled for celebration. It's well-balanced and the bubbles are light, but plentiful—just right for toasting to upcoming prosperities.

This sparkling wine is made in Conegliano Valdobbiadene, the most recognized and revered prosecco producing region in the world. There, the land and winemaking practices are honored, and that care is reflected in the quality of the wine. It’s an easy sipping sparkler made with 100% Glera grapes with a light body and crisp finish. Each bottle is full of tiny bubbles, giving it a delicate mouthfeel that’ll make you want to pop a second bottle.

This next pick captures that feeling of anticipation that only a new year can bring. Graham Beck Brut Rosé is fresh, lively and invigorating. Our wine experts share that it can easily stand toe-to-toe with any Champagne thanks to the extended time the wine spends on the lees, resulting in a richness in flavor and added complexity.

Despite it being in a dark glass bottle, this wine is a beautiful, blush pink color. The Graham Beck Brut Rosé delivers subtle crushed red berry flavors, livened by acidity. It’s brisk, yet delicate on the palate, making it the ideal wine to sip as the clock ticks toward midnight.

This 100% pinot noir Champagne is the budget bottle you’ll want to toast with, especially if you are popping bottles on the hour, by the hour. Moutard’s Grande Cuvée has been eagerly received with a 91-rating from Wine Spectator. Janessa shares that this Champagne is made in a style that is extremely palatable and offers easy sipping flavors to pour for all your friends. It has a zippy acidity with flavors of apple, citrus and spice. This wine has the profile of a pricey bottle at a party-friendly price.

Treveri Cellars rounds out our list with a dynamic wine from Yakami Valley, Washington. Treveri does one thing, and they do it very well: sparkling wine. Their blanc de blanc is one of their most acclaimed selections and a value choice for celebrating with intriguing flavors of citrus and spice.This family-run sparkling house is guided by a husband and wife team who specialize in sparkling winemaking. Their wines are a smart grab if you are looking for both quality and affordability.