If you answered Champagne or any other sort of sparkling wine, you are not alone. Though reports vary, each year an estimated two-thirds of the sparkling wine consumed in this country is done so in and around the holiday season. Heck, the mere thought of a popping cork brings enthusiastic smiles to just about anyone who enjoys a little vino.

More quality choices of sparkling wines are waiting to be the focus of celebratory toasts than at any other time in history, so if you are interested in trying something different, it is highly likely you will end up with something special.

Take Brachetto d’Aqui (pronounced bra-KET-o D’A-quee) for example. Made from the brachetto grape and hailing from the Piedmont region of northwest Italy, this ruby red fully frothing style of sparkling wine simply looks like the holidays in a glass.

Brachetto’s shed a lovely aroma of freshly crushed strawberries and usually has just a hint of sweetness to match. The only thing more incredible than the striking visual presentation and approachability of these wines is the fact that they haven’t fully caught on in this country yet. Sort of like the fried turkey phenomenon, I recommend jumping on the brachetto bandwagon early so you can brag to your friends in a couple years about how long you’ve appreciated these gems. Though most grocery stores don’t carry them, most wine shops do, and at very affordable prices to boot.

For a more traditional approach to bubbly, take a look at Gloria Ferrer from the Sonoma side of the Carneros region, just north of San Francisco. The domestic arm of popular Spanish sparkler Frexinet (pronounced fresh-in-ET) came to being in the early 1980’s when the Ferrer family visited the cool Carneros region with hopes it may become home to a future winemaking endeavor. Land was purchased, vines were planted to pinot noir and chardonnay, and Jose Ferrer named the first sparkling wine operation in the Carneros region after his wife, Gloria.

Nearly 3 decades later, Gloria Ferrer Caves and Vineyards consistently produce some of the best sparkling wines in the United States. Judges at the 2009 San Diego based Critics Challenge International Wine Competition certainly agree, awarding 8 of the wineries 9 entries gold or platinum medals.

In particular, the Gloria Ferrer NV Blanc de Noirs has received stunning accolades this year, especially considering it costs under $20. The aforementioned competition awarded the wine a Critics Platinum and The Wine News rated it at 94 points.

Rare indeed will a wine receive such consistently high praise at this price point and be widely available as well.

Both brachetto and the Gloria Ferrer wines can be found at wine.com.

No matter if you reach for something new or the tried and true, think bubbly this holiday season and toast your friends and loved ones to a healthy and prosperous 2010.

Each has it’s own story, and as a wine writer I embrace the opportunity to put a face on each of them as opportunities arise.  Now, with the holiday’s in full swing, there is no better time to feature what I feel is undoubtedly the greatest wine to enjoy during this festive season.  So, gather ’round and listen to a short holiday tale.

Is it actually possible to think of this season without hearing the “pop!” of a sparkling wine cork leaping out of a bottle?  How about the dreaded office party, or keeping the alcohol levels under control while enjoying a little holiday cheer?  What about the alluring bright reds, pristine whites, and aromatic foods filling every nook and cranny of your home?  Don’t forget the sweet treats too.  Ah yes…the holidays!

Wouldn’t it be great to make a potion from all that splendor and pour it in a glass? 

Combine brilliant reds, fully frothing whites, strawberry aromatics, a bit of sweetness, all the while being very low in alcohol and you’ve got the wold’s greatest holiday wine:  Brachetto d’Acqui. (pronounced bra-KET-o)

Yes, it’s true.  These fully sparkling wines from Italy’s Piedmont are absolutely unmatched for the holiday season.  I’ll never forget the first one I tried.  I looked at the woman I was tasting with and exclaimed “It just screams Christmas in a glass!”.  Not a year goes by without me proclaiming everywhere I go about the power of Brachetto d’Acqui to capture the essence of the holidays in just a few ounces.

Brachetto is the actual name of the grape used in these distinctive wines, most of which is made in the well known Italian sparkling wine region of Asti.  At least 85% of the wine must be made from Brachetto, but in practice they are usually 100% varietal bottlings. 

What these wines sometimes lack in traditional complexity is more than made up for with the eyes and common sensibility.  Unlike Moscato d’Asti, BdA’s are fully sparkling, a stunning Santa suit red, and typically weigh in at around 5.5% alcohol.  Yup, that isn’t a typo folks.  You could have nearly three glasses of this instead of a single serving of an Amador County zinfandel!  Hey, I love Amador zins, but that’s another column…

You won’t find BdA’s at most grocery stores, but shouldn’t have too much trouble locating one at your local wine shop. 

Happy Holidays!