Enjoy bubbles without borders this New Years Eve

Why not aspire to be a global sipping citizen of bubbly this New Year’s?

You don’t have to take an official oath, sit for an exam or work up immigration papers. Becoming a world citizen is simply a philosophy, a sensibility that your experiences and hence, identity, can transcend geographical and political boundaries.

What this means in the world of bubbly is that you can partake in an ocean of free-flowing bubbles without borders. All you need is a well-traveled palate, and you can accomplish this feat without a passport. When it comes to global sipping, you have countless options at your fingertips without ever leaving the country, or even the county.

Here’s your guide to some of the best bubbly on the planet, beginning with those locally produced.

Sparkling wines

Northern California sparkling wine, at the top houses, rivals Champagne across the pond. These sparklers make bubbly in Champagne’s image; they produce their sparklers with a secondary fermentation in the bottle known as méthode champenoise. While these sparklers tend to be more fruit forward because of the warmer climate, many match the elegance of French Champagne. They are typically produced from chardonnay, pinot meunier and pinot noir,

Champagne, the most iconic bubbly, hails from the Champagne region of France and follows the strict laws of the appellation. It must, for instance, have its secondary fermentation in the bottle and follow the pressing regime of the region. The grapes used to produce Champagne are primarily pinot noir, pinot meunier and chardonnay. Associated with royalty beginning in the 17th century, Champagne continues to have its regal appeal.

Crémant is a French regional sparkling wine outside of Champagne. Yet, like Champagne, crémant undergoes a second fermentation in the bottle. While it can be crafted from Champagne’s typical varieties of chardonnay, pinot meunier and pinot noir, Crémant also can be produced from pinot blanc, riesling or pinot gris. Finally this sparkler is less effervescent than its Champagne counterpart.

Cavas

Spanish Cava is a surprise to many because it’s a steal for the caliber of wine. The term “Cava” is reserved for wines produced like Champagne, with the second fermentation in the bottle. In Spain, those bottlings produced by other methods are called sparkling wines. The vast majority of Cavas, 95 percent, are produced in the Penedes area in Catalonia, and two of the top producers are Freixenet and Codorniu.

Prosecco

Italian prosecco are crisp, fruity sparkling wines made in the Veneto region from Glera grapes. They are less expensive to produce because they undergo a secondary fermentation in a large tank, a process coined “the Charmat method.” Prosecco falls short of the texture and toasty flavors you find in bottlings that have their second fermentation in the bottle. That said, prosecco makes for a great quaff.

Sekt

German sekt is not necessarily sweeter than Champagne but it can be. Most sekt has its secondary fermentation in a tank using the Charmat method like prosecco. But some sekt undergoes a secondary fermentation in the bottle like Champagne. Deutscher Sekt means the fruit is from Germany. This sekt often uses German grapes like riesling, even though it can also be crafted from grapes like chardonnay. Deutscher Sekt is considered by many to be the best quality to purchase.

Cap classique

South African cap classique refers to sparklers in the Cape that are produced like Champagne with the second fermentation in the bottle. To distinguish themselves from lesser-quality sparklers, “cap classique” will be on the bottle. These wines are typically made from chardonnay and pinot noir, although sometimes you’ll find chenin blanc and sauvignon blanc in the mix. The category began with the release of Simonsig Wine Estate’s first sparkler in 1971, which mirrored Champagne with its traditional grape varieties and fermentation process.

With New Year’s upon us, it’s time to explore whole continents of bubbles. Borderless bubbles - now that’s something to celebrate.

You can reach Wine Writer Peg Melnik at peg.melnik@pressdemocrat.com or 707-521-5310.