Baubles Bangels and Fizz

Like most of the world, British Columbians are not inclined to reach for sparkling wine until they are celebrating a significant milestone, be it an anniversary, birthday, wedding or successful business deal. But festival organizers are betting on Vancouver's curiosity, and love of partying, as the perfect backdrop to lift sparkling wine to new heights.

Several dozen sparkling wines will be in the tasting room, coming from just as many producers and close to a dozen countries. Given the proximity of the upcoming holidays, I have decided we should combine both stories, to help you prepare for the festival and celebrate the holidays with some fabulous fizz.

Remember, sparkling wine should be served chilled (5 to 6 C) but not frozen. Put the bottle in the refrigerator for 30 minutes (the top milk shelf is the coldest spot) or plunge the bottle into ice and water for 15 minutes before serving.

You can serve sparkling wine in any glass but the classic, tall, thin glass called a flute does a great job of showing off the bubbles. A tulip-shaped flute that is slightly wider at the tip, is also ideal for serving sparkling wine.

Shaking the bottle and expelling the cork halfway across the room looks good in the movies but when you open sparkling wine, it's best to grasp the cork in one hand and rotate the bottle with the other until the cork gently and quietly slides out. After that, it's up to you to make your own fun.

First up, we head to Spain and cava country for a delicious drop of Segura Viudas Aria Estate N/V Brut made from a blend of macabeo, parellada and xarello grapes. The nose is a nutty scented mix of citrus, earthy flavours with bits of stone fruit and toasted lees aromas. Fresh, crisp, and elegant, it spreads across the palate with just a hint of sweetness. It has fine citrus, peach and honey flavours with an underlying taste of nutty, mineral floral flavours. A very attractive style of fizz you can serve with food and enjoy any time.

Germany's Deinhard Lila N/V Riesling Brut Sekt is a solid sparkling wine that offers taste and style at a fair price. Its inviting, attractive floral, green apple, citrus, peach nose melts into an off-dry, round, elegant but taut, sparkler with green apple, slate, mineral, citrus and peach flavours. It's an affordable pre-dinner sipper you can serve with lox or shrimp.

Don't let the bright yellow wrapper-label of the Marques de Gelida Cava 2002 Brut Exclusive Reserva scare you off. This macabeo-parellada-xarello blend of Spanish grapes has an enticing cherry-peach, nutty, floral aroma that doesn't quit. With its fresh, crisp, drier style with dried almonds, earthy, creamy, toasty, peach pit and mineral flavours, you have a winner. The mousse is a touch foamy but it has fine intensity. All in all, a solid cava at a fair price.

South Africa probably isn't the first place you think of when it comes to sparkling wine but that could change after you've downed a glass of Graham Beck N/V Brut. This pinot noir-chardonnay blend from the Breede River Valley is really a treat. Labelled South African Cap Classique, it comes with a persistent bead of small bubbles and a bright clean floral, citrus nose streaked with pear and lees. Crisp but slightly sweet or ripe in the mouth, it has fine citrus, green apple, honey, garlic, toasted nut flavours. A well-balanced, sweetish style brut with complexity. Built for simple appetizers.

The Italians refer to Prosecco, the soft, easy-sipping bubbly as a breakfast wine -- and I'm okay with that -- but it does just as well as an apéritif at any holiday get-together. My pick is the Col de' Salici N/V Prosecco Spumante Extra Dry from the Veneto, a fresh clean floral fizz with a nutty peach skin, nutty, floral, mineral flavours. A fun, fresh, easy-drinking bubbly you can serve with a variety of appetizers.

Finally, the homegrown See Ya Later Ranch N/V Brut from the Okanagan Valley makes a fine statement with its floral, meaty bread dough-brioche nose and nutty, peach pit aromas. Crisp, round and fresh on entry, it has a baked pear and yeasty floral, stone fruit flavours. A fine notch up in complexity for this bubbly has made it among the best it the province. Well done.

Price: $22

UPC: 00033293660002

Score: 88/100

Remarks: Attractive style to drink with food or enjoy any time.

DEINHARD LILA N/V RIESLING BRUT, RHEINHESSEN, GERMANY

Price: $13.50

UPC: 4003310132115

Score: 87/100

Remarks: Taut sparkler with green apple, mineral, citrus and peach flavours.

MARQUES DE GELIDA 2002 CAVA BRUT EXCLUSIVE RESERVA, PENEDES, SPAIN

Price: $23

UPC: 614479100040

Score: 88/100

Remarks: Drier style with dried almonds and creamy, mineral flavours.

GRAHAM BECK BRUT, ROBERTSON, BREEDE RIVER VALLEY, SOUTH AFRICA

Price: $25

UPC: 00699446000059

Score: 88/100

Remarks: Well-balanced, sweeter brut style but with complexity.

COL DE' SALICI N/V PROSECCO SPUMANTE EXTRA DRY, VENETO, ITALY

Price: $18-$20 (private wine stores only)

UPC: 8032771760144

Score: 87/100

Remarks: Peach skin, nutty, floral, mineral flavours.

SEE YA LATER RANCH N/V BRUT, OKANAGAN VALLEY

Price: $20 (private stores, restaurants)

UPC: 624738011048

Score: 88/100

Remarks: Crisp, round and fresh with baked pear, floral, peach flavours.