But for a special occasion — and what’s a more special occasion than New Year’s Eve? — you need the genuine article. Which means you’ll need to spend some money on a decent bottle of honest-to-goodness champagne, bubbles and all. Today’s bottle retails for $25-$30, depending on where you find it. That’s not the cheapest bottle you can find out there, but it’s certainly not as expensive as Veuve Clicquot ($40 or so), Moet (which goes at $45-$50), or some of the more ridiculous bottles you can find.

At that price, Perrier Jouet might not be the nicest bottle of champagne you’ll drink in your life, but it’s good enough to make a special occasion just a bit better.

How’s it look? Peach-colored, with much finer carbonation than a lesser bottle of sparkling wine — kind of like a bottle of sparkling mineral water like Pellegrino or Perrier has finer carbonation than a simple glass of soda water.

How’s it smell? Mild, with subtle citrus and floral notes.

But how does it taste?  Just as mild and delicate as it looks. The flavor is smooth and mild, with some pear and strawberry notes. More important, though, is what’s missing — there are no boozy or tannic notes at all. This is a very smooth champagne, one that could be enjoyed even by party guests who aren’t regular drinkers.

What should I eat it with? Strawberries, angel food cake, or any other light, effervescent fare you’ll be serving at your New Year’s Eve party. Just don’t serve it with mistletoe — that stuff’s poisonous.

Most drinks have a traceable “original” recipe (cocktail writer David Wondrich has tracked down many of them on Esquire’s drinks database.) Many have a popularly accepted recipe, and some even have a “sanctioned” recipe from the International Bartender’s Association (which I picture to be something akin to SPECTRE in the James Bond movies.) But the “right” recipe? Drinks change over time, as do tastes, and at the end of the day, the only thing that really matters is my recipe (if I’m mixing your drinks) and yours (because you should really know what you like, and how you like it.)

I mention all that because whenever I bring sangria to a party, and people ask me for the recipe (more to make conversation than because they’re actually interested), I’m at a loss. It’s a little flip, but my answer is something along the lines of “wine and fruit.” Because that’s all you really need. And that’s really how I think of sangria.

My recipe changes a bit every time I make sangria. I usually buy whatever fruit is on sale in the produce section and pick out a fairly inexpensive wine as well. (There’d be no sense in buying something complex or expensive, since we’re going to fuss with the flavor anyway. And besides, I’m a writer, so I can’t afford it.) A little bit of brandy adds some punch, and a bit of fruit juice helps to balance the flavors, but for the most part we’re just infusing wine with fruit. You’ll be surprised how well it works.

Please note that this recipe makes over a gallon of sangria; plan your guest list accordingly.

Sangria

• 4-5 bottles inexpensive red wine (if you’d prefer, you can use white instead.)
• 1/2 pint (8 oz.) brandy
• One bottle sparkling wine
• 2-3 pounds mixed fruit (for the sake of an example, let’s say a pound of strawberries, a half a honeydew, and an orange.)
• 2 cups fruit juice (anything would work, but again, if you need an example, let’s say pineapple)

Now, I say any wine that drinks well is fine to serve, regardless of whether it has a fancy name. However, if you want something inexpensive and “authentic”, I say go for a cava. Cava, a Spanish sparkling wine that is (like prosecco) somewhat inexpensive, is lesser known but can be just as good. I picked up a bottle of this Jaume Serra Cristalino Cava at Trader Joe’s for $6.99, and after tasting it, I can’t disagree with the sticker on the bottle touting this wine’s ranking as a “value brand of the year” from Wine & Spirits Magazine for three years running. (A bit of research shows that this cava used to be sold as Cristalino, but that the winemakers lost a trademark battle with the makers of Cristal and had to tack on the winemaker’s name.)

How does it look? The Jaume Serra cava is a transparent, light gold color – mellow yellow, if you want to be hip about it.

How does it smell? Dry, and a little tart. There aren’t any noticeable fruit aromas or tannins – it seems like it would be a mild wine. Again, mellow.

But how does it taste? Dry, clean, and unassuming. The front of the palate registers a lot like a crisp, dry lager would – the carbonation is almost the strongest flavor. Some tart citrus flavors emerge on the back of the palate, and linger in the aftertaste. The best thing to say about this cava is that there aren’t any unpleasant flavors – it’s not woody, and it doesn’t have any of the cloying sweetness that a cheaper “champagne” might have.

What should I eat it with? Oddly, my first instinct was to say Chinese food, even though rieslings are supposed to be the generic pairing there. This would stand up well at a barbecue as well – it’d zap the grease from a burger or the vinegar from a barbecue sauce away from your palate, and it’s refreshing enough to drink while you’re waiting for the grill to heat up, too.

Bonus points: the best way to open a bottle of sparkling wine, of course, is to saber it – open it with a sword (or, lacking that, a heavy chef’s knife.) A champagne bottle is under pressure, and a little bit of force applied to the bottle’s weakest point – along the seam, where the neck meets the ring of the lip – will make the cork and the lip of the bottle fly clean off. Chill your bottle, take it somewhere with a bit of open space, remove the foil and the wire, lay your sword (or chef’s knife) flat along the seam of the bottle, dull end facing the cork, and slide the blade fast and straight along the neck until it strikes the lip of the bottle. As long as you make firm, direct contact with the lip along the seam, the top flies right off.

Check YouTube – I’ve never shot any video, but this guy knows how to do it. And by way of a disclaimer – don’t hurt yourself, and don’t blame me if you do.

On Mondays, we typically enjoy a bottle of sparkling wine with our tapas menu.  As this Monday was special, we wanted a bottle of something that was a little more special but not necessarily an indulgence.  Being the chef for the evening, I also searched for the perfect bottle of bubbly.  Having enjoyed Moët & Chandon previously, this bottle seemed like the perfect choice at a price point of $35- a bit more than a typical bottle of sparkling wine but not outrageous.

The Moët & Chandon Impérial definitely was a great choice.  This wine was smooth, almost like sipping on a liquid silk.  In addition to having a great mouth feel, it also had a hint of sweetness.  The sweetness was done well:  enough to awaken your tastebuds but not so much that it tasted like a dessert wine.  With hints of apple and honey, it could be complimentary to many meals.

As with any sparkling wine, this beverage is best enjoyed slowly.  While you will notice the smooth texture immediately, the assortment of flavors present themselves as you slowly savor each sip.  Between the aroma and the taste, you will discover that this bottle of Champagne consists of a beautiful combination of flavors.

The rampant popularity of sparkling wine is not new; it was sparked in eighteenth century Paris when restaurants and high society recognized the affinity the Duke of Orleans had for Champagne, and attempted to be like him. There are many excellent sparkling white and rose wines, but the white sparkler most associated with grand celebration is Champagne. Primarily due to its dryness, Champagne is sometimes thought of as being different than and separate from wine, but it is a true white sparkling wine produced in the Champagne region of France. Other sparkling wines from France include Mousseux and Cremant. Some notable Italian sparkling whites are Asti, Franciacorta and Prosecco. Spain’s Cava and Germany’s Sekt are also superior European sparklers.

All wines that sparkle are not golden-hued whites, however. There are some wonderful sparkling red wines like Italy’s Lambrusco and Brachetto, and even a sparkling Shiraz from Australia. Brachetto is an aromatic red from Northern Italy, with a great balance of acidity, sweetness and fizz. Lambrusco is a rich red sparkler, slightly less sweet and more acidic than Brachetto, with a light, refreshing fizz. Lambrusco is best served chilled. Australian sparkling reds are most often made with a Shiraz base, or sometimes with Cabernet. No matter the color, sparkling wines are enjoyed the world over, and can be paired with nearly limitless cuisines.

We were both pleasantly surprised and happy with the selection. The white was light and not too dry or sweet. The slightly fruity flavor and effervescent bubbles were a perfect accompaniment to our happy evening and wonderful meal.

The $36 restaurant bottle price was a good value.

After dinner we decided to lay on the living room floor and watch Michael Clayton (read reviews of the movie in FlickRev). To go with our lounging and cinematic release, we had a bottle of Villa Conaro Prosecco Extra Dry.

For those of you who like the effervescent sensation of spumante, but do not like the heavy sweetness that comes with the bubbles, this is the bottle for you. This prosecco, which comes from Veneto, Italy, is a light straw-colored bubbly wine. My WTB and I had three or four flutes each and did not get the aftertaste or heavy feeling you get from most sparkling wines.

A sharp cheese and a baguette would be lovely partners for this delightful, moderately priced wine selection.  It also would make an excellent addition to a martini, giving a small amount of carbonation to lighten the drink.