Let’s face it; sparkling wines were made for New Year’s Eve. There is nothing quite like wine with bubbles to create a festive atmosphere and elevate the last night of the year to celebratory status. Whether you’re pouring a wine from California, Italy, Spain or France, the addition of bubbles somehow makes each sip a party. And the variety of sparkling wines is endless. The wines can range from bone-dry to wonderfully sweet. The bubbles can be tiny or effervescent. They can be white, red or rose.

Just how should you go about finding the right sparkler for your particular palate? Well, price is always a factor, but many consumers often overlook the importance of bubbles. How a wine gets its sparkle can impact both the flavor and the feeling it creates in the mouth.