Champagne Alternatives To Ring In the New Year
Over a thousand years ago European nobles came up with the tradition of drinking champagne for celebratory occasions like New Year's. Characterized as light, bubbly fun, and fizzy, champagne was thought to be a drink fit to be good enough for the gods.
And thus, it became a tradition to drink it on big occasions like New Year's Eve.
Dare we suggest you start your own tradition? Yes, we dare. Why? Well, one, not everyone likes champagne. The bubbly yeasty flavor isn't for all palates.
Two, a good bottle of champagne can be expensive for some. Three, if you're looking for a wine that's crisp, dry, fruity and soft for the evening, it doesn't need to be champagne.
Four, who says you can't have fun with a non-bubbly in your glass?
And five, it's much more fun to go against the grain and be different. In that spirit, here are a few Great Frogs alternatives to champagne to ring in the New Year.
Alternative #1: Great Frogs Rosé
Try this fun wine cocktail alternative for a light fruity, crisp alternative to champagne.
Ingredients:
2 parts Rosé
1 part Trader Joe's Sparkling Apple Cider
We prefer to use Trader Joe's Sparkling Apple Cider to Martinelli's because of its super light apple flavor and lower sugar count.
Make sure your Rosé is well chilled.
Alternative #2: Great Frogs 2015 Copper White
For a wine cocktail alternative with a bit more body and complexity, consider the Copper White in all its oak-y goodness mixed with sparkling pomegranate.
Ingredients:
2 parts Copper White
1 part Trader Joe's Sparkling Pomegranate
The complex flavors that you find in the Copper White are not overpowered by the sparkling pomegranate juice blend. The crunchy tannins and light oak that characterize this wine so well come through ever so gently on the finish.
We really liked drinking this with a side of Somerdale champagne cheddar cheese that we picked up from Whole Foods.
These three together tastes like a group of friends playing hop scotch in the park.
Alternative #3: Great Frogs Steel White
We think the Steel White as is a perfect alternative to champagne for the holidays.
No friends. No stir.
And because we wanted to keep it simple, we headed over to Trader Joe's and Whole Foods for a few easy appetizer options to go well with our cocktail alternatives.
Here are a few ideas for you that you can pop in to the oven, keeping appetizer preparation at a minimum:
Appetizers
- Parmesan Garlic Pepper Fries
- Crab Dip Pretzel Bowl
- Mediterranean falaffel bites on Tahini
- Turkey Kielbasa Cucumber picks
- Pea and Potato Somosas
- Shrimp nuggets
- Cheese, Spinach, Mushroom mini Quiches
Did you try any of these champagne alternatives? What did you think? Let us know. Or if you stuck to champagne for the evening, we'd love to know what you had with it as well.
Whatever you do, consider making your own traditions this year. Happy New Years to you and we can't wait to see you again in 2017!