Sweet or dry? Find out which sparkling wine is ideal for toasting the New Year

Sparkling wines are the protagonists at the end of year festivities. Toasting the arrival of the New Year is on the list of traditions that, for many, cannot be broken. And these occasions call for good sparkling wine; the effervescence directly refers to celebration, and the sophistication of this type of drink conveys the idea that something positive is about to come. The sparkling wine toast is not only a historical tradition, dating back to ancient Greece and Rome, but also a cultural act.

But with the number of sparkling wine styles available today, which model is ideal for the moment? How to find what best suits the palates of the toast guests, the dishes to be served at New Year’s dinner or both?

To understand which option is right for what you are looking for, Good Gourmet spoke with José Vinícius Chupil, partner and sommelier at Duq Gastronomia, winner of the Best Wine List category at the Bom Gourmet 2023 Awards.

The expert explained, for example, that sparkling wines can be classified into different styles according to the concentration of residual sugar in the bottle. And there isn’t necessarily a right style: it all depends on the intentions of whoever is proposing the toast and what will be served at the table when it’s time to say goodbye to the old year and happily welcome in the new year.

Nature sparkling wine

It is the driest sparkling wine, with residual sugar of three grams per liter. According to Vinícius, the content is obtained by excluding the dispatch liquor from the process. “That’s where its name nature comes from, indicating that the sparkling wine is ‘natural’, without any intervention”, he explains. Thus, the quality of the base wine and grapes is particularly enhanced in this type of sparkling wine – the vast majority of which are produced with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, which gives nature a unique flavor.

“Fish, oysters and creamy cheeses are good pairs for this sparkling wine profile”, advises the sommelier.

Extra brut sparkling wine

Considered very dry sparkling wines, they have a sugar concentration between 3.1 and 8 grams per liter. “These are drinks with a complex and striking flavor, which tend to have high acidity”, defines Vinícius. They pair very well with dishes based on fish, oysters, medium-matured cheeses, pasta with light sauces and pork, due to the high acidity of this style of sparkling wine.

Brut sparkling wine

The most common and also the most recommended for those who like less sweet wines, brut has a sugar concentration between 8.1 and 15 grams per liter. The finish is usually dry, but less than the extra brut. “And in this case, the pairing is the same as the extra brut”, informs the sommelier.

Extra dry-sec or dry sparkling wine

Despite its name, the dry type sparkling wine has a very balanced flavor profile and moderate sweetness. It has between 15.1 and 20 grams per liter of residual sugar per liter, is light to drink and has a smooth and pleasant acidity. “It is the most suitable for those who are starting to experiment and exercise their palate”, adds Vinícius. Sparkling wines with the nomenclature ‘ice’ fall into this category. It is ideal to accompany starters and appetizers, as well as sweet and sour dishes.

Demi-sec sparkling wine

Or semi-dry, it has a sugar content that varies between 20.1 and 50 grams per liter. Ideal choice for those who don’t like dry sparkling wines but also want to avoid sweeter ones, like Moscatel. Demi-sec is a great companion to sweet and sour or spicy dishes.

Sweet sparkling wine

As it is the sweetest, it contains a sugar concentration of more than 50 grams per liter, as the sweetness is quite noticeable. Moscatel is in this category. And it pairs very well with fruit-based desserts, creamy white mold cheeses alongside fresh fruit or even fruit cake and panettone.

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