With New Year’s Eve around the corner, there is no doubt that you are looking at your options for bubbly. Toasting at the stroke of midnight is a longstanding tradition with its own set of implications – Which sparkling should I get? How much should it cost? Should it be traditional Champagne? Luckily, as I prepare for New Year’s Eve, I’ll be doing all of the heavy lifting and trying different things for you 😉 My first taste of bubbles for the weekend comes from Spain – Pere Ventura Tresor Brut Reserva.

Courtesy Pere Ventura

Pere Ventura’s wine producing vocation is rooted in a family tradition dating back to the 19th century. When he decided to found his namesake winery in 1992, he did so in honor of his ancestors. Pere’s family heritage with Cava dates back to 1872, when his great grandfather, Manuel Montserrat Font, helped produced the first bottles of Cava at Codorniu. Today, the family tradition lives on at the Pere Ventura wine estate, with the ultimate goal of producing Cava of the highest quality and elegance.

All Pere Ventura Cavas undergo the “Traditional Method” of sparkling wine production, the same method used for Champagne (the only difference, obviously, is that Champagne is only produced in Champagne, France). Grapes are hand harvested and de-stemmed before they undergo a first fermentation in stainless steel tanks.

The wine is a very light pale yellow and has a great amount of bubbles. It’s light in aroma, smells like citrus, and also tastes like lemon, grapefruit, apple, and some minerality. It’s nice and dry without being too harsh. Very easy drinking. I really enjoyed it. It’s about $15 online. Definitely a great value. 4/5.

If you like Spanish sparkling, you should check out CHIC Barcelona Rosé, which I drank last week to celebrate the holidays.