C hampagne is the classic wine choice for parties and celebrations, it's true. But if you ask people who've been in the wine business what their "desert island" wine would be—the wine they could see themselves drinking for the rest of their life—the answer is almost invariably Champagne (and not just because it's served cold). The reason is simple: Champagne and other sparkling wines—Cava, Prosecco, Moscato d'Asti, included—are not just great party wines, they're also the most versatile wines for pairing with food. What makes all these sparkling wines so food-friendly? Consider these factors: Most bottles are blended from different vintage wines, resulting in a cuvée that's greater than the sum of its parts; they tend to showcase minerality, a characteristic that adds depth to fruity, savory, meaty, and gamy flavors; and these wines possess an unparalleled acidity that cuts through rich, fatty dishes and surmounts even high-acid ingredients such as tomatoes or vinegars. And of course, there's the celebratory feel that sparkling wines add to any occasion.

They're playful enough for a casual weekend brunch and double as the go-to drink for more formal occasions. man o war wine listBelow, you'll find 10 bottles (five Champagnes and five sparkling wines) that beautifully showcase sparkling wine's adaptability. best wine to have with cheeseWith sweet and savory pairings for each bottle—including appetizers, entrées, and desserts—you'll find that every meal and occasion is worthy of some bubbly. one hope wine 2012This organic offering from Jacques Lassaigne is made purely of Chardonnay grapes that give it creaminess and body. Grown in Montgueux, a part of the Champagne region characterized by its limestone soil, Lassaigne benefits from the terroir with its staggering acidity and crisp citrus, dried-fruit, and bright mineral flavors—all at a surprisingly low price for a Champagne of its provenance.

This is not your run-of-the-mill non-vintage Champagne. It's composed of about 120 different wines from vintages up to 15 years old, and once blended, the wine is aged for an additional six years in the cellar. For those of you keeping score at home, that means it could take 21 years to make each delightfully perfumed, nutty, sweetly spiced, and apple-y bottle of Grande Cuvée. This is the pinnacle of Champagne. The grapes were harvested in one of the best years of the past few decades, and then aged for 15 years, giving it unparalleled richness and complexity. Even though it's already 16 years old on release, it remains vibrant and tensely structured with notes of citrus, figs, fennel, salinity, smoke, and praline. The Paillard Rosé is predominantly a Pinot Noir sparkling wine with a touch of Chardonnay and still Pinot Noir added in. Notes of red currants, cherries, strawberries, and violets are complemented by a hint of citrus imparted by the Chardonnay. As they develop in the glass, the fruits move toward black cherries, blackberries, and figs, all while remaining sharp and tart.

In today's market, most Champagne is dry, since modern producers add a minimal amount of sugar to balance acidity, but it used to be that there was actually quite a bit of sweetness in Champagne. Nocturne Sec harks back to that old style without compromising quality. Composed of 30 different crus, this well-aged blend (almost half Chardonnay and the rest made up of Pinot Noir and Meunier grapes) is fortified with 17 grams of cane sugar, making it smooth and creamy with floral scents and raisiny fruit syrup flavors. Named for the clay-laden soil on the steep vineyards where the grapes are grown, the Bisol achieves concentrated flavors of ripe melons and peaches while maintaining high acidity and freshness. Besides coming in a bottle with nifty pewter accents, this is some of Spain's finest sparkling wine. Made following the exact process used to produce Champagne and then aged for about three years, this Cava is a blend of Macabeo and Parellada grapes makes an ultra-concentrated but bone-dry and complex wine, with apple, lemon, and hazelnut flavors and an earthy minerality.

This is arguably the world's best value in sparkling wine. Former Champagne producer Gilbert Gruet planted the grapes in New Mexico in vineyards located 4,300 feet above sea level (some of the highest in America), giving this Pinot Noir the lengthy maturation it needs to be world-class. Brace yourself for toasty aromas, meat-worthy body, red berry flavors, and aggressive bubbles. This sparkling Shiraz is wholly untraditional, and probably the most full-bodied of the bunch, but it's a lot of fun to pair with food. The McLaren Vale's Mediterranean-like climate gives this wine loads of dark fruits and spicy notes: blackberries, black cherries, peppercorns, and licorice. Though it's a robust red meat- and barbecue-friendly Shiraz at heart, the Shingleback possesses some sweetness and a fine mousse, making it ideal for almost any cheese or dessert pairing. Moscato d'Asti is a sparkler unique to the Asti region in northwest Italy. Made from Moscato Bianco grapes, this wine is sweet, perfumed, and citrusy.

It's the result of a fermentation process that's interrupted several times to create an effervescent, low-alcohol, light-bodied wine with a fair amount of residual sugar. This is an excellent match for hard cheeses and desserts. Chris Hallowell is a wine and spirits journalist and winemaker living in New York. He first discovered his love for wine when he and his father began making Chardonnay from Canada's Okanagan Valley. Later on that year, Hallowell co-founded Second Glass, a Boston-based value wine magazine. He has worked as beverage director at TriBeCa's Thalassa and associate editor and spirits critic for Wine & Spirits. He is now planning the inaugural vintage of Festina Lente, a cross-country winemaking project under his Hallowell Vintners wine label.Country: France Region: Saint Chinian Web Site: Visit Online A word from Curious Cork “We are curious about introducing the iconic essence of French culture through a charming label, but doing it in a way that exposes the wine drinker to one of the country’s best kept secrets for wine production: Saint Chinian.

The beloved Fat Louis brand combines the best of French culture with wines from an incredibly quality driven region. Fat Louis wines are accessible for the casual wine-drinking consumer, yet sophisticated enough to satisfy any palate.“ Find us on Wine Directory! Iconic Character, Appealing PriceFat Louis is a line of six wines; four red, one white, and one rose. Each label depicts the story of Fat Louis, an enlightened French duck who has escaped from a foie gras farm. His adventures begin in the French countryside where he embarks on a journey to the city of Paris and the French Alps. Louis always follows his heart and “grabs life by the feathers,” a quality of his character, and his wine, that customers adore. Within each bottle is a celebration of taste and achievement that bring flavorful festivities to any occasion. Independent Mami-Gift Ideas For a Host or Hostess Sipped in California- Sunday Dinner With Fat Louis (November 19, 2014) The Drunken Cyclist- Wine of Fat Louis