This month, the fabulous Camila of Culinary Cam is taking the reins to guide our World Wine Travel crew on a festive journey through sparkling wines from around the world and holiday nibbles. Get ready to sip, savor, and celebrate! Don’t miss her invitation post—here.

While I enjoy sparkling wines year-round, there’s something extra special about uncorking a bottle during the holiday season. And honestly, what could be easier than pairing bubbly with a selection of simple, yet satisfying, small bites?

I’m pairing “Meat and Potatoes” (Potato chips topped with Italian Speck) two cheeses and fresh persimmons from our garden with the Dr. Konstantin Frank Sparkling Brut from the Finger Lakes in New York State.

Pairing Sparkling Wines with Food

Champagne and other sparkling wines like Cava, and Prosecco have an incredible affinity for a wide range of foods – and with today’s incredible variety of options, there’s never been a better time to explore the world of sparkling wines! Their high acidity, lower alcohol content, and lively effervescence make them perfect companions for a wide array of dishes. I always have a chilled bottle of bubbly on hand! Many people think of sparkling wine as something reserved for special occasions or as a cocktail ingredient rather than a food companion. But here’s the good news: sparkling wine is incredibly versatile and deserves a spot at your table year-round! 

Sparkling wines truly shine when paired with a diverse range of dishes, making them a great choice for virtually any occasion. Here’s where they excel:

• With raw seafood and shellfish: Sushi, sashimi, oysters, and scallop crudo are natural matches.
• With tart and tangy flavors: Citrus, vinegars, pomegranate, dill, capers, and tomatoes find balance in the wine’s effervescence.
• As a counterpoint to bold flavors: They cut through salty, moderately spicy, rich and creamy, or deep-fried foods. (One fun classic? Buttered popcorn with sparkling wine!)
• With global cuisines: Sparkling wines pair beautifully with Latin dishes like empanadas, ceviche, and mole; Asian favorites like tempura, gyoza, fish cakes, and samosas; and Middle Eastern classics like hummus and baba ghanoush.
• For tricky-to-pair dishes: Egg-based dishes like quiches or omelets and soups.
• With toasty bites: Canapés, puff-pastry creations, or any golden, flaky dishes are elevated by their delicate bubbles.

From elegant pairings to unexpected delights, sparkling wines are your secret weapon for culinary harmony.

In My Glass And On My Plate

I recently had the pleasure of tasting a media sample of the Dr. Konstantin Frank Sparkling Brut from the Finger Lakes—a pioneer in American sparkling wines. Learn more about the winery and its wines here.

Dr. Konstantin Frank made history in 1985 as the first Finger Lakes producer to craft a traditional method sparkling wine using vinifera grapes. This particular bottle is a blend of 55% Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir, and 5% Pinot Meunier, sourced from their Keuka Lake vineyards. A small portion of Pinot Noir is barrel-fermented in French oak, and the wine is aged for a minimum of 30 months en tirage.

Tasting Note:

Pale straw gold color with baked apple, pear, brioche, lemon curd, white flower and a kiss of ginger aromas. On the palate, it’s dry and medium-bodied with a creamy mousse and baked red apple, pear, vanilla, Meyer lemon zest flavors with an appealing saline minerality. 12% abv|Dosage – 8 g/L RS|820 cases Produced|SRP – $29.99 (91 pts.)

Inspired by a California sparkling wine producer’s “Meat and Potatoes” pairing idea, I decided to put my own spin on it. I swapped prosciutto for Italian speck, topping crispy potato chips with this smoky, savory delight. Alongside, I added two cheeses: Vacherousse d’Argental, a decadent double-cream brie from France’s Jura Mountains, and Pecorino Romano, a hard, salty Italian sheep’s milk cheese. For a seasonal twist, I included slices of fresh persimmon from our garden.

Here’s how the pairing worked:

• The “Meat and Potatoes” pairing: The salty, smoky speck and crispy chips were a natural match for the wine’s acidity and bubbles, which cut through the saltiness and enhanced the fruitiness of the wine.
• The Pecorino Romano: The salty intensity of this cheese amplified the wine’s bright, fruity flavors.
• The Vacherousse d’Argental: The wine’s acidity and effervescence balanced the creamy richness of this luscious brie-style cheese.
• The Persimmon Surprise: Slathering a slice of persimmon with Vacherousse was the unexpected highlight. The fruit’s sweetness intensified the wine’s fruit notes, while the creamy cheese created a perfect contrast.

Sparkling wine and small bites are a match made in heaven—effortless to prepare, endlessly versatile, and guaranteed to elevate any occasion. Whether you’re enjoying a cozy evening at home, as we did, or hosting a lively festive gathering, let the magic of sparkling wine take center stage. Cheers to bubbles, bites, and the pure joy of pairing

Here are more small bites paired with sparkling wine from around the globe from my fellow World Wine Travel writers. I bet you’ll find some inspiration for creating your own sparkling wine and small bites(and beyond) pairings:

• Culinary Cam discovers A Bouquet of Bubbly Rosés with Festive Nibbles: From California’s Central Coast to Neusiedlersee, Alsace, Swartland, and More
• The Quirky Cork takes A Sparkling Journey Through Hungary, Germany, and Armenia
• Food Wine Click! pours A Very Bourgogne Holiday Apéro
• A Day in the Life on the Farm shares A Tropical Grazing Board and Hawaiian Sparkling Wine; Mele Kalikimaka
• Cooking Chat has Brie Crostini with Prosciutto and Sparkling Wine
• Crushed Grape Chronicles tells of Bites with Bubbles – tossing together a party for two
• ENOFYLZ Wine Blog shares Bubbles and Bites: Dr. Konstantin Frank Sparkling Brut Meets “Meat and Potatoes”
• Wine Predator…. Gwendolyn Alley says Sekt Means Sparkling in German: 2013 Raumland Cuvee Marie Luise Brut Means Fondue Fun and Small Bites– Clink Different!
• Savor the Harvest shares Sparkling Wine From Around the World with Dinatoire
• Our Good Life finds the Top Affordable Sparkling Wines for Every Budget

You might also love diving into these related sparkling wine and food pairing posts!

• Smoked Salmon and Potato Chip Appetizer with Louis Roederer Champagne
• How I Learned To Expand Champagne’s Role At The Table
• Easy #ValentinesDay Three Course Champagne Pairing Dinner Featuring Bruno Paillard Brut Premiere
• Valentine’s Surf and Turf with a Twist and Champagne Pairing
• 2017 Can Descregut Corpinnat Brut Nature Reserva + Spanish Inspired Appetizers!