“You cannot have too large a party.” -Jane Austen

OK sisters, this is the night to put away the whiskey and bring on the bubbly.  We’ve styled our very own Wine Sisterhood bar cart to ring in the New Year. Gold, silver, sparkles, fancy things hanging from the ceiling. Put on a piece of that bling (bar cart style). And add a little bit more!

Bubbly thought: For your pals who like their bubbles on the sweeter side, these California Glamour Girl sparklers are sure to please. Pink or white? Yes, please!

Glassware

Coupes or flutes? Legend has it that the coupe Champagne glass (the one with the bowl) was fashioned on a mold of the breasts of Marie Antoinette. Those sexy French folks—if only they had Instagram! We love coupes for their retro attitude, but flutes are fab too…and some say they keep the bubbles bubbly longer. Why not stock your bar cart with both for maximum elegance?

Bubbly thought: Where there’s a crowd, there should be magnums. A magnum is equal to two regular (750ml) bottles of wine. Remember, there’s about 5 5-ounce glasses of bubbly in a regular bottle, so a magnum will serve 10. For more clues on how much wine, beer and spirits to stock up for you New Year’s Eve celebration, check out our Drink-u-lator app.

Perfect Pairings

Notice there’s a pile of popcorn on our bar cart? That’s because popcorn is one of THE most delightful snacks with a glass of bubbly. Or how about potato chips? The bubbles and acid in Champagne of sparkling wine cuts through the buttery, oily, salty goodness of these little snacks (also think caviar, smoked salmon, tempura shrimp, anything fried). We also love these yummy appetizer recipes with a glass of bubbly. 

Bubbly thought: Sparkling wine is produced in every winegrowing region around the world—Italy, Australia, South America, the U.S., Austria, South Africa, Germany and beyond. But true Champagne is only produced in the Champagne region of France.

True Champagne tends to be a splurge because the production is geographically and legally limited. But fine sparkling experiences can be found, for less, from other regions. Ask your friendly  wine merchant to steer you in the right direction for the most pop for your buck.

How to open a bottle of Champagne with a sword: the technical name for this crazy Champagne opening device is a saber. 

Legend has it that Napoleon’s soldiers opened their stash of Champagne with theirs sabers to celebrate victory in battle (oh Napoleon, you crazy Champagne fan).

To see how to saber a bottle of Champagne watch this how-to video with our Wine Sisterhood Personal Sommelier Erin Sullivan.

Happy New Year, sisters!