With New Year’s Eve approaching, Champagne is on my mind. Champagne is often the wine that indicates celebrations, but increasingly, it shows up more broadly in Jewish religious life. For example, I like to drink Champagne for the first cup of wine at the Passover Seder. Since the first cup is served long before any food, a lower-alcohol and lighter wine is a great way to kick off the Seder festivities and is now a tradition for my family.

Contrary to the beliefs of some, Champagne and sparkling wines aren’t trivial – charming for a celebration because of the bubbles but otherwise unserious. Well-made sparklers are consequential, as evidenced by the myriad labels fetching hundreds of dollars a bottle! So, let’s uncork the kosher Champagne story.

Winemakers may produce sparkling wines similarly, but they can only call the wine “Champagne” if it derives exclusively from the Champagne region of France. Nestled in northeastern France’s cool, chalky soils, the region is governed by strict AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée) regulations. It must be vinted from specific grape varietals, with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier being the most common. It must be produced using the traditional “méthode champenoise” or “méthode traditionnelle,” a labor-intensive process involving secondary bottle fermentation.

Here’s how it works: Winemakers press the grapes, initially fermenting the juice to create a still wine. They blend wines from different grape varieties, vineyards, and even years to create the desired flavor profile. They then add a sugar and yeast mixture to the blended wine, which they then bottle and seal. Inside each bottle, the important secondary fermentation occurs as the yeast converts the sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide, creating the iconic “sparkling” bubbles. They store the bottles for a minimum of 12 months to age the wine “on the lees” (the spent yeast cells), and then at least an additional three months before disgorging. Prestige cuvées are often aged for years.

Winemakers store the bottles in a riddling rack – a board designed with holes drilled at an angle to keep the bottoms of the bottles up at about a 45-degree angle – gradually rotating the bottles to collect sediment in the neck. Eventually, they disgorge the sediment by freezing the neck of the bottle and ejecting the plug. Finally, they add a mixture of wine and sugar (liqueur d’expédition) to each bottle to balance acidity and sweetness, thereby determining the wine’s final style (e.g., brut, extra dry, demi-sec).

This intricate process results in a wine with vibrant acidity, fine bubbles (the mousse), and a depth of flavor unmatched by other methods. The complexity of this process is also why champagne is often expensive!

A few renowned producers regularly craft special runs of kosher champagne. Drappier Carte d’Or Brut Kosher, known for its elegant blend of Pinot Noir, offers notes of stone fruits and brioche. Laurent-Perrier Kosher Champagne is a classic brut champagne with a crisp, citrusy profile.

Superstar producers like Dom Perignon and Krug have yet to make kosher Champagne, perhaps in part because the complexity of their blending process may be too challenging. Krug blends wines from 10-15 vintages every year to maintain a unique consistency of style regardless of that year’s particular harvest, and unless each of those vintages has a reserve of wines produced with kosher supervision, it would not be possible.

While champagne is the gold standard, other sparkling wines offer delightful alternatives: Crémant is the name for sparkling wines from other French regions, made using the same méthode champenoise. Alsace Koenig Cremant is a lovely and affordable kosher option in this category.

Cava is Spain’s sparkling wine, primarily made in Catalonia using native grapes and a production process similar to that of Champagne. Cava produces less carbon dioxide pressure than Champagne, making the bubbles less intense. The grapes used include Xarel-lo, Macabei, and Parellada. Kosher Cava from Elvi Wines balances crisp acidity with flavors of citrus and almonds.

Prosecco is Italy’s main sparkling wine, made from the Glera grape and produced using the tank or bulk method (Charmat), meaning that the secondary fermentation happens in a tank, not in the bottle. This wine is known for its fresh and fruity flavors, with noticeably greater sweetness. The Prosecco DOC is in the Veneto region of North East Italy. Its bubbles are even softer than Cava’s, often favoring those who prefer a gentler fizz. A number of kosher Prosecco wines are available, including from industry giant Bartenura and even a new release in a stylish bottle under the name of fashion designer Vera Wang.

California, Israel, Australia, South Africa, and other regions also make excellent sparkling wines, many of which use the méthode traditionnelle. Typically, quality sparkling wine requires cooler climates, whether chilled by latitude, elevation, or cool ocean breezes.

Israel’s burgeoning wine industry has embraced sparkling wine, sometimes made using the simpler Charmat method. However, the winner for both quality and value is Yarden, which leverages its high-altitude terroir to make a méthode traditionnelle Blanc du Blanc, which is top-rated yearly. Gilgal, Yarden’s cheaper line, also makes sparkling wine with high ratings. More recently, Raziel, the new winery launched by the family that runs the prestigious Castel Winery, has produced a high-quality but pricey méthode traditionnelle sparkling wine.

California’s cooler climate vineyards have long been a hub for sparkling wine production. Leading kosher wineries such as Herzog, Covenant, and Hagafen produce exquisite sparkling wines using various methods. Herzog’s sparkling brut, for example, combines elegance and approachability, making it a favorite for celebrations. Newcomer Binah Winery in Pennsylvania has had surprising success with its medal-winning Blanc de Blancs méthode traditionnelle sparkling production.

Selecting the right sparkling wine can seem daunting, but here are a few tips to simplify the process: Know that “Brut” is dry, while “Demi-Sec” has noticeable sweetness. Brut champagne pairs beautifully with sushi or roasted chicken, while sweeter options complement desserts. A kosher Prosecco might be ideal for a casual brunch, while kosher Champagne is a luxurious choice for weddings, milestone celebrations, or holidays.

L’Chayim!