A consideration of holiday bubbles will be incomplete if we didn’t consider the highly rated Argyle Brut. Wine Spectator awarded this Oregon sparkler a 91 and described it as “soft, creamy and appealing.” Argyle has 4 sparkling wines in this months WS with 3 above a 90.

I particular loved the very tiny bubbles in the wine that was accompanied by a plum and apple aroma, slightly toasty and a caramel and spice finish. 70% Pinot and the rest Chardonnay, this sparkling wine only carried a case count of 720. Its probable too late to have it shipped from the winery, but ring then and see if you can get it in your neighborhood. It is worth the effort.

My local wine shop was out of Chandon etoile brut, which was next on the list of California sparkling wines to review before the New Year. They did have a few bottles of the etoile rose, so we took that home yesterday instead. This beautifully colored California sparkler will make a great addition to your holiday party. Delicately balancing the bold fruit of a red wine and the subtlety of a white, this wine presents itself to be extremely versatile. Rich with plum and dark cherry, it finished with a hint of nutmeg and vanilla for a toasty finish.

You should be able to find this wine at your better retailer, or from the the winery itself. With an order of $75 or more, you get free shipping if you are in a ‘good’ state.

My wife and I love this champagne. Veuve Clicquot is a brilliant non-vintage brut fully flavored with Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay grapes. The signature yellow label wraps the bottle where inside is an elegantly balanced champagne with tones of apple and a little caramel. The consistency of Veuve’s aroma, color and taste will continue to make this a perfect champagne for under $40. We tend to have a bottle or 3 on hand at all times.

I found Veuve on special right now at our local Von’s/Safeway with the infamous club card discount of about $13.00 a bottle and with the purchase of 6 bottles, an additional 10% off. That makes this a “must run out and get a case now” buy.

As an indication of its popularity, Veuve has also been the victim of an internet chain letter hoax that seems to still be in circulation as the note on their web site indicates. The hoax dates back to August of 2000 when it promised that if you forward an email to 10 people, Veuve Clicquot France would send you free wine. But alas, it is not the case. Their website does have some things like e-cards, history of the wine and an updated version of Pong, where you try to hit bubbles with your paddle. Skip the site if you are impatient, as the flash menus and loading time makes it a distraction and disappointment.

Go buy Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Brut. Buy it right now. This is the bottle to open on New Year’s Eve. Other champagnes will be more expensive, but you will not be able to match the fun, flavor, and elegance of Veuve. And with the money you save, you can buy another bottle for the next morning.

We decided to take a few days off for the holiday and so today we are going to go see a matinee of Memoirs of a Geisha. I made a quick stop at Culinary Spirits Marketplace in Pismo Beach to pick up the rack of lamb I will be cooking tomorrow. Victor is a butcher by trade, but has a nice selection of Central Coast wines. He also has a good cross section of wines from the left coast.

And this morning he got in a few cases of the Sofia Mini Blanc de Blancs. At about $4 bucks a can, and sold in a four pack as well, the Mini is the best drink of the summer, or to sneak into a matinee.

Sophia grapes are harvested in Monterey County, and take advantage of the cool breezes from the Monterey Bay. Pinot Blanc grapes are the foundation of this sparking wine, which is vibrant with pear, honey and fruity aromas. Apple and tangerine add to the bright notes at finish. Each can comes with its own straw, and makes for sipping sparking wine a guilty pleasure.

Be sure to visit the Sophia Mini web site as well. FINE design group of SF did the site, which has some nice little surprises like movies, a ‘word magnet’ viral and great vignettes of what i can only say looks like my life.

With one of the more distinctive packaging sets in the California Champagne market, MummNapa’s DVX is a great celebratory sparkling wine. Made from some of the best Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vineyards in MummNapa, this tight, pale champagne never fails to bring smiles and laughter to our guests. Citrus and apple abound, as does a continuous stream of tiny bubbles. Get yourself a case now, but be sure to save a few bottles for that unexpected evening when the holidays are gone, but the winter romance is still hot!

And if you happen to be lucky enough to in the Napa region, The Legends of Rock Exhibit is going on in the Main Gallery at the MummNapa Winery. Inspiring images of the legends by the legends, including Lynn Goldsmith, Jim Marshall and George Rose. The Legends Of Rock Exhibit will be up though March 12, 2006. Grab a glass of DVX, wander through the gallery and be your own rockstar, even if its just for a glass or two.