The Best Champagne for Ringing in the New Year, from $20 to $85, According to a Sommelier

“If you’re looking for a true Champagne of tremendous value, Clouet’s lineup fits the bill,” Osburn claims. Think a full-bodied mouthfeel crossed with acidic flavor and exquisite minerality. Our expert says it pairs well with just about any type of food, so don’t stress over the dinner menu. “To achieve the [most] you can from this bottle, avoid serving in thin traditional flutes and opt instead for an all-purpose stem or flared tulip,” he adds.

“This creamy Champagne will make your mouth water with flavors of rising brioche, apple croissant, lemon curd, honeysuckle, crushed hazelnut, white flowers, crushed chalk and an underlying hint of redcurrant,” remarks Osburn. If that’s not enough to sway you, perhaps its opulent texture, fresh acidity and light-as-air bubbles will.

Well-structured pinot noir and chardonnay grapes make this rich, bold wine and its signature minerality possible. Its flavor is naturally fresh and bursting with notes of ripe apple and citrus fruit. “This is a wine to impress your guests and remind them of all types of histories and traditions we celebrate at the turn of the year,” says Osburn.

This luscious, 100 percent Chardonnay pick includes notes of “yellow apple, lemon pith, cream, brioche dough, dried white flowers and a pile of crushed rocks,” says Osburn. Need a cool party trick to impress your guests? Explain to them that they should gently swirl the glass and let the carbonation dissipate after the wine is poured for maximum deliciousness.

This pick by Cyril Bonnet is “100 percent pinot noir that rests on its skins for 36 hours, before a gentle press and a brief aging regimen in barrels,” notes Osburn. “This process results in a deep, brooding, sanguine-colored wine that has an equal depth of flavor [with] vinous notes of bitter cherry, rose, spicy plum, rhubarb and green strawberry.” No offense to the chef, but it’s bold and brag-worthy enough to steal the spotlight from the hors d’oeuvres.

Riesling girls, this one’s for you. If sweetness is your priority, this Fitz-Ritter’s “sekt” from Germany is one of the finest of its kind. Clean, fresh and impeccably balanced, the wine boasts a citrusy palate that’s brought to life by bubbles, which emphasize notes of sweet apple, pear and honeysuckle. “This bottle makes a wonderful complement to light, spicy Asian cuisine, so depending on your menu, a German sparkler may be ideal,” says Osburn.

Consider cava Spain’s take on Champagne. Avinyó upholds the artisan sparkling wine tradition of the Penedès region (where Osburn says the best cavas are made), crafting vinos that are as complex and deep in flavor as ever. “This pick offers a pleasing, palate-coating texture with ripe aromas of green apple, pear, salted lemon, raw pastry dough, chopped nuts, anise, white flowers and wet stones,” he says.

Want to avoid hours’ worth of hiccups? Look for vintages labeled “pétillant naturel” at the wine shop for gentler bubbles. “Made in the ancestral method, the unfinished wine completes its primary fermentation in the bottle, leaving behind both light effervescence and yeast sediment,” explains Osburn. “It’s also unfiltered, leaving the wine [with] a cloudy appearance in the glass…it’s extremely supple and joyful with a light mineral taste and a yeasty quality.”

Created in California’s Anderson Valley and owned by iconic Champagne house Louis Roederer, this medium-bodied vino is just the ticket for NYE—especially at such a low price. Osburn calls it “more playful than a bonafide Champagne,” but still complex and elegant. “With crisp pear, spice and hazelnut flavors, this affordable sparkling wine offers a cheery holiday feeling that is sure to put your guests in their best celebratory moods.”

If you’re specifically on the hunt for a French sparkling wine, take it from our expert: You can’t beat this price. “Made from the chenin blanc grape, the wine has a frothy body of delicate fruits—apricot, peach, green apple skin, yellow apple slices, citrus peel—and is perfectly cut with a mineral edge,” Osburn says. Pro tip: He recommends waiting about 10 seconds before sipping, so the mousse can settle after the wine is poured.

Rosé? On New Year’s Eve? Pinch us, we’re dreaming. Made from Sicilian nerello mascalese grapes, this pick has a unique smokiness, since it’s grown in the soil surrounding Mount Etna, an active volcano. “Murgo macerates the grapes on their skins for about 24 hours to extract the delicate salmon-pink color, then produces the wine in the exact same manner as Champagne,” says Osburn. “Aromas of dried cherry, redcurrant, strawberry and pink peppercorn infuse with volcanic minerality to provide a brilliant finish.”

Sure, Champagne may be the gold standard of sparkling wine, but Osburn believes that high-end sparkling wine from Spain is giving the O.G. a run for its money. “Marzipan and vanilla bean balance crushed oysters and yellow plums, combined with additional notes of quince jam and red apple peel,” he explains. “It’s a flavor profile ideal for winter celebrations, with ultra-fine bubbles and wonderful persistence to carry you through the festivities.”

For serious Champagne stans who don’t mind a splurge, look no further than this deeply complex recommendation. “Full-bodied, vinous and beautifully precise, this has the look and feel of the world’s most sought-after and expensive luxury Champagnes for a much more reasonable price,” says our pro. It’s also a great vintage for those who avoid sweet wines (or anyone serving fried chicken on New Year’s Eve).