What makes the holidays so fun? Of course, getting together with family and friends, enjoying good times, and having wonderful food and drink. One of my favorite parts of the holidays is enjoying Sparkling Wine or Champagne. Sparkling wine is a cause for celebration. The question I have is whether we can extend Sparkling Wine beyond the holidays.
Thank you to Glass of Bubbly and BeauforThouseChelsea.co.uk for their help with this article.
Sparkling Wine Trends
According to Forbes, “Sparkling wine sales are bubbling up — the category recorded double-digit growth in 2021, according to a new report by The International Wine and Spirits Research. Another notable find by the report is the U.S. market for sparkling wine has grown over a quarter in the last five years — the only wine segment to experience large volume growth between 2016 and 2021.”
Wine Intelligence goes on to say that “A pent-up demand to celebrate weddings, holiday gatherings and other personal milestones after the restrictions of the pandemic helped accelerate growth to double digits in 2021, and the US market for sparkling wine has now expanded by more than a quarter in just five years.”
Last but not least, Daily Seventy-Five says that “The number of people who drink sparkling wine at least on a monthly basis rose from 56 to 72 percent between 2019 and 2022, according to a report by IWSR Drinks Market Analysis, with the total number of Americans drinking sparkling wine up 30 percent over the same period.”
Enjoying Sparkling Wine Beyond the Holidays
I’m thrilled to learn that more and more people are drinking Sparkling Wine on a regular basis. I still know a bunch of people who pull out bubbly only for the most important occasions.
I want to encourage these folks to sing a different tune. Why? Here are five good reasons to extend Sparkling Wine beyond the holidays.
- It’s good for your gut – If you’re drinking a Pinot-based Sparkling Wine, you’re getting the polyphenols from red grapes, which promote the growth of your good gut bacteria.
- Improved short-term memory – BeauforThouseChelsea.co.uk tells us that “Research has shown that certain proteins within champagne are beneficial for short-term memory. It’s been hypothesised that within three years of imbibing champagne regularly, but not over indulging, a person could have an increase of 200% of the memory-boosting protein in their brain. This would significantly aid in other cognitive functions, as well.” Woo hoo!
- It’s good for your heart. Sparkling wine made from red grapes contains resveratrol, an important antioxidant that prevents damage to your blood vessels, reduces bad cholesterol, and prevents blood clots.
- It makes every day festive. When you’re feeling a bit down, the sound of a popped cork does wonders in improving your mood.
- It is very food-friendly. Most foods go wonderfully well with Sparkling Wine or Champagne. Some of my favorites: fish, popcorn, potato chips, sushi. The sky is the limit. And beyond the beautiful pairings, you get the palette-cleansing goodness of Sparkling Wine or Champagne, that makes you ready for another bite much more rapidly than if you’re drinking straight wine.
For traditionalists, I hope I’ve encouraged you to think about extending Sparkling Wine beyond the holidays.
Cheers and Happy New Year!
