Pop. Bubble. Fizz. HAPPY NEW YEAR!; Picking the Perfect Champagne or Sparkling Wine to Celebrate the Holidays.

PHILADELPHIA -- Wondering what champagne or sparkling wine to buy to celebrate the holidays? Evan Lambert, President of the Starwine International Wine Competition, points to the gold medal winners of the 2004 Starwine competition as the perfect choice. "Our Starwine sommelier tasters evaluated over 2,000 wines, in nineteen categories, from 20 countries last year to come up with the gold medal winners. These top champagnes and sparkling wines included a 1999 Rosell Boher Grand Cuvee Millesimee from Argentina; a 1995 Gloria Ferrer Royal Cuvee (Carneros) from the USA and a non-vintage Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve from France. The Heidsieck won Best of Class overall in the champagne and sparkling wine category."

"Go for the gold," says Lambert. "Wines that win gold medals are always a sure bet. A gold medal means more than just quality. It's an assurance the wine was the favorite of a panel of professional wine experts, and that they believe you will have an enjoyable wine experience with their selection."

As a successful restaurateur and wine educator with a mission to make wine more accessible to the average consumer, Lambert believes restaurant sommeliers hold an important key to wine knowledge and enjoyment. "We elected to use sommelier tasters almost exclusively as judges for the Starwine competition," says Lambert. "A trained sommelier is taught to be a guide to wine and food enjoyment. By having this kind of talent as judges, the results are much more consumer-focused and useful."

Lambert relies on Master Sommeliers like Fred Dame, President of the Guild of Sommeliers Education Foundation and wine taster at the 2004 Starwine competition, as important resources of wine lore and knowledge. Lambert asked Dame to provide his own insight on selecting and serving champagne and sparkling wines.

"Champagne and sparkling wines have been the choice of special occasions and celebration ever since a French monk named Dom Perignon discovered this tasty, effervescent wine style in the late 17th century," says Dame. "While the French jealously guard the term 'champagne' as both the process of making the wine and its location in northern France, many countries produce excellent champagne-style wines bottled as sparkling wines. Champagne and sparkling wines can range from very sweet (Doux) to extremely dry (Brut). They can also be a light straw color or blush red as in sparkling rose; or even a deep ruby red as in Brachetto d'Acqui, a semi-sweet sparkling wine from Northern Italy."

Dame believes that the US market is a little conservative when it comes to appreciating sparkling wines. "We in the United States often lament that champagne/sparkling wine is a wine for only special occasions," says Dame. "From my perspective, anytime is the right time to enjoy a champagne/sparkling wine. The secret of selection lies not so much in the label and price but in the taste that appeals to you. However, understanding the winemaker's terms on the label can be helpful. Americans talk dry but drink sweet. Champagne labels are obliged to hold a little more information than their informal sparkling wine counterparts. For instance, a non-vintage (undated) year means the wine is a blend of several years. 'Cuvee' also means the wine was blended, and blending is not a bad thing, it's a style choice. 'Cremant' means half-sparkling. 'Rose' is champagne made with a touch of red wine for color and taste. 'Reserve' can be confusing. It doesn't always mean the wine is special. In England it's a term that means dry. 'Brut' is bone-dry without a hint of sweetness. 'Extra Sec' is dry as well. 'Sec' is slightly sweet. 'Demi-Sec' means sweet and 'Doux' is a very sweet wine."

Dame recommends being a little adventuresome. "Another great choice that is not only delicious but beautiful is rose. Twenty years ago you couldn't find five in the USA, but today there are loads of French and domestic sparkling rose wines around. The addition of the red wine gives a delicate, floral note to the aroma and palate. The colors range from shocking pink to salmon, so you can even color coordinate your meal."

Dame shares several tips on selecting the right wine. "If you have a favorite wine that has stood the test of time, stay with that brand if you have any doubt. However, if you want to be adventuresome, find a wine you would like to try and do some online research. Visit the winery website, review the tasting notes that are usually available, and see if the wine has won any awards. If so, visit the wine competition website to see how the wine placed with others in the same category. A top award means the wine received the approval of a majority of professional judges. This kind of recommendation will certainly minimize the risk of purchasing an unfamiliar wine. The next tip is to ask your retailer or a sommelier at a fine dining restaurant. Any good retailer will have someone on staff who knows wine, and sommeliers are trained to know wine and food pairing and should be able to translate your taste preference into an appropriate choice. Bottom line: when in doubt, don't be afraid to ask questions."

Dame cautions that opening a champagne/sparkling wine should be done with care. "Serving temperature is important for all champagne/sparkling wines. Chilling at 45 degrees is recommended to keep the wine's fresh flavor and stability. The warmer the wine gets, the more exciting (and potentially dangerous) the opening can be. A standard 750 ML bottle has twice the amount of pressure of a car tire."

Dame shares his bottle-opening method. "First, place a clean cloth napkin or towel over the wire closure and the cork, holding the bottle at a slight angle away from you and your guests. Next, undo the wire closure. Keeping the towel in place, slowly rotate the cork or the bottle (whichever works best for you) until the cork is free. Keep the towel in place to absorb any unwanted spill or high-flying cork. The goal is for the cork to 'pop' with a whisper, not a bang."

Picking the right glassware is important, says Dame. "Glassware is critical in two regards: shape and cleanliness. If there is any soap at all in the glass, the wine will go flat immediately, so make sure your glasses are extra-clean. Tulip and flute shapes show off the bubbles best -- leave martini glasses for martinis."

In 2004, Fred Dame was one of 75 international sommeliers and elite tasters who participated in the First Annual Starwine International Wine Competition at the Four Seasons in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. On February 23-27, 2005, Dame and an elite team will return to Philadelphia to take part in selecting the best wines of 2005.

Starwine 2005 is supported by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB). Under the leadership of Chairman Jonathan Newman, the PLCB has taken the initiative to modernize its 637-store system, making the PLCB the nation's leading buyer and seller of wine and spirits. The PLCB has sold over 81 million bottles of wine and spirits -- totaling over $1.5 billion in annual sales. The PLCB has become an epicenter for creative marketing and wine and spirits education.

"We very much welcome the opportunity to work with Evan and his colleagues in making Starwine 2005 a success," said Newman. "In a short time we have established a valuable working partnership that already is promoting wine and wine education, and benefiting both consumers and winemakers alike." For more information about the PLCB, visit its website at www.lcb.state.pa.us.

Starwine 2005 will be held at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on February 23-27. For more information about the Starwine 2005, visit its website at www.starwine.net or call 1-800-970-WINE.