Serve a dry Brut sparkling wine on New Year's Eve: it has the acidity to cut through salty, fried party food and little enough sugar to stay fresh next to it. A Brut Blanc de Noirs, made from Pinot Noir, brings a bit more fruit and body, which helps when the snacks run rich.
Our pick for this
Six Bottles of Enchanté
If bubbles are the whole plan for the night, six bottles of one Brut means the toast at midnight pours the same as the glass you started with at nine.
- 6 × 2024 Enchanté Blanc de Noirs, $45 a bottle
6 bottles, $270 before shipping.
Which New Year's Eve snacks go with a Brut?
Party food on December 31 tends to be salty and fried, which is what sparkling wine handles best; VinePair says Brut "really love[s] salty foods." Oysters, fried chicken and smoked salmon are pairings we already list on our Enchanté page.
| Snack | What the wine does with it | Where the pairing comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Oysters on the half shell | Brine and acidity line up; the wine reads like a squeeze of lemon | Our Enchanté page; VinePair |
| Fried chicken bites | Bubbles and acidity cut the oil, so each bite starts clean | Our Enchanté page; Wine Folly |
| Smoked salmon with crème fraîche | Pinot structure stands up to oily, smoky fish | Our Enchanté page; Wine Traveler |
| Potato chips | Salt makes the fruit taste rounder; acidity resets between handfuls | Wine Traveler |
| Gougères (small baked cheese puffs) | The yeasty pastry echoes the wine's brioche note | Wine Traveler |
| Buttered or cheddar popcorn | Bubbles scrub the butter; salt makes the wine taste fruitier | VinePair; Wine Traveler |
The thread running through that table is acidity, and that was a decision made in the vineyard. We picked the fruit for our 2024 Enchanté Blanc de Noirs by hand before sunrise on August 27, 2024, at 18.9 Brix (a measure of sugar in the grape). That's early, on purpose: the grapes still held the acidity a sparkling wine needs. It finished at pH 3.29 and 12.6% alcohol.
Enchanté is $45, and Courtney Humiston gave it 91 Points in the JamesSuckling.com September 2026 Tasting Report. She found "salted peach, brioche and red apple skin."
What do Brut and Blanc de Noirs mean on the label?
Brut is a sweetness level. The European ranges for residual sugar (sugar left in the finished wine), per BKWine Magazine:
- Brut Nature: 0 to 3 g/L, no sugar added
- Extra Brut: 0 to 6 g/L
- Brut: 0 to 12 g/L
- Extra Dry: 12 to 17 g/L
- Sec (Dry): 17 to 32 g/L
- Demi-Sec: 32 to 50 g/L
So "Extra Dry" is sweeter than Brut, despite the name. Enchanté carries about 7 g/L, in the middle of the Brut range. It tastes dry, with wild strawberry, Meyer lemon and green apple and a touch of creaminess.
Blanc de Noirs means a white wine made from dark-skinned grapes; in Champagne that's Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier or both. Ours is 100% Pommard Pinot Noir from Block 1A, the same block that gave us our red 2024 Estate. How a red grape ends up in a pale glass is covered in What Is a Blanc de Noirs?
You don't need a Blanc de Noirs to have a good night. A Blanc de Blancs (white wine from white grapes, usually Chardonnay in Champagne) is a fine choice with a tray of raw shellfish, and Wine Traveler describes Blanc de Noirs as the fuller, fruitier of the two. A Brut Champagne or Crémant from France works on the same logic. Look for the word Brut on whichever bottle you choose.
How should you chill, open and pour it?
Chill. Give each bottle at least three hours in the fridge. If you forgot, a bucket of ice and water (not ice alone) chills a bottle in 20 to 30 minutes. Keep the next bottle chilling while you pour the first.
Open. Start on the toast bottle around 11:50 so the glasses are full before the countdown.
- Peel the foil and point the bottle away from people and lights.
- Keep a thumb on the cork while you loosen the wire cage, and leave the cage on.
- Drape a towel over the top and tilt the bottle to about 45 degrees.
- Hold the cork still and turn the bottle slowly. Let the pressure ease the cork out with a sigh rather than a pop.
Pour. Tilt the glass, pour a small amount, let the foam settle, then top it up. A flute keeps the bubbles in a narrow column; a standard white wine glass gives the aroma more room. Either is fine.
Enchanté is ready to drink now. An opened bottle with a sparkling stopper keeps some fizz in the fridge overnight.
Bottle counts by guest list are in How Much Wine Do You Need for a Party or Dinner? If you're ordering for the 31st, our holiday order-by guide has the shipping timing.
For guests who want a still wine, our 2023 Estate Rosé of Pinot Noir is dry and crisp.
Our pick for this
Bubbles and Rosé
Three Enchanté for the toast and three dry rosé for the guests who'd rather sip something still once the countdown is over.
- 3 × 2024 Enchanté Blanc de Noirs, $45 a bottle
- 3 × 2023 Estate Rosé of Pinot Noir, $35 a bottle
6 bottles, $240 before shipping.
Quick answers
How sweet is a Brut sparkling wine? Brut allows up to 12 grams of sugar per liter; our Enchanté has about 7 and tastes dry.
Is Extra Dry drier than Brut? No, Extra Dry sits at 12 to 17 g/L, so it's sweeter than Brut.
What party snack is easiest to pair with bubbles? Anything salty and fried, such as potato chips or fried chicken bites.
How fast can you chill a bottle of sparkling wine? About 20 to 30 minutes in a bucket of ice and water.
Should you age Enchanté before opening it on New Year's Eve? No, it's ready to drink now.
Courtney Humiston's 91-point review of Enchanté is listed on our Press & Ratings page, and the rest of our wines for the night are in the shop.