As the end of another year rapidly approaches, one seasonal drink seems to be top of everyone’s mind: Sparkling wine.

But with so many types of bubbles to choose from, how do you know where to turn? From different production techniques and variety compositions to questions of food pairings and glassware, the possibilities seem near endless.

In this episode, Associate Managing Editor Layla Schlack talks with Assistant Tasting Director Fiona Adams and Assistant Digital Editor J’nai Gaither about all things sparkling, including their fave picks and tips for bubbly bliss.

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People love to talk about wine and food pairings, pairing complementary foods and invoking the tried-and-true mantra of “what grows together, goes together.”

But maybe it’s time to take a fresh approach to pairings.

When Napa Valley-based wine consultant Jean Hoefliger is asked how to pair wine and food, he responds by saying, “I don’t pair wine and food. I pair wine and mood. For me, it’s about the moment and the company. Nobody drinks a bottle of wine looking at their watch. You stop time and focus on the moment and the people you are in conversation with.”

Sounds so fantastically obvious and brilliantly genius, right?

Contributing Editor Virginie Boone taps Hoefliger for the best tips to pair wine and mood with a variety of personalities and occasions around the holiday season.

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