It is reason enough to celebrate this year when you discover a treasure trove of great sparklers from all over the world.

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The phone call last New Year's Eve was flat-out bungled. I apologize for the mistake on behalf of wine writers everywhere. We gave the deep dive into the best bubblies of the season the best of reasons to celebrate the coming year 2021, when we gave the deep dive. As a year marked by a pandemic, this year promised bottles popped at midnight, expansive globe-trotting, and connections that never seemed to end.

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It turns out that we are not exactly in the clear. It has been possible to squeeze long-haul trips in this year, foreign business meetings have been held, and destination weddings have been scheduled despite the restrictions. In spite of the fact that the outlook for 2022 is a little gloomier than it has been in recent years, it's not a good time to abandon the good bubbles now. Napoleon is said to have given his men champagne bottles before they embarked on a battle that he is said to have sabered and consumed on horseback. Could you please tell me what Napoleon said about this? Victory is rewarded with champagne, defeat requires champagne. Was it Winston Churchill?

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The time has come for sparkling wine to be consumed on December 31, 2021. Great sparkling wine. And this year, with such a surplus of superb sparkling wine from around the globe, it is sufficient to celebrate, even, or especially, at home, with a glass of bubbly. In the past few months, Zoom-tasting writ large, I have discovered a wealth of great Champagnes, English wines, Italian wines, Spanish wines, California wines, and Oregon wines. With the exception of the Cava, all of the sparkling wines made here are made using the traditional Champagne method, which involves making each and every one of them by hand using the traditional Champagne grapes, Pinot Noir and/or Chardonnay.

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It's the New Year, it's time to put some bottles on ice and toast to a better future ahead of us. Have a wonderful year!

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Champagne Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque Brut 2013

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Perrier-Jouet's signature Chardonnay in Champagne, Belle Epoque, always a marriage of nature, art and Perrier-Jouet's signature style, returns with the 2013 vintage, in a gift box designed by Austrian designers mischer'traxler to complement the iconic spray of Japanese white anemones. The Art Nouveau design was created in 1902 by Emile Gallé for Maison Perrier-Jouet, and it became associated with Belle Epoque after its debut in 1964. There is an abundance of honeysuckle and jasmine in this wine, along with white peaches, pear, and a little lemon, which gives it a refreshing feel and is exuberantly fresh. On the first sip, you can taste a burst of sweet fruit, more peach with nectarine and hints of lime and grapefruit on a palate that is mouthwatering, and bursting with acidity.

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Gran Moraine 2014 Blanc de Blancs Yamhill-Carlton, Willamette Valley

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In this vibrant, structured sparkler, Gran Moraine winemaker Shane Moore introduces his first Blanc de Blancs. A blend of toasted brioche, almond blossom, lemon meringue, fresh pear, savory herbs, oyster shell minerality, lemon blossom, and almond blossom, this wine ages for more than five years on the lees. With hints of mushroom leading into the finish, this wine is bright and savory with a palate of lemongrass, lime zest, and clementine.

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Roederer Estate L’Ermitage 2015 Brut Anderson Valley

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It is only in good years that Roederer's Mendocino outpost makes tête de cuvee, and this 2015 vintage made with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, plus its signature tiny, lively bubbles, makes an excellent case for a very dry year. The nose is fresh and earthy at the same time, layered with white blossoms, brioche, spiced apple, almond and lemon blossoms. Besides its great acidity, the wine has a rich core of citrus flavors, such as lemon and grapefruit, as well as apricot and white nectarine, which are both bright and refreshing.

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Nyetimber 2013 Tillington Single Vineyard England

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In this special Nyetimber bottling, made from West Sussex, a part of southeast England where chalk-rich soils are an extension of Champagne's soils, the wine is made up of 76 percent Pinot Noir and 24 percent Chardonnay. Upon opening, you will notice fresh baked bread aromas, as well as rich citrus notes (a touch of orange peel) and subtle aromas of red berries and hazelnuts, all with a salty ocean breeze in the background. With its powerful and long finish, the palate displays layers of clementine, raspberry, rhubarb, all layered with elegant, creamy bubbles that deliver the perfect level of elegance.

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Champagne Louis Roederer Cristal 2013

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As well as being elegant and energetic, this champagne Roederer Cristal is also 60 percent Pinot Noir and 40 percent Chardonnay. There is a rich, earthy aroma of wet stone, oyster shell, and a slight nuttiness throughout the nose, which is layered with a delicate scent of white blossoms layered with juicy apples, pear, and creamy lemons. There is a strong core of fruit in this wine, from white nectarine to golden plums and pears, whose palate manages to maintain purity and freshness. Vintage energy and texture are revealed in this beautiful length.