What better way to spark a holiday party than to pop the cork on a nice bubbly? And it doesn’t always have to be a swank Champagne: A traditionally made French sparkler from the Loire Valley can be a crowd pleaser, more so if you’ve got kir royales in mind. My standby is the light and playful Charles Bove Brut ($13). Zesty with aromas of yeast and toast followed by the citrus flavors of chenin blanc, it’s got plenty of invigorating bubbles to go crazy all over your tongue.

Photograph: Michael Boone