Sparkler Alert

Rosé wine is made from red grape-varieties. And, nowadays, many winemakers mix a certain amount of white grapes with the red.

The elaboration of rosé wine is delicate. It is probably why the amateur is sometimes disappointed by the quality of a rosé. Particularity, European rosé is "dry". On the contrary, American rosé is sweet and similar to white wine.

Rosé is the wine-marketing sensation of the summer, but how does the sparkling version fare for holiday parties? With the help of master sommelier Joshua Wesson, CEO of Best Cellars, we tasted 24 bubbly rosés and came up with the best.

1. Bouvet Rosé Brut NV
Dry, crisp, and clean, with hints of fresh blackberry and cassis. Energetically effervescent, and a good value.

2. Korbel Rosé NV
The surprise of the tasting: Despite whiffs of bubble gum and watermelon candy, this oft-maligned brand was easy to drink. Perfect for parties.

3. Mionetto Sergio Rosé NV
Lower in alcohol than most other sparkling wines and packed with fruit, but not overly sweet. Delicious with berries or pungent, soft-ripened cheeses.

4. Gosset Champagne Grand Rosé NV
Aged in the bottle for a bit longer than most other sparkling pink potions, it boasts tiny bubbles and complex, multilayered flavors.

5. Montaudon Grande Rosé Brut NV
This boutique producer may scrimp on the graphics, but the fizz is delicate and the red-fruit flavors finely etched.

6. Krug Rosé Multi-Vintage
The overall favorite, although at that price, not for mass consumption. Notes of warm brioche and strawberry make this complex but easy to enjoy. Every bit the equal of a vintage champagne.

7. Henriot Rosé Millésimé 1998
The antithesis of fruity sparklers, this is an austere, tightly wound champagne with clear, distinct flavors and rapierlike acidity.

8. Heidsieck & Co. Monopole Diamant Rosé 1998
Full-bodied with a lusty, tart-ripe taste that suggests cherries on the other side of sour.

9. Moët & Chandon Dom Pérignon Rosé 1995
With an array of scents and savors from buttered biscuits to spiced plums, it’s worth the velvet-rope price, but for savoring.